As you sit down to watch a game of Sunday football during the NFL season, you may not realize what goes on behind the scenes at a stadium.

Most workers arrive as early as six hours before the game starts to get the stadium prepared. As for concession stand workers, this includes counting cups, breading chicken and loading the fryers. 

Each worker has a different reason for working at the stadium. I worked there to raise money for the Disney World trip that the De Soto High School band and choir are going on during spring break. Others work to raise money for college, whether that be for themselves or for their kids. 

Arriving at the stadium hours early is simultaneously exhausting and exciting. I was usually extremely tired; however, I was able to see players warming up and was able to walk around the stadium and try food before any fans arrived.

When the gates were opened to fans, the lines quickly formed at each concession stand. Fans of either team were always in a good mood before the game, because they were confident in their team’s ability to win. Sometimes, though, the fans became a little too confident and were rude to others. 

When I first began working at the Chiefs games, I did not know anyone in my concession stand besides my mom. At the end of the season, we all knew each other very well. We formed a great bond and were able to work together efficiently.

One of the most memorable aspects of working at a Chiefs game is being able to hear the fans cheering. I have never been to a game as a spectator, so being able to hear the excitement and roar from the crowd was unforgettable. 

The loudest crowd was at the playoffs game against the Bills. We closed our concession stand during the fourth quarter as normal, and since the game went into overtime, we were able to go and watch the remaining minutes.

Seeing the Chiefs defeat the Bills in overtime was my favorite experience working at Arrowhead stadium. The game had already been a very exciting one, and the energy level was through the roof.

This was the only game where I was actually able to see what was happening. In my concession stand, it was impossible to see the field, so I had to rely on crowd noises to figure out what was happening in the game. This was often very difficult, but after a while, I was able to differentiate between the noises a crowd makes when we get a first down and the cheering after a touchdown.

Although hand-breading chicken for more than six hours can be a tiring and monotonous task, working at Arrowhead stadium was overall a very rewarding and memorable experience. 

I plan to work more games in the next season and hope to attend a game as a spectator rather than an employee in the future.