“You don’t have to have a kid on the team to be a Falcon,” said Fountain Hills Athletic Booster Club president John Hoyt.

That seems to be the organization’s motto this year, as members are pulling out all of the stops to make local sports competitions a place to have fun, connect with neighbors and, of course, watch local youngsters compete.

To help drive that point home, Hoyt shared some details on the Falcon Football Fall Festival, an event taking place this Friday evening, Sept. 23, just before the high school team’s football game against Chino Valley.

Open to everybody, the event will boast food, games, waterslides, a bull ride, prize drawings, a dunk tank and more, all from 5 to 7 p.m. in the field behind the home stands of the high school field.

A wristband for unlimited games, activities, inclusion in drawings, face painting and additional entertainment can be purchased for $7 in advance at any of the local district’s front offices. Cost will be $10 at the gate. Proceeds will go to support Fountain Hills athletics.

Go Falcons

Hoyt and his fellow boosters began transitioning the organization into a more active mode back in 2015. The results of those efforts, he said, are coming to fruition with the 2016-17 academic year.

“Our main goal is to join the community and the schools through athletics,” Hoyt said. “What I want is kind of a Friday night lights atmosphere. There’s no reason we can’t be like those Texas towns where, on a Friday night, everybody rallies and goes to see the game.”

Increasing the fan base for local athletics has taken a lot of work on the part of the boosters, as well as numerous community members, clubs and organizations.

Hoyt explained that such a high focus has been put on football for a number of reasons, though the group actively promotes and works toward “filling the stands” for all local athletics.

“The gates from the football program help support sports that don’t have gates, such as golf or tennis,” Hoyt explained. “So a successful night for football means good things for all of our sports programs.”

To bolster the crowd, Hoyt said he turned to memories of being a student himself, back when students did not have to pay to attend their local sporting events.

“So what we did is go out and find a sponsor that would basically subsidize the school for what would be student ticket sales,” Hoyt explained. “The new sponsor is the Neighborhood Property Owner’s Association, who came through to allow high school students to attend the football games for free, as well as middle school students so long as they have an accompanying, paying parent.”

Hoyt said the Boosters were very excited to see a big turnout at the Falcons’ only home game this season to date but, since it was so close to a holiday, they held off until this coming Friday’s home game to begin the “party atmosphere” they aim to make a part of future games.

Along with the big pre-game event, fans will see their Falcons running through a massive inflatable helmet, a new look for Beaker the mascot, a fresh coat of paint for the home stands and more.

Future events

On top of this week’s big Football Festival, the Boosters are planning additional special events for upcoming home games. The plan is to keep up the Festival on a weekly basis, with different attractions rotating in during the same timeslot before home games.

From a game honoring local seniors to a special event for veterans, Hoyt said the plan is to remind everyone that if you live in Fountain Hills, you’re a Falcon.

The veterans’ appreciation game is planned for next Friday, Sept. 30. Hoyt said a special color guard should be on hand, as well as visitors from at least seven local veterans’ posts. The event is planned to include a live singing of the National Anthem, as well as a moment of silence and a plane flyover.

Due to timing needs, the Sept. 30 veterans game is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. rather than 7 p.m.

Additional themed events geared toward recognizing other local groups are in the planning phases.

“We’re going to a lot of local businesses and asking for their support,” Hoyt said. “Things have really picked up and we’re really excited.”

For additional information on the boosters and the local teams, visit falconathletics.org.