DRIPPING SPRINGS, Texas (KXAN) – Of the many growing suburbs around Austin, Dripping Springs has seen as much change as any, including to their athletic teams. With an influx of people, the Tigers have risen to 6A, the biggest division in Texas high school athletics.

Success has been there for the Tigers who had a very successful first full season in 6A last fall. With the change, there’s been a constant.

Since the 1990s, Dripping Springs has sold catfish at concession stands. It’s an understatement to call the fish fry a hit.

“150 pounds of catfish and we always run out,” catfish cook Paul Fushille said about a typical gameday.

Fushille has an army working alongside him that starts early Friday – some even beginning Thursday before a home game.

“People come from all over looking for it,” Fushille said. “I knew about the catfish here long before my kids came to school here.”

The catfish sales benefit the Dripping Springs band. Luke Hassell, or ‘Fish Commish’ as he is known when cooking, has a junior trumpet player in the band.

“I’ve been here for about seven years and it’s the same recipe,” Hassell said about the catfish. “And as I understand it, it hasn’t changed.”

Brian Tuohy, or ‘Fri Guy Bri’, is also a band dad. Tuohy has been on the cooking crew for years, and he knows how integral catfish is to football in Dripping Springs and the community as a whole.

“As far as Dripping Springs goes, it’s hand in hand,” Tuohy said. “People come here for the catfish. They come here to grab some dinner, watch some of the game and then head home.”

“I’ve had officials making sure that when they’re coming to do games over here that there’s the catfish,” Dripping Springs head football coach Galen Zimmerman said. “It’s a big deal.”