Photo courtesy of Ben McHale ’28
Quinn McHale ’26
Friday nights at Episcopal Academy aren’t just about the games—they’re about the Thunderdome. The student section has become the heartbeat of school spirit, filling the stands with noise, color, and energy that electrifies athletes and fans.
For Charlotte Franklin ’26, one of this year’s Thunderdome leaders, the role is a dream come true. “I was super excited to be chosen,” she mentioned. “I remember watching Rylie Spor ’23 when I was a freshman, and she made the games ten times better by getting the crowd so excited and loud. I’ve always wanted to make the football games feel like that again.” Franklin, who has been at EA since Pre-K, sees the Thunderdome as more than just cheering. Her goal is to build a culture of support across all sports: “I want each team to hear the high school behind them on every play,” she remarked.
Planning the student section themes has been another important job for the leaders. While classics like White Out, Black Out, and USA Night are traditional, Franklin explains that leaders only get to choose a few themes each year. “I wanted them to be fun and exciting but also doable,” she said. “Something people could go all out for or just grab clothes they already have.”
Senior Kirk Beredjiklian, another voice of the Thunderdome, said, “I just try to bring all the energy I can. I mean, senior year, I have to give it my best,” he said about the first game of the season. “It’s just the energy and having my family all around me. It’s a great time,” Beredjiklian commented.
The energy in the stands doesn’t just stay in the stands. It spills onto the field. Football player A’ahzere Lucas ’27 said the team feeds off it every game, and it encourages them to play every game as if it were their last. “You all have great energy, and it helps us play better because we know we can’t let you all down,” Lucas expressed. His hope, along with many other players, is simple: bigger crowds, especially at critical games. “We need everyone there to bring the energy for SCH and Penn Charter. Those games are huge.”
For Greville Haslam Head of School Dr. T.J. Locke, the student section captures what makes Episcopal so special and sets it apart from any other Inter-Ac school. “Just the spirit, the noise, the fact that we’re all one school, going crazy. It’s part of what makes our school special,” he shared. Locke summarizes almost everyone’s thoughts, mentioning how he can’t pick one favorite part of the game. From the crowd storming the field after a last-second win to when students linked arms and sang the alma mater in response to another school’s chants–it’s all important. The experience brands the Episcopal community with a sense of family unlike any other. Locke emphasizes the initiative students take during games like these, reflecting, “That wasn’t the adults; that was our kids. It brought tears to my eyes.”
Locke also gave praise to this year’s seniors, noting their devotion to the role and willingness to include everyone in the fun. “They’ve really owned it. I’ve already seen them going up to younger kids in the stands and getting them involved,” he said. His only piece of advice: “Give it everything you’ve got, but keep it classy. That’s what makes EA different.”
From chanting players’ names to uniting the whole school in song, the Thunderdome is more than just a student section. It’s a tradition, a family, an unbreakable bond, and a force that pushes all athletes to play harder. It electrifies every pass, every goal, every breath, and makes each and every game unforgettable.
Franklin concluded with his hopes for the future, saying, “I’ve heard from so many people that they just want the crowd to be loud. That’s my goal—to make the Thunderdome huge, every game, every sport.”
