Texas A&M Appoints Head Yell Leader With Perfectly On-Brand Name For Yell Leaders
White smoke is coming out of College Station on Thursday as Texas A&M has named its Head Yell Leader for the 2023-24 school year. His name could not be more on-brand.
If you are unfamiliar with the Yell Leaders, let this be an introduction. Each week, prior to games, Aggies fans gather at Kyle Field — or at a predetermined location on the road — to practice their cheers and organized chants for the next day.
Five 'Yell Leaders,' which are basically just male cheerleaders, are in charge of the "yells." They typically wear all-white coveralls and engage the fanbase with various hand signals that refer to the specific "yells."
The tradition dates back to the 1900s when Texas A&M was an all-male school. Its football team was terrible, so the guys had to figure out a way to keep their female guests from Texas Women's University to stick around during blowouts. They didn't want the ladies to leave.
To do so, the upperclassmen forced the underclassmen to entertain the women. A group of them stole some clothes from a nearby janitor's closet and performed some jokes and skits. One thing led to another, and it evolved to the Yell Leaders of today.
(That's just the Sparknotes version of the origin story, it goes much deeper than that.)
Texas A&M Yell Leaders are... unique.
Anyway, the Yell Leaders are a huge deal in College Station. Everywhere else, they are a running joke. It's a pretty cringeworthy ordeal for those who aren't invested.
Of the five Yell Leaders, the Head Yell Leader is the most prestigious, as could likely be assumed.
The title is bestowed upon the Head Yell Leader each spring, before the upcoming school year. This year is no different, and Texas A&M announced its decision on Thursday.
Trevor Yelton will be the Head Yell Leader in 2023-24.
The guy's last name is Yelton. Yel(l) ton.
Yell Leaders yell a ton. It was meant to be.