Feet stomping. Hands clapping. Arms rolling. “Everybody rumble!” The fan favorite cheer, dubbed the ‘Longhorn Rumble,’ echoes through the air during a fall football weekend where the Longhorns and their junior counterparts played.

West High prides itself on maintaining a special culture and familiarity throughout the student body. The unifying effect that a simple chant can have on students, from 10 to 18 year olds, exemplifies West’s unique sense of camaraderie, despite having over 2000 students between middle and high schools. Transferring the strong sense of family into sports over the course of fifth through 12th grade is important to the coaching staff, including physical education teacher and head football coach, Jeff Duncan.

“We look for players who can put the team first. [My philosophy is] to teach and inspire our players to become young men who will love and trust one another, so they are equipped to persevere through any challenge they might endure,” Duncan said.

West Middle School offers many transitional teams for different sports including the Junior Longhorns football team. The Junior Longhorns feeder program is a 501(c)3 organization that provides youth football opportunities for students from fifth grade until they transition to high school-sanctioned sports. The feeder teams reflect the time management and physical skills playing in high school may entail.

During his tenure as coach, Duncan watched the growth of the feeder teams, especially in the last four to five years, and can see these ideals reflected as former feeder team participants transition into high school athletes.

“We are getting more players and families excited about Longhorn Football. Football is a game of numbers, and the more players we can get excited about playing football, the better. [The coaches] try to keep in contact with what is going on with our feeder teams [and] try to make it to a few games during the season. I think that it helps that I have several coaches who teach at West Middle,” Duncan said.

The cheerleading feeder team works hand in hand with the Junior Longhorns football team, hosting fundraising and participating in other events together. West High hosts an annual “Junior Longhorn Night” featuring both the feeder football teams and cheerleading teams. The cheerleading team has drawn in lots of middle school athletes over the years, one of them being sophomore Alyssa Gessner, who has participated in the West cheer program since sixth grade, where she first learned the “Longhorn Rumble.” This cheer has followed her through her entire high school cheerleading career.

“The Longhorn Rumble is surreal every time it’s called. I love seeing the crowd interacting with our cheers because that is what we are there for — to hype up the crowd. My favorite rumble memory is Red and Blue Night this year [because] the student section [was] so packed and everyone began to cheer, [including] the seniors which is wholesome, to say the least,” Gessner said.

Unlike other fall sports, the cheerleading program doesn’t permit students to cheer with varsity until their sophomore year. The feeder team can act as a stepping stone for freshmen hoping to make JV.

“Cheering in middle school definitely made an impact on my drive and determination going into high school, especially freshman year. I was a JV captain and I don’t think I would’ve known what to do if I didn’t have that previous experience from the years prior,” Gessner said.

For those looking to immerse themselves and take advantage of everything West has to offer, the feeder teams are an opportunity for a variety of sports and athletes.

“[Feeder teams are] a great way to get involved early. Being a part of a team and working towards one common goal is a skill that all students need,” Duncan said.

This story was originally published on Pathfinder on September 26, 2024.