Marching Bands, Cheer and Dance Teams at High School Games

By 4Football Staff · October 19, 2026 · 9 min read

Friday night is more than the scoreboard. How marching bands, cheer squads and dance teams prepare, what they do during a game, how they stay safe, and how they fit around the football schedule.

Close your eyes at a high school football game and listen. There is a snare cadence echoing off the bleachers, a fight song that half the stadium knows by heart, a chant started by the cheer squad, a rhythm from the dance team's routine. None of it is on the scoreboard, and yet most people who remember their high school Friday nights remember exactly these sounds.

Bands, cheer squads and dance teams are as much a part of the game-day experience as the players. They are also separate programs with their own coaches, budgets, rehearsal schedules, competitions and safety rules. Students in these groups put in hours that rival those of the football team, and they usually do it without a scoreboard that records a win.

This article explains what each group does at a high school football game, how they prepare during the week, how their schedules fit with the football program, and what spectators should know. Details vary by school, district and state, so treat this as a general picture and ask your school's band director, cheer coach or athletic director about local practice.

The three groups, and why they are different

Although they are often mentioned together, the three groups have different missions.

At some schools, the groups report to the athletic department. At others, the band is part of the music or fine arts department and cheer and dance are separate clubs or athletic teams. Funding and scheduling depend on that structure, which is why the same school may treat each group differently.

The marching band

Who is in the band

A high school marching band includes wind instruments (brass and woodwinds), a percussion section often divided into battery (portable drums) and front ensemble (instruments that stay in place), and in many bands a color guard or flag corps that adds visual elements. Many bands also have drum majors who conduct from a podium or on the field and lead the band's rehearsals.

Membership is usually open to students enrolled in the band program, and some schools require an audition for certain positions. Band directors often start preparing before the school year begins.

Summer and preseason

Band preparation begins in summer. Many bands hold rehearsals or "band camp" before school starts. This is when the group learns marching technique, memorizes music and begins to learn the halftime show. Because summer heat is a safety concern, directors follow guidelines for rest breaks, hydration and shade, just as football coaches do. Our article on the high school football calendar shows how the football schedule runs in parallel.

What marching band does at a game

A typical home game includes several band appearances.

1. Pregame. The band may perform a pregame show, play the national anthem or lead a march into the stadium. Often it plays a fight song as the team enters the field.
2. During the game. The band plays in the stands, usually short pieces known as "stand tunes" or "cadences" during breaks in the action, after scores and at timeouts. Directors time these carefully, because music must stop when play resumes and cannot interfere with the offense's cadence or the officials' communication.
3. Halftime. The main show. A halftime performance often lasts five to ten minutes of marching and music, set to a theme. The band and any color guard move in precise formations, called drill, designed on charts that tell each member where to be on each beat.
4. Postgame. Many bands play the school song or fight song after a win and sometimes after a loss, to thank the crowd.

Away games

When the football team travels, the band may travel, too, but not always. Cost, distance and transportation affect the decision. Some schools send a smaller group, such as a pep band, to away games; others send the full band for rivalry or playoff games.

Competitions

Many high school marching bands also compete. Competitions are separate events, often on Saturdays, where bands perform their shows for judges who score music, visual performance and effect. These events add to the band's schedule and can conflict with football dates, which is why directors and athletic directors coordinate calendars.

Cheer squads

Two kinds of cheer

Cheer in schools usually falls into two categories, which sometimes overlap:

• Sideline cheer supports the team at games. Cheerleaders lead chants, perform short routines, display signs and interact with the crowd.
• Competition cheer involves performing a timed routine of stunts, tumbling, jumps and dance for judges.

Some schools have separate teams for each. Others combine them, and the squad may cheer on Friday nights and compete on weekends. The cheer season typically includes tryouts in spring, summer practices and camps, and a season that follows the football and basketball calendar.

What cheer does at a game

• Pregame. The squad may run through a banner with the team, lead a chant or perform a pregame routine.
• Game. Cheerleaders stand on the sideline or track, often in front of the home stands. They lead cheers during timeouts, after scores and when the team needs support. They are expected to pay attention to the game, since they must be ready to stop and watch for a ball or player moving toward them.
• Halftime. Many squads perform a short routine, sometimes with the dance team or band.
• Crowd engagement. Cheerleaders may encourage the student section, run contests and lead chants.

Stunting and safety

Cheerleading includes stunts, in which athletes lift, throw and catch teammates, and tumbling. These skills carry real risk, which is why safety rules exist. Spirit organizations such as the American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Administrators (AACCA) publish safety guidelines, and the NFHS offers spirit rules used by many state associations. Common requirements include:

• Trained and certified coaches
• Surfaces appropriate for stunts (stunts are usually restricted on wet or hard surfaces such as concrete)
• Limits on the types of stunts allowed at various levels
• Spotters for certain skills
• Medical clearance and injury reporting procedures

Rules vary by state, so the cheer coach and athletic director can tell you what applies.

Dance and drill teams

What the dance team does

Dance teams in high schools may be called dance, drill, pom, kick line or something else, depending on the region. They perform choreographed routines that may involve pom-poms, kicks, jazz, hip-hop or other styles.

At games, a dance team commonly performs at halftime or during timeouts and may appear in the stands or on the track. Some teams also perform pregame and in pep rallies. Many dance teams compete in regional or state competitions, which require additional rehearsal time.

Preparation

Dance team members rehearse several times a week, often early in the morning, after school or on weekends. They learn routines, work on technique and condition for performances. A routine for a halftime show may be built over weeks, and the team may have separate routines for competition.

How the groups share the halftime show

Halftime has a limited number of minutes. In many high school games, the break lasts roughly fifteen to twenty minutes, though state rules or local agreements set the exact amount. That time must cover:

• The teams' trips to and from the locker rooms
• The visiting team's band, if applicable
• The home band's show
• Cheer or dance performances
• Special events such as homecoming court presentations or senior recognitions (see our article on homecoming week in high school football)

The athletic director, band director and coaches coordinate the schedule. Everyone has a slot, and the clock matters, because the second half starts on time. At some stadiums, bands from both schools perform, one after the other.

How the groups relate to the football team

Working alongside the team

Bands and cheer squads support the team, but they are not part of it. They answer to their own directors and coaches, who coordinate with the football staff. Good communication prevents conflicts, such as a band playing during a quarterback's cadence or cheerleaders standing in a coach's sightline.

Respect and recognition

Students in these groups often feel overlooked. Coaches and administrators who attend band concerts, cheer competitions and dance showcases help build a culture of mutual respect. Football players who thank the band after a win know it matters.

Scheduling conflicts

Students sometimes belong to more than one group, such as a football player who plays trumpet in the band, or a cheerleader who also runs track. Conflicts must be negotiated. Many schools set priorities, such as which commitment has precedence on game night, but these decisions should be communicated early. A student who wants to participate in several activities should talk to each director before the season begins.

Budgets, uniforms and fundraising

Bands, cheer squads and dance teams are expensive. Instruments, uniforms, drill design, sound equipment, competition fees, travel and camps all cost money. School budgets cover some of it, but many groups rely on fundraising and booster organizations run by parents. Families may pay fees for uniforms or trips. Our article on funding high school athletics explains the financial model for sports, and many of the same issues apply to bands and spirit groups.

Parents who want to help can often volunteer to chaperone, manage uniforms, sell concessions or assist with fundraising events. If cost is a concern for a student, ask the director whether assistance or payment plans exist.

Safety and wellness

All three groups face physical demands.

• Heat and hydration. Marching in heavy uniforms during warm weather poses risks. Directors typically schedule water breaks and modify rehearsals in extreme heat. Students should speak up if they feel unwell.
• Musculoskeletal strain. Carrying instruments, marching in step and rehearsing for long hours can cause back, knee and ankle problems. Warm-ups and proper technique matter.
• Hearing. Drumlines and bands can be loud. Students who spend long hours near loud instruments should ask a doctor or audiologist about hearing protection.
• Injury risk in cheer. Cheerleading includes lifts and tumbles. Appropriate training, supervision and surfaces are essential. Many schools employ athletic trainers who also cover spirit groups.
• Concussions. Concussion protocols apply to spirit athletes, too. Anyone with a suspected head injury must be removed from activity and cleared by a health care professional before returning.
• Emotional wellbeing. Rehearsals, tryouts and rankings can be stressful. A supportive environment matters.

Etiquette for fans

Spectators help create a good atmosphere when they treat these groups with respect.

• Listen during the performance. Halftime shows take weeks to prepare. Applaud, and avoid yelling over the music.
• Do not distract performers. Staying out of the field area, away from the band's sightlines and from stunts, keeps students safe.
• Support all students. A football player and a clarinetist both represent the school.
• Do not harass. Heckling a performer for appearance or ability is never acceptable.
• Thank them. A word of appreciation to a band member or cheerleader goes a long way.

How to join

If your student wants to participate:

1. Band. Contact the band director. Many schools start students in middle school band, but high school beginners are often welcome in the marching band as well, especially in percussion and color guard. Auditions may apply to certain positions.
2. Cheer. Ask the cheer coach about tryouts, which are often held in spring. Expect to learn tumbling, stunting and cheer routines, and to pay for uniforms and camps.
3. Dance. Contact the dance team coach about tryouts and requirements. Skills may include jazz, ballet, hip-hop and kicks.
4. All groups. Ask about costs, schedules, travel and academic requirements.

The short version

• Marching bands, cheer squads and dance teams are separate programs with their own leaders, schedules and budgets, even though they appear together on Friday night.
• Bands perform pregame, in the stands and at halftime; they begin preparing in summer and often compete on weekends.
• Cheer squads lead the crowd and may stunt and compete, and they follow safety rules from spirit organizations and state associations.
• Dance teams perform choreographed routines at halftime and elsewhere and often compete.
• Halftime time is limited, so directors and the athletic director coordinate schedules closely.
• Funding comes from school budgets, fees and booster fundraising, and all three groups face real safety demands, including heat, strain and concussion risks.
• Support them by listening, applauding and treating performers with respect. Browse local programs in our high school directory, check game times on the schedule and look up a school in the team pages.