Pep-Rally Perceptions

Ah the joys of fall football season—the sound of the band, swishing pom poms, and even the smell of game-day barbecues. There is, however, one aspect to football season that I’ve never been accustomed to—the homecoming pep rally.

Because I’d never been to a pep rally, I took my friend Whitney, who is undoubtedly the biggest Bobcat football fan ever to have graced the Gallatin Valley. Seriously, this girl has been to every home game in the past three years, and she even wore a Bobcats sticker tattoo on her face for two days straight. Now that’s commitment.

Before approaching the pep rally, I couldn’t help but stop at the downtown Co-op to buy coconut water. I’ve recently learned to embrace the inner hippie-esque attitude that Bozeman has instilled in me after three years of living here.

Once we arrived, organic beverages in hand, the energy of the crowd overwhelmed us. The hyper-enthusiastic cheerleaders and dance team bounced around while the Spirit of the West Marching Band played music from the Phantom of the Opera. An admitted musical nerd, I was highly entertained by their song selection. After chasing down our mascot, Champ, for an obligatory Bobcat pride picture, we mingled our way through the crowd to view the front part of the stage.

It was there that I saw something I’ll unfortunately never forget. All the 2012 Homecoming court candidates made their way to the stage, and "Single Ladies" by Beyoncé started playing over the speakers. The four guys were dancing to "Single Ladies"… this is a sight I could have lived without.

Through all the excitement and loud cheers, I did notice something I wasn’t expecting. The crowd at the pep rally wasn’t just students—community members and their children were there as well. Both old and new generations of Bobcats were all together supporting our university. It was then I realized how proud I really am to be a Bobcat and I wasn’t afraid to shout out cheers for the Cats. Turns out these homecoming pep-rally things really do work after all!