This fall semester, the beloved Guilford football team experienced a difficult but special season, as most of the team’s players are in their final year at Guilford. Their bond and the loving support they received from their peers brought them light, even during tough moments.

The football team kicked off their season against Greensboro College in the annual Gate City Soup Bowl, which, according to the Guilford  Athletics website, is a friendly competition where both schools partake in a food drive to see who can collect the most food.

According to the website, Guilford College and Greensboro College have been rivals since the late 90s, and the annual Soup Bowl competition always stirs up excitement among fans.

In the end, The Quakers ended up beating Greensboro College in a 48-37 win. Despite the success of their first game, the football team slowly started to lose momentum as they experienced many losses, some intense and others close. Still, the team remained determined, even in these disappointing times.

The Guilford community supported the football team during games with passionate reactions and hilarious but heartwarming commentary that garnered some laughs from the players and even the coaches.

From the loud cheers to the fast-paced applause from the attendees, the love and support  for the team was evident these games. Losses appeared to encourage the players’ peers to show them that they were proud no matter what.

The strong sense of community during games beautifully reflected the core values of Guilford. Not only did this inspire the team to push themselves even more, but showed others how valuable community is.

Regular football game attendees, specifically students, shared that they felt like their presence gave the players hope, win or lose.

First-year psychology major Ta’niyah Benton said she was happy to show her support through the cheer club.

“I have some friends on the team who would come up to me and be like, ‘Those cheers really helped!’” she said. “I think they were just grateful to have that positive energy.”

Benton added that cheering served as an outlet for her to connect and build relationships with others. She noted that she had the football season to thank for that.

Students shared that this year’s football games  helped them socially, gave them a new sense of community and self and provided them with opportunities to get out of their comfort zone.

Senior and criminal justice major Tiara Martin said that going to these games made her appreciate the world outside of her room.

“As someone who loves their room, I found that attending these games helped me connect with others, but also made me want to become more active on campus,” she said. “Also, I’m not much of a sports person, but I became more receptive once I started going to these games more often.”

Other students described the team’s dynamic, and how special it was to them as they looked on from the outside.

“I think what’s so admirable is how the losses seemed to bring the team together,” said junior and psychology major Kailee Hughes. “Most teams would blame each other, but not ours. They were so proud of each other and worked hard in bettering themselves and one another.”