Senior living residents show support for their growing friendship with the Eden Prairie Football team
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- A special group of cheerleaders took to the sidelines at the Eden Prairie versus Edina football game Friday night.
About 10 residents from The Waters Senior Living Community came to the game to watch their friends on the Eagles football team. They wanted to return the favor, after the high schoolers came to their home back in August for a visit.
The team put up their guests in special bleachers right next to the end zone.
"These are the best seats I've ever had," said Arun Sanade, one of the residents at The Waters.
"It's interesting on the end zone, but Eden Prairie is coming this way," said Betty Van Someren, a long-time football fan with a personal tie to this team.
Van Someren is the former 5th-grade teacher of Mike Grant, the Eagles head coach and son of Minnesota Vikings legend, Bud Grant.
"It's wonderful, I haven't gotten to see him coach before," said Van Someren.
Being back in the stadium is nostalgic for Mary Stevenson. All 4 of her kids graduated from Eden Prairie High School and she worked at the school too.
"It's nice to hear the noise, the cheering and then all these people - holy moly," said Stevenson.
The team spirit was roaring from the student section, but they had competition from the sidelines.
"I was a cheerleader 70 years ago," said Molly Storry, one of the residents who got to flex her spirit squad muscles.
"It is fantastic and I enjoy every minute of it," said Storry.
One thing is for sure, that feeling under the Friday night lights never gets old.
The Waters Senior Living community has had a long-standing tradition of bringing the residents to football games, but it stopped during COVID. This was their first football outing since 2019.