If you’ve ever gone to a Thayer, Missouri, high school football game, you know how the community rallies around the team and players no matter if it’s a home game or an away game. For their support and love of football, the Thayer High School Football Team and Community will be given the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame’s inaugural Friday Night Lights Trophy.
The Award
The Friday Night Lights Award is a new award this year. The award recognizes a high school football team as a model of success and community support throughout the years.
Thayer
Thayer High School first had a football team in 1932. The Bobcats football team has had several playoff appearances over the years. In 2007 and 2008, the team took second place in their class. [1] For several years in a row, the Bobcats made it to the quarterfinals. [2]
Thayer Pride
The city of Thayer rallies behind the football team and the whole school. Fans brave long drives, cold nights, hot nights, and rain to cheer on the team. If the team wins or loses, the community shows up for them again the next Friday. Multiple players have said that the “third man” is the fans that come to the games.
Attend The Ceremony
The ceremony will start with a football luncheon at 11:00 am on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, at Ozark Empire Fairgrounds in Springfield, Missouri. [3] Individual tickets are $60 in advance or $70 at the door. Sponsorship tables are also available.
