VIDEO: High School Football Has A Huge Impact On One West Alabama Town

GORDO, Al. (WCBI)- Football season is finally here, and for one West Alabama town, they’ve been anxiously waiting for this day to come since their season ended last November.

“Everybody loves football here in Gordo.” Gordo is a football town,” said Kassedy Wrightson, who’s a senior at Gordo High School.

The hard hitting sport is something the town takes very seriously.

On Thursday, the Gordo Green Wave kicked-off its season against their rival, Fayette County, AL.

“I’ve only missed probably like a total of ten football games since I’ve been in high school,” said Wrightson.

“It’s a good thing we don’t play on Sunday’s because we probably wouldn’t have anybody in church on Sunday, but football is pretty serious, we bleed green and gold,” said Terry Billings, owner of Billy’s BBQ in Gordo, AL.

Billings said he’s been following Gordo football for over thirty years, and said football season just brings a new level of excitement to the city.

“The football games are awesome,” said Wrightson. “Me and my friends, we dance the whole time and cheer loud.”

“It just puts a different smell in the air,” said Billings.  “You got fresh grass and everybody has a different attitude and excitement.”

Billings said football season is also a big revenue generator.

“Football season just adds to A lot of the businesses around here,” said Billings.

But come Friday nights, Billings closes down his restaurant and makes his way to the stands to cheer on his green wave.

“We’ll probably close right after kick-off, go watch the game, and come back after the fourth quarter and open it back up,” he said.

The Gordo community has been waiting all year to cheer on their favorite football team, but now, the wait is finally over.  And the community has high hopes for their Green Wave this season.

“Oh we’re going to win,” said Wrightson.

“We set our goals high and we plan on reaching them,” said Billings.