Standing underneath the lights is a lot harder than sitting on the bleachers.
Every weekend, high school football teams all across the Wasatch Front suit up and head out to the field to battle under the Friday Night Lights. But the view that the players see from the field is much different than the view that the fans see from the stands.
Some Top of Utah team members shared their experiences on their unique on-the-field perspective.
"There's not a better feeling than running out to go play and hearing the crowd cheering and yelling," said Jake Conolly, a Bonneville High senior who plays both linebacker and running back.
Ogden High's cornerback, senior Garrett Casperson, says, "It's the best feeling in the world stepping out on that field under the lights, ready to play, and put all of our hard work to the test."
Or, as sophomore Kyle Reid at Northridge High, an offensive tackle and defensive end, says, "You can feel the energy and intensity coursing through your veins as fuel to a dominant machine of aggression and violence which can only be expressed on a football field."
"It is so so loud and everyone is there to see you and the only thing that matters is the ones on the field with you, and that you are a small piece in something bigger than you," added Parker Rowe, a senior defensive end at Clearfield High.
'Family' on the field
There are certain aspects of stepping out onto the field that the football players really enjoy.
For Rowe, it is "the experience to stand out in school and to be something bigger than another student and all the friendships you make."
Rowe is not the only one who has made friendships with his teammates. Roy High senior outside linebacker Wyatt Sackett said his favorite part is being able to hang with all of his friends and make bonds with teammates that you don't make bonds with in other sports.
"The best part is the friends you make -- it's a family," says John Rancifer, an Ogden High defensive end.
Spencer Green, Layton High senior defensive back and wide receiver, agrees, adding, "Being on a team is like having a family. It's great to know that you have great guys backing you up on and off the field."
Although the players gain friendships that go farther than on the field, they also have their not-so-favorite parts about being on the team, whether it is the summer conditioning or the losses.
Senior defensive back at Fremont High, Ty Willie, said his least favorite part is "knowing the season is going to end sometime."
J.D. Montgomery, Weber High senior offensive tackle, says losing is the worst because you feel lousy afterward.
Why they play
Every player has a determining factor that keeps him pushing through the game whether the team is winning or losing.
For Sackett, it's pride. "You want to keep going and playing hard because you don't want to let your brothers on the team down," he said.
"It's the family thing that keeps us going. We play for each other," says Rancifer.
For many, it's knowing you have played with a 110 percent, having zero regret. As Reid explains, "It's knowing that no matter the outcome, I will have left everything I have on the field."
One of the most vital parts of the Friday Night Lights is the support that the team receives from the crowd. A lot of the players emphasize how good it feels to have people cheering them on.
"I think support is what matters the most. Going from a losing football team to a successful team is amazing," said Casperson.
Dallin Decker, a junior corner from Northridge High, says that the support of the fans is important because "it is more exciting and gives more energy, which is always good."
"If the fans are pumped up it gets you even more fired up but if they're down, you don't really feel anything," Sackett adds.
Memories missed
For the senior football players, this is their season to shine on the field, and some say there are things they will miss about the experience.
Willie said, "I will miss being with my teammates and playing under the lights."
"I will miss everything, even the running. I will just miss coming out to play," says Montgomery.
Green says, "I'm going to miss the friendships, the brotherhood and the coaches to be there for you. They are like your best friends. You don't realize it 'til they are gone."
Once they graduate, all the players said they will miss the adrenaline, the touchdowns, the tackles and mostly the game itself. They will miss the Friday Night Lights.
TX. correspondents Jenny Mead, Ogden High; Lynette Randall, Northridge High; Mackenzie Stevens, Bonneville High, and Megan Ward, Weber High, contributed to this story.
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Julia Saxton is a senior at Roy High School. She loves to dance, shop and socialize. E-mail her at tiny_dancer73@hotmail.com.
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