Students at Patrick Hamilton often watch the football teams during practices and scrimmages outside their classroom windows and wave to them on their way to the buses at the end of the school day, but, during the last week of practice, they communicated with the team in a different way.

As a writing assignment, all classrooms wrote letters, posters and essays encouraging the Chieftains to do their best for the big game.

Patrick Hamilton’s Math and Science Lab is home to the Chieftain varsity football

team during half time to analyze the first half of the game and prepare for the second half.

The staff and students of Pat Ham turned their usual lab into a celebration of what the team has accomplished and encouragement for the night ahead.

The Chieftains visited the room before the game started to see what the students had left for them.

“It meant a ton for our players to walk into the room, see the pictures and read the signs and letters,” Coach Stanger said. “It choked a few of us up.”

Here is a small sample of what the football team read:

“Dear Chieftains, This year you guys are on a roll. Your football games are really good, too. Keep up and have a good game on Friday and keep up your streak and congratulations.”

Sincerely,

Dale Personnette

“We’re on your side so don’t back off from beating the sailors! Better keep moving, offense and defense! Let’s go Chieftains and crush the sailors with your cleats (p.s. not literally!!)”

From your biggest fan, Riley Stack

“Dear Chieftains, I hope you have fun playing football. You have to run a lot. I hope you eat healthy and stretch a lot. I went to the homecoming game and that game was amazing. You crushed the Eddies. I hope you keep up the hard work. I hope you win the game Friday. You guys are superb. You guys are undefeated.

I don’t care who plays on the team, but you guys are all very excellent. You Rock! Rock! Rock! Keep it up.”

Your friend,

Carlee Gibson

“Dear Football Player, Fire up for the football game. I hope you win. You rock.”

From your second-grade friend, Landen Taggert

“We know the boys played as hard as they could and gave it their all, and Patrick Hamilton is so proud of the accomplishments of the Chieftain Football team! Job well done!”

— Heather Nash,

Principal