BELFRY, Ky. (WYMT) - The Belfry Pirates have shown that not only is their football program top notch, but their fans are as passionate as any around.

They call themselves the "Pond Creek Nation."

"It's just one big family around here, and that's what we play here for is just the fans and everybody that's wore a Belfry shirt," says senior linebacker Madison Ghormley.

And there is no other fan base like them.

"It's unbelievable what that program is," says Dennis "Whitey" Gibbs, Belfry class of 1991, and former Pirate football player. "I've been all over the world and I've never seen it, never seen nothing like it. Never."

But what is it about the Pirate faithful that makes them so special.

"Everybody there has been there. They've been either a cheerleader on the sidelines, been a manager, been a water boy, they've been a player. Everybody," says Gibbs. "You know, that's what it means to us. I mean, on a Friday night, there's not a light on anywhere. The community, it's all we got, and we love it."

Former Pirate Dennis "Whitey" Gibbs played for Belfry in the early 90's, and for the past three seasons, has driven from North Carolina and Louisville every Friday night to watch his beloved team play.

"I said, 'Hey, look. From August to December, every Friday, let me go.' And I said, 'From January to July, you can work me every day, I don't care.' I said, 'But those times, let me go.' "

But it's not just the tradition and winning that keeps Gibbs and the other Pirate fans pouring into The CAM each week. Gibbs says it's something bigger.

"It's coach (Philip) Haywood. They keep coming for him. I mean, he's a class act, and he instills that in all of us. You know, that's why I wanted my son to play there is because I wanted him to experience the same thing I experienced, so."

A sea of red is sure to over take Bowling Green Friday afternoon, and it won't be from fans cheering on the hometown Hilltoppers.