Midnight Yell Practice
Encyclopedia
Midnight Yell Practice, known locally as Midnight Yell or Yell Practice, is a tradition at Texas A&M University
. Midnight Yell is similar to a pep rally
. On the night before each home football
game, Midnight Yell takes place in Kyle Field
at midnight; two nights before each away game, Midnight Yell is held near the Quadrangle on the south side of campus
. At midnight on the night before an away game Midnight Yell is held in at or near the opponent's city.
Besides exciting the crowd, Midnight Yell introduces the student body to any new yells and to practice changes to existing yells. All yell practices are led by the Yell Leaders
, a set of five students who are elected to one-year terms by the student body.
The first Midnight Yell was held in 1932. Two freshmen asked the senior Yell Leaders to hold a midnight practice so that students would be motivated for the upcoming football game against archrival Texas Longhorns. The Yell Leaders said that they couldn't authorize a Yell Practice at that hour, but added that they just might "show up" at the campus YMCA Building that evening around midnight. The Fightin' Texas Aggie Band
met them at the YMCA, and soon the bulk of the student body had gathered. The cadets used railroad flares to light the event, and a tradition was born.
Since that first Midnight Yell, the event has been held on the night before each home football game. The Fightin' Texas Aggie Band and the five Yell Leaders lead a parade from the Quadrangle, where the Corps dorms are located. Students and alumni line the route from the Quadrangle to Kyle Field
, falling into line once those in front of them have passed. Students and alumni gather in the student section of the stands. At midnight, the yell practice begins. The Corps Juniors used to guard Kyle Field all night against students from other schools who may try to pull pranks the night before the game. This job has since been taken over by University Police but only the Corps Juniors are allowed to stand on the track around the Field in recognition of this tradition.
In a departure from their starched white game-day uniforms, at Midnight Yell the Yell Leaders typically wear painted denim overalls and t-shirts. With the senior Yell Leaders looking on, the junior Yell Leaders assemble at midfield and begin doing pushups. The pushups last for approximately nine minutes (3 songs played by the Aggie Band about 3 minutes each). When the juniors are finished, Reveille
, the Texas A&M mascot, is escorted onto the field.
The five Yell Leaders then arrange themselves in front of the stands and begin leading the yells. All yells are coordinated using hand signals. When the yell is ready to begin, the head Yell Leader gives a signal and the crowd "humps it," with every person leaning forward to maximize the volume of their voices.
During the Yell Practice the crowd, which generally numbers 20,000 to 25,000 people, is led in the yells. The school songs "Aggie War Hymn" and "Spirit of Aggieland
" are sung, the Yell Leaders will also tell two fables about how the Aggies are going to beat their opponent the next day.
At one point during the night the stadium lights are turned off and, traditionally, Aggies are supposed to kiss their dates (called "mugging down"). This relates to another student tradition: "When One Aggie Scores, All Aggies Score." When the Aggies score a touch down, safety, or field goal, everyone in the student body who has brought a date to the game kisses his/her date.
If no date is present, single students light their cigarette lighter
s, commonly referred to as "flicking your Bic
," to make it easier for two dateless people to find each other in the dark.
is held in Austin
the Midnight Yell is held on the steps of the Texas State Capitol
. Grove yells were held at The Grove, an outdoor theater near the MSC which was torn down in 2003. Since then, they have been held in front of the twelve arches that mark the entrance to the Corps of Cadets quad area. Arch yells are usually at 7 PM, the attendance is much smaller (usually only the Corps of Cadets) and the tradition of "mugging down" is not performed.
After a victorious home football game, the Yell Leaders are tackled by the freshmen in the Corps and thrown into Fish Pond. Afterwards, the Aggie Band meets up with them and an informal yell practice ensues on the steps of the YMCA building. Should the Aggies lose (or run out of time) in a football game, a yell practice is held in the stands "to display the continuing support for the Aggie team and to prepare for the next game."
Traditions of Texas A&M University
The traditions of Texas A&M University are a key aspect of the culture of Texas A&M University. Some of the school traditions date to the 1890s, shortly after the opening of the school, while others have been introduced more recently...
. Midnight Yell is similar to a pep rally
Pep rally
Pep rallies are events that occur primarily in the United States and Canada. A pep rally is a gathering of people, typically students of middle school, high school and college age, before a sports event. The purpose of such a gathering is to encourage school spirit and to support members of the...
. On the night before each home football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
game, Midnight Yell takes place in Kyle Field
Kyle Field
Kyle Field is the football stadium located on the campus of Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. It has been the home to the Texas A&M Aggie football team in rudimentary form since 1904, and as a complete stadium since 1927. It is known as The Home of the 12th Man...
at midnight; two nights before each away game, Midnight Yell is held near the Quadrangle on the south side of campus
Campus of Texas A&M University
The campus of Texas A&M University, also known as Aggieland, is situated in College Station, Texas, USA. Aggieland is centrally located within 200 miles of three of the 10 largest cities in the United States and 75% of the Texas and Louisiana populations...
. At midnight on the night before an away game Midnight Yell is held in at or near the opponent's city.
Besides exciting the crowd, Midnight Yell introduces the student body to any new yells and to practice changes to existing yells. All yell practices are led by the Yell Leaders
Yell Leaders
The Aggie Yell Leaders are a group of Texas A&M University students that leads Aggie fans in a series of "yells" during athletic events or other school events...
, a set of five students who are elected to one-year terms by the student body.
History
Yell Practice began in 1913, while A&M was still an all-male military school. Several companies would gather together to "learn heartily the old time pep."The first Midnight Yell was held in 1932. Two freshmen asked the senior Yell Leaders to hold a midnight practice so that students would be motivated for the upcoming football game against archrival Texas Longhorns. The Yell Leaders said that they couldn't authorize a Yell Practice at that hour, but added that they just might "show up" at the campus YMCA Building that evening around midnight. The Fightin' Texas Aggie Band
Fightin' Texas Aggie Band
The Fightin' Texas Aggie Band is the official marching band of Texas A&M University. Composed of over 300 men and women from the school's Corps of Cadets, it is the largest military marching band in the world...
met them at the YMCA, and soon the bulk of the student body had gathered. The cadets used railroad flares to light the event, and a tradition was born.
Home games
Kyle Field
Kyle Field is the football stadium located on the campus of Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. It has been the home to the Texas A&M Aggie football team in rudimentary form since 1904, and as a complete stadium since 1927. It is known as The Home of the 12th Man...
, falling into line once those in front of them have passed. Students and alumni gather in the student section of the stands. At midnight, the yell practice begins. The Corps Juniors used to guard Kyle Field all night against students from other schools who may try to pull pranks the night before the game. This job has since been taken over by University Police but only the Corps Juniors are allowed to stand on the track around the Field in recognition of this tradition.
In a departure from their starched white game-day uniforms, at Midnight Yell the Yell Leaders typically wear painted denim overalls and t-shirts. With the senior Yell Leaders looking on, the junior Yell Leaders assemble at midfield and begin doing pushups. The pushups last for approximately nine minutes (3 songs played by the Aggie Band about 3 minutes each). When the juniors are finished, Reveille
Reveille (Texas A&M)
Reveille is the official mascot of Texas A&M University. Students adopted the first Reveille, a mixed-breed dog, in 1931. To thank Texas A&M for its assistance during World War II, the US Army designated Reveille a Cadet General , the highest ranking member of the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets.Eight...
, the Texas A&M mascot, is escorted onto the field.
The five Yell Leaders then arrange themselves in front of the stands and begin leading the yells. All yells are coordinated using hand signals. When the yell is ready to begin, the head Yell Leader gives a signal and the crowd "humps it," with every person leaning forward to maximize the volume of their voices.
During the Yell Practice the crowd, which generally numbers 20,000 to 25,000 people, is led in the yells. The school songs "Aggie War Hymn" and "Spirit of Aggieland
Spirit of Aggieland
The Spirit of Aggieland is the alma mater of the Texas A&M University. It was originally written as a poem by Marvin H. Mimms while he was a student at Texas A&M. Richard J. Dunn, the director of the Fightin' Texas Aggie Band at the time, composed the music...
" are sung, the Yell Leaders will also tell two fables about how the Aggies are going to beat their opponent the next day.
At one point during the night the stadium lights are turned off and, traditionally, Aggies are supposed to kiss their dates (called "mugging down"). This relates to another student tradition: "When One Aggie Scores, All Aggies Score." When the Aggies score a touch down, safety, or field goal, everyone in the student body who has brought a date to the game kisses his/her date.
If no date is present, single students light their cigarette lighter
Lighter
A lighter is a portable device used to generate a flame. It consists of a metal or plastic container filled with a flammable fluid or pressurized liquid gas, a means of ignition, and some provision for extinguishing the flame.- History :...
s, commonly referred to as "flicking your Bic
Société Bic
Société Bic is a company based in Clichy, France, founded in 1945, by Baron Marcel Bich known for making disposable products including lighters, magnets, ballpoint pens, shaving razors and watersports products. It competes in most markets against Faber-Castell, Global Gillette, Newell Rubbermaid...
," to make it easier for two dateless people to find each other in the dark.
Away games
If the game is an away game, a yell called an Arch (or Grove) Yell is held on campus the Thursday before the game, and a Midnight yell is held in a location in the away city. For example, if the annual game against the University of TexasUniversity of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
is held in Austin
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
the Midnight Yell is held on the steps of the Texas State Capitol
Texas State Capitol
The Texas State Capitol is located in Austin, Texas, and is the fourth building to be the house of Texas government in Austin. It houses the chambers of the Texas Legislature and the office of the governor of Texas. It was designed originally during 1881 by architect Elijah E. Myers, and was...
. Grove yells were held at The Grove, an outdoor theater near the MSC which was torn down in 2003. Since then, they have been held in front of the twelve arches that mark the entrance to the Corps of Cadets quad area. Arch yells are usually at 7 PM, the attendance is much smaller (usually only the Corps of Cadets) and the tradition of "mugging down" is not performed.
After-game Yell Practices