What Makes North Attleboro Football Special

by Meagan Pastore

Sports play a big role in the town of North Attleboro, for the players, parents, fans and community.

It’s not just physically playing or competing in the sport that makes it special in North, it’s the camaraderie, atmosphere, dedication and spirit. Here’s a list of what the fans and athletics say makes North Attleboro football so special.

Community Field:

On the Friday night of a home game, the lights of Community Field shine in the heart of downtown North Attleboro as fans gather around the real grass field to watch the Red Rocketeers. Community Field is different from a lot of the fields in surrounding towns, not only because it is still a real grass field and not a turf field, but because of its dim lighting and the fact that it’s not surrounded by a track. This means that fans attending the game get to be very close to the players and the action on the field.

It’s not just the fans who like the intimate atmosphere of the football games. Senior football player Jacob Olson explained, “Community field is a very special place. The way everyone surrounds the field and all of the other aspects give a great old fashioned nighttime football game feel.”

The Rowdy Crowd:

The atmosphere of Community Field is absolutely electric, and a large part of what helps to create this is the Rowdy Crowd. This group of fans attends both home and away games and, according to senior football player Jacob Olson, they help to “add to the rush of the game.”  

The Rowdy Crowd does more than add to the atmosphere; they help to create a sense of pride and community. Olson explained that the football team “love(s) the support we get from the student body. They make us feel special and appreciated.”  

Team and Tradition:

Olson and other players on the team explained how lucky they are to have such a great group of teammates, comparing the team to one big family. Senior Kyle Johnson commented on the traditions that he enjoys most during football season, “Everything about Big Red football is just great. Some of my favorite outings are going to Boneyard after practice with the team and feasting on some wings. Also being on the Big Red bus with all the guys after a win. We all are just in the best mood and everyone is so excited.”

One of the biggest traditions that NAHS football has is the Thanksgiving Day game against Attleboro. Every year, North and Attleboro switch back and forth hosting the game.  After winning the Hilda trophy back last season, North continued their tradition and walked home from Attleboro in celebration.

This year, the Thanksgiving Day game will be held by North Attleboro at Community Field.  The halftime performance at North football games will always be a very important tradition. The band, color guard and cheerleaders put on a fantastic show that all people of the community enjoy seeing. Student Isabelle Renzi stated, “The halftime entertainment will always be a special aspect of North Attleboro football.”

The Community

It’s not just the football players who love football season, a lot of the student body does as well.

Senior Grace Guertin said, “Everyone comes together to support the team. People from all different clubs, activities, arts and sports enjoy cheering on the team in the Rowdy Crowd.”  She continued to say, “everyone looks forward for Friday night games at Community, it’s a tradition.”

Friday nights at Community are always packed with people of different ages. Everyone, from grandparents to young children, attend the games. One large group that fills Community are the younger football players that play for the town’s Pop Warner league. The boys wear their own jerseys every Friday night and watch the games knowing that they will represent NAHS in just a few short years.