Aliso Niguel High School’s Chain Crew, and its members, are unknown to most students, but are essentially for putting on our school’s beloved Friday night football games.
The Chain Crew consists of three of Aliso Niguel’s very own teachers: Mrs. Roberts, Mrs. Sepe and Mrs. Smith. This squad has been a part of this important group for over a decade.
Every home game, these teachers have given up their own time to make sure Aliso Niguel High School’s football team can play at its best. Due to our league’s official rules, if there is no one to do the job, then there is no game.
Mrs. Sepe says, “I personally love doing it because I love giving back to the school.”
The Chain Crew consists of two different groups: the forward and rear rods and the “box” holder. The forward and rear rod holders are chained together with a distance of ten yards. Both rods are taller than either teacher, with a large black bullseye on top and an orange triangle reaching to the base of the rod. Their job is to mark the distance between the start of the play and ten yards past that. Per every possession, the team with the ball has four chances to run the ball down the field ten yards. These chances are called first, second, third and fourth downs. The forward and rear rods signify the start and the end goal for all four plays.
Mrs. Roberts is in charge of clips and is also the “box” holder. The clips are placed in tandem with the rods on the field as a backup marker. As the game progresses, the ball and the players following it may come crashing through the sidelines and the Chain Crew. Despite their importance, the Chain Crew is not expected to hold their spots, and instead run away as to not get hurt, taking their rods with them. Once the players return to the field, the clips provide a visual marker of where the rods once were, allowing the game to continue.
Additionally, Mrs. Roberts holds the “box,” a black rectangle propped up on another rod, which signifies the number of the down, either one, two, three, or four. No other member in the group can do this job as it requires a tall person to reach up and change the numbers.
Due to the larger amount of responsibilities held by the group, it is common to see the Chain Crew running up and down the field all night long, especially Mrs. Roberts.
According to the teachers, our school’s Chain Crew is the best in Orange County. At most schools, fathers take the job in order to get a better view of their child playing. However, this causes many to lose track of their responsibilities creating confusion for the player and the reference.
Our crew does not have this problem, helping to provide a much smoother game for everyone involved. When the referees arrive it is common they are confused by the members, but soon grow an appreciation for the commitment and professionalism of Aliso Niguel’s Chain Crew members.
Mrs. Roberts has been doing the job for years, saying, “It’s the best seat in the house.”
The Chain Crew is one of the most important parts that go into making Aliso Niguel’s football nights so much fun, so next time you’re in the stands make sure to look out for these unsung heroes.