In the heart of downtown Paso Robles, during a Friday home football game at War Memorial Stadium, fans and teams are treated to a flyover by the Estrella Warbirds following the National Anthem.
“Looking up and just seeing and hearing the planes fly over was a good feeling,” said junior Bearcat quarterback Marcus Garcia.
For Garcia, it was a sight to behold but more importantly for everyone, it was a chance to see the Warbirds in action — an ode to the National Anthem and to those who flew in those exact planes to help protect the freedoms outlined in the song.
“For the young kids at that school, it's great that they're there trying to get to experience now at this level because a lot of schools just aren't focusing on that anymore,” said Estrella Warbirds Museum Chief Operating Officer and pilot Scott Stelzle.
According to Stelzle, before flying over this year’s football games, the Warbirds primarily flew over veteran memorials and ceremonies. But after a conversation with the high school’s booster club, they expanded their services.
The organization has done three flyovers with a homecoming flyover scheduled for Friday, Oct. 11. The planes they fly are between 70-80 years old, dating as far back as the World War II era.
But all the glitz and glamour of a flyover for a high school football game is not as simple as you might think.
“We try to make it look easy, but it is more complicated than it looks,“ Stelzle said.
It's a combination of planning, weather and timing to achieve the maximum dramatic effect.
For the players, the effect is simple. It allows them to appreciate history but also gives them an extra sense of motivation before they play on their home field.
“It's a weird feeling," said junior Logan Camack. "It got us real hyped up and ready for the game and I feel like it helped us perform a little better. It got us ready to go.”
“The theory is, without airplanes like this and the guys who flew them, our freedoms would not be what they are today. There's no doubt about it,” Stelzle said.
The homecoming game against St. Joseph is scheduled for 7 p.m. with the flyover to take place around 6:54 p.m.
