What We Love About High School Football

The sounds of helmets and shoulder pads filled the summer air around local high schools Aug. 1, the first day full-contact football practice is allowed by the Georgia High School Association.

That means very soon Friday nights will be devoted to the passions of playing Georgia high school football.

How is your favorite football team going to do in the 2013 season? Tell us in the comments below.

Here are five things we love most about high school football:

1. Hometown heroes: They play for the love the game, local glory, and maybe to get the attention of a certain someone. The kids representing your community on the field are the ones who mow your lawn, play ball at the local park and bag your groceries at the store.

• See also: 2013 Football schedules

2. Rivalries. Whenever neighboring schools meet on the gridiron, football becomes more than a game. It’s a community get-together, where bragging rights are on the line. We like such rivalries as Brookwood vs. Parkview, Norcross vs. North Gwinnett, Grayson vs. South Gwinnett, Clarke Central vs. Cedar Shoals, Loganville vs. Winder-Barrow, among many others.

3. Concession food: Ah, the smell of hot dogs, hamburgers and popcorn can’t be beat — and they’re all made by parents of the kids on the field.

4. Busting through the banners: Every game is preceded by the teams taking the field by bursting through the large paper banners held up by the cheerleading squads. It draws goosebumps for many and flashes from cameras throughout the stadium.

5. The bands: No matter the size, reputation or preferred music style, every band playing at halftime is worth the attention. And they’re all great on Friday nights.

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