As September rolls around again, the Lady Spartans fire up for powderpuff football: a fun tradition dating back decades.
On Sept. 16, 8 Spartan teams competed for the powderpuff title, ultimately ending a tie. In the stands, family and friends gathered to watch the tournament, cheering for the participating athletes. On the field, the teams gathered, motivating their team for the big match.
Through Nov. 9, Spartan Assembly is collecting cans and money for the hunger drive. Participants and spectators were asked to bring these items to the game to help reach the overall goal of $100,000. Historically, the event hasn’t been overly popular, collecting less than $100 from the last year. This year, however, a staggering $685 and 150 lbs of food were collected from powderpuff alone: a substantial growth from previous years.
Powderpuff is the perfect occasion to dress up and be creative with friends. Junior Reese O’Donnell got her friends together to make fun outfits and handshakes to represent their team. “We made team jerseys with bright colors and sparkly letters and even made a fun team name and chant. It was a really good way to bring us together and get us ready for the game,” shared O’Donnell.
While having a lot of fun, the participants also took it very seriously. The teams practiced beforehand, creating runs and plays to, hopefully, ensure the win. Powderpuff coach and varsity football player, Tyge Lyon, shared his knowledge and tactics with his team to work towards victory. “As a football player, I was really excited to show my team what I know and to help them win. The girls had a lot of fun and played their hardest and it was really cool to watch,” Lyon said.
While powderpuff is generally intended for girls, co-ed teams were permitted this year, causing some controversy. In past years, females have experienced injuries while playing with males. “Two years ago while playing powderpuff with boys, I got tackled and broke my foot. It can be fun, but there has to be boundaries,” senior Lucy Patel shared. Spartan assembly listened to the feedback and, this year, they played flag football rather than tackle which majorly decreased risk of injury.
With another successful powderpuff matchup, Spartan Assembly is excited to see even more participants in coming years.
