Football Moms Continue Cordell Traditions

Football, especially in small towns, is all about tradition. One of Cordell’s football traditions brings Blue Devil football to Cordell’s town square, as football moms take to the square every Tuesday to hang inspirational posters for each of the players on the windows of local businesses. Some of the faces may change from week to week, but four moms are always out there: Carmen Nickel, April Cochran, Nikki Kuehne, and Charlinda Ogle.

No one seems to know when the tradition began, but Ogle, said she remembers it when she was a student at Cordell High School in the late 1970s. The moms who participate say they do it to show the community’s support of the student athletes and to help keep a vital community tradition alive.

“We love doing anything for those football boys,” Cochran said. “I don’t just have one kid on the team, I have an entire team of kids. We love them all and we love doing the little things that get them going for games. Painting posters is just our way of showing them we are behind them and their coaches. It also shows them our businesses are behind them. Small town traditions are what keeps small towns going! They are OUR Boys of Fall and we live for those friday night lights.”

Kuehne remembers putting up signs for her boyfriend, now husband, Rob. She’s working to keep the tradition alive for her son, who is now a junior on the football team.

“The football signs are a tradition in Cordell,” she said. “I can remember driving around the square as an elementary student reading all the signs. I still have a couple of my husband’s signs from when we were in high school. Needless to say, I was thrilled to get to make Raydon’s football signs.”

Ogle stressed the importance of keeping tradition alive and showing support for the students.

“We, as parents, show support for our children and every member of the team. It is important to show our kids that their hard work and dedication to their sport is truly appreciated by their families and fans. Cordell is a small town and it is important to keep our traditions alive and well for now and future generations of Cordell student-athletes, families and fans.”