The game will be played in the Gopher-Warrior Bowl on Friday night, and an expected 12,000 people should be there to cheer on their respected teams. Today we got to take a tour of the Bowl, that when full, should have a feeling like no where else in the country, especially when Euless Trinity is performing the "Haka" at the beginning of the game. When seated in the Bowl you are literally just feet away from the field, and within touching distance of the players and coaches. On top of this, the end zones have grass slopes behind them that will be covered with fans, so when on the field, you will be surrounded by nothing but crazy football fans from Texas.
We also got to take a look at South Grand Prairie High School, the teams practice, and got to ask a few questions to the players and coach. All of the players seemed to say the same thing about what they had to do in order to win this game. Play their positions, and try to beat them with their speed because we all know that they sure don't have the size that Trinity has. Coach Fisher talked about the things in life that are important outside of football. He tries to instill in the kids that being a good person is just as important as being a good athlete, and that school can get you just as far in life. Coach Fisher has great kids, and a great program, but will it be enough come game time on Friday.
Write me on what you think will be the difference makers for each team.
The haka is a traditional dance of New Zealand's Maori people that is traced to the early 19th century. Maori tribes performed the haka when coming together or before going to battle. The All Blacks, a New Zealand rugby team, has performed the haka since the early 1900s. The Trinity football team has performed the haka before and after each game this season as a means of team unity. Here are the words of the haka used by Trinity's players during the chant:
Ka mate! Ka mate!
Ka ora! Ka ora!
Ka mate! Ka mate!
Ka ora! Ka ora!
Tenei te tangata puhuruhuru
Nana nei i tiki mai, whakawhiti te ra!
A, hupane! A, kaupane!
A, hupane! A, kaupane!
Whiti te ra!
Translated to:
It is death! It is death!
It is life! It is life!
It is death! It is death!
It is life! It is life!
Behold! There stands the hairy man.
Who will cause the sun to shine!
One step upwards ... Another step upwards
The sun shines!