The Hawks are down by 30 in the fourth quarter. The players know they will probably lose. Still, the Hawks Nest cheers from the stands. When the players look up and see the amount of school spirit radiating from this one section of the bleachers, a feeling of motivation rushes through them, and they persevere through the struggle. 

During each game last year, Woodland students piled into a section of the bleachers to form The Hawks Nest. In the only two games that have been played so far this year, the Hawks Nest has showed up once again to support the Woodland Hawks football team. 

“Going even back to week one, when we had big plays, the student section would get loud. It was pretty crazy to be honest, for week one to have that many people there to support us,” said senior Captain and lineman, Alek Tolboe. 

Somehow, something about the sound of people cheering that exhilarates and inspires players even when a game seems impossible to win. The feeling of knowing that people came to support the team can drive a player into the end zone. 

“When the student section is there, it feels like we have something to play for, as opposed to just going out and trying to win,” Tolboe revealed . “It really makes everything we do in the summer worth while.”

Senior Captain and quarterback, Tyler Bulinski, also appreciates The Hawks Nest.
“We have the support of the fans and it gets us more excited because there are a lot of people there,” Bulinski stated.

To people not a part of the Woodland community, the Hawks Nest may seem like any other student section; however, to the parents, students, staff, and especially the players of the Woodland football team, the Hawks Nest is a big family that comes together each Friday night to cheer for their favorite team.