COLLEGE STATION, Tx — Midnight yell, a beloved and cherished tradition at Texas A&M since 1913, has seen some changes at the beginning of the 2020 football season.
They have had to limit attendance and livestream the event online.
Texas A&M has yell leaders who embody the Aggieland spirit and are selected by their peers to lead Aggie fans in yells.
”As a yell leader you’re elected by your peers to serve Texas A&M university and the responsibility you have it kind of ranges we do all sorts of events,” said Keller Cox, head yell leader and senior and Texas A&M.
Yell leaders represent their peers with pride, even in the toughest of times when their position may have looked different then what they could have ever imagined.
”We’ve had a lot of virtual events on zoom calls and never in my time as a yell leader, you know I go to serve as junior yell leader too and this year a senior yell leader and the head yell leader,” said Cox.
Although the position of a yell leader has looked different, their spirit to return to midnight yell practice with all their peers never fizzled.
”But as we got back to campus, we realized that we could possibly have it in person so we did a all just you know essential personnel midnight yell no students,” said Cox.
From there they continued to expand following with the home game from Florida where the first level of the stadium was open for tickets to be claimed.
As everything has gone smoothly thanks to the support of yell leaders promoting safety protocols, more fans will be welcomed this week.
”This week what we're doing is were expanding midnight yell practice to two decks, so on Kyle Field there’s you know... If you’ve been there before you know there’s three decks, so we’re going to have about 3,500 people there hopefully,” said Cox.
All tickets have been claimed for the upcoming event this Friday night.
Students are extremely excited to get back out there and it sure shows as tickets were claimed as fast as 30 minutes later for the last midnight yell practice.
”It makes us feel just so excited and kind of pumped up that students are eager to experience you know one of Texas A&M's biggest traditions,” said Cox.
Students are eager to get back out there, but head yell leader Keller Cox wanted to leave one message to all the freshman who will experience their first and seniors on their way out.
He pushes you to get out there as there are two more chances and midnight yell practices coming your way.
The five yell leaders have shown great leadership in uplifting the spirit of Aggieland even with COVID-19 best practices to protect visitors.