Every team has them: strange rituals and unique traditions. Just as every team has them, every team believes that those rituals help them bring home a win. From eating a huge meal the night before a game to playing dodgeball every Friday, this year’s fall sports have plenty of traditions.

The volleyball girls perform cheers before every game. One of their favorites cheers is Boom, where they yell a chant in the hallway, hoping to intimidate the opposing team.

“Cheering just gets you ready for games,” senior Ashley Goebel said. “It helps us focus on our task at hand, and that’s to win.”

Wearing ribbons in their hair, the volleyball girls select a different colorful ribbon for each event. Their ribbons range from tye-dye, black and orange, to even bright purple. “Wearing ribbons gives us a way to express our personality while in our uniforms,” sophomore Claire Demmer said. “It’s so fun figuring out what color everyone wants to wear.”

The volleyball girls and coaches also play dodgeball every Friday.

“We started playing dodgeball back in 2003,” Coach Brett Mather said. “We wanted to maintain a fun environment in the gymnasium. Plus, it gives the girls something to look forward to each week.”

“Most of the time we gang up on Mather,” senior Liz Koloc said. “It’s funny when we get him out because he throws the ball on the ground and walks to the other side of the gym!”

The girls’ cross country team enjoys team meals the nights before a meet. “I love team meals, because the food is great,” Emma Kehrli said. “(The meals)  really help you become close as a team.”

Every Wednesday, members of the boys’ cross country team who are also in wrestling sport their singlets to practice as they run their workout for the day.

“We like to run past the football field when we are in our singlets,” junior Tristan Voelker said. “The boys always give us funny looks, but we think it’s because they’re intimidated by us.”

Both the boys’ and girls’ cross country teams huddle up before they run their races.

“After we stretch, we all circle up on the course,” senior Jamie Glanz said. “Usually the seniors say last minute strategies, encouraging words, or even just some jokes to get us ready to run.”

The football team goes to Deb Peyton’s house to eat brownies every Thursday before a game. ¨It’s nice to just sit and relax the night before a big game,” senior Nolan Lyness said. ¨The brownies and ice cream are also delicious.”

Traditions do not only happen before the game, but they also can happen after games as well.

After a victory on Brown Field, the football boys dance to the Hokey Pokey in a circle on the middle of the field.

¨I like doing the Hokey Pokey because it gets me pumped up after a big win,” senior Kaleb Zieser said.  

After celebrating a big home win, the football boys also go to Lightning Lanes to eat and talk with friends and family.

¨It’s fun to be able to talk with my parents and friends,” senior Kasey Wenger said. “I also like having good food after the game.”