A cacophony of cheers fills Yates Stadium as the band plays. The Wildkat cheerleaders are on the track full of exhilaration as the Sweethearts take the field in unison. It is time for Meet the Kats, an event that occurs prior to school starting which welcomes students back.
Meet The Kats allows athletes to see the community uplift them and show their support. All fall sports athletes and coordinators attend this event as well as the band, cheer, and drill team.
“Students get to see extracurriculars they don’t know about, “ junior Amy Garcia said.
All of the effort these athletes put into their sport brings them together. They become a family throughout their time together, especially in summer practices filed with long days in 100+ weather, which calls for discipline. With the community coming together, students can see the Willis community’s support for them, and that recognition fuels them.
“I like how you look at all the teams and they look like a family,” cross country runner junior Evangeline Munaretto said.
Students get to get involved even outside the realm of their sport or organization. They create memories that will last past their time in high school.
“It was so exciting to be able to rip the velcro to open the inflatable for the football kids,” drum line junior Faith Nichols said.
Meet The Kats also shows off school improvements and growth. The city of Willis is growing exponentially. Willis High School has an estimated 2700 students this year, whereas last year we had about 2400 enrolled students.
“From an athletic standpoint, I’ve seen a lot more kids get involved in athletics, so I see that as a big growth thing for Willis ISD,” athletic trainer Jordan Terrell, said. “I see the culture changing, you know, all coming together and allowing the parents and the fans to come down onto the field and pray and get involved,” Terrell said.
Growth is an essential part of success, and parents being able to see the need for athletic and fine arts funding is a vital part of Willis’ success. Meet The Kats shows parents how great the Willis community is and it encourages them to be more involved not only in their own student’s success but the Willis High School community.
“There’s a lot of athletes and a lot of people coming together to show support for the athletic community,” varsity football player junior Luke Reynolds said.
