Going to state and competing for state title is a huge accomplishment, the 2017 football team did just that. The team will be rewarded for all of the hours of hard work they have done in the form of a medal and a state patch- both can be displayed on their letterman jackets.

Some football players feel that the cheerleader patch is undeserved.  Some saying, “They are not apart of the football team, why should they be rewarded for us winning?” Football players go through a 16 week season, spanning over three months, starting with two-a-days where practice spans from five to six hours, including weight room sessions and film work. The next 14 weeks are filled with practicing after school from 3:05-6:00, game planning on each team, preparing different offenses to disemble opposing team’s defense, scouting opponents offensive attacks for defense, and if traveling to various practice locations to practice under a dome and on turf to prepare us for US Bank Stadium for finals. The football players also give up a large majority of their summer to attending various camps to help improve their basic skills and establish a touch with their quarterbacks. Not to mention four days a week having to wake up around 6:00 a.m. to lift weights all summer.

Now cheerleading is classified as a sport and has a an abundance of competitions around the country and local, such as the 2017 Great Minnesota Cheer off. So in a sense, they are a different sport, in a different practice, but getting rewarded the same as football players just winning the state championship. Cheerleaders are able to accomplish their own state titles in various competitions and should not be given a patch on regards of the football team winning a state title.

Now the football team does see the amount of works goes into cheerleading, but seeing it as a separate sport, they should be rewarded differently. Such as a cheer patch, stating they cheered for the Owatonna Football state 5A championship team. They should not be allowed the same award as the Football Team.