Emerson High School is holding its annual powder puff flag-football tournament on May 10, from 5:30 to 7:00 PM at the Warren Sportsplex. The event is free to attend and organized in partnership with the Student Council and sponsored by the PTSA.
A powder puff game is an annual high school tradition where the senior and junior girls compete against each other in a flag-football tournament. Before the tournament officially commences, junior and senior boys on the Emerson athletics teams meet with their assigned group of girls to coach and encourage them to perform their absolute best at the game. The tournament will be organized by a pyramid structure, where the winning teams will be continuously played against each other until the final team standing sits at the top of the pyramid.
The event is a very important and sentimental part of the school year, as it’s the last time seniors will be allowed to play for their school on the field. It’s highly encouraged that students, especially seniors, attend the game, not only because it’s free, but because it’s a send off for the seniors who will be passing the mantle to their junior underclassmen.
With students of all skill levels being allowed to participate, the tournament presents itself as a lesson in leadership for the coaching boys.
“Coaching teaches you a lot about yourself and how to lead,” said defensive Maverick football team member and tournament coach, Christian Lyons, 12. “There are a lot of different styles of learning as well as ways that people interpret information, so having to adjust the way you teach to fit the needs of different people demonstrates an important life lesson on understanding different perspectives.”
The boys being put into the role of a football coach not only provides them with a memorable learning experience, but also gives the girls a chance to see their classmates in a new light.
“I really enjoy being coached by the boys,” said flag-football participant, Morgan Terry, 12. “I’m friends with my coaches and it’s a lot of fun to be able to see them collaborate with the team and each other on something that I think they’re pretty good at.”
The coaches have been meeting with their teams for training to prepare for the tournament, collaborating to come up with a strategy that ensures a good game.
“We implemented some pretty basic defenses that are pretty general and run across all levels of football,” said Lyons. “We talk to our team and try to make them understand the purpose of defense, different set plays and their uses, and how to memorize and keep these things in mind while playing in the game.”
Competition is a facet that pervades many aspects of the tournament, however simply having fun is a major focus of the event as well.
“Our team goal is just to have fun. It doesn’t matter how well we do, we just want to try our best and enjoy ourselves,” said football team member and tournament coach, Nate Leal, 12. “It’s just fun to be around football and get to experience the game one last time before moving on to college.”
The tournament holds a certain air of sentimentality, as it’s the last major school-wide event many seniors will be participating in before graduation.
“The game being the last thing I do together with my friends in high school is bittersweet,” said Terry. “I’m excited about graduating, but I’m also sad to leave my friends behind and separate from all of the fun things we get to do together at Emerson.”
As the school year nears its end, the powder puff tournament stands out as not only a fun event, but a chance for students to come together on the field one last time before graduation. The tournament is an annual tradition that carries weight. While seniors prepare to say goodbye, juniors step into new roles and carry the tradition forward.
“Of course, being a senior, I still want to win against the juniors and graduate with a bang,” said Terry. “But it’s still so much fun seeing the juniors be excited and get to have a good time together before entering their senior year. Senior year is a lot of fun and I hope they enjoy it as much as I did.”
The powder puff game is funded and supported by the PTSA, which has had a stake in supporting other major events such as the senior sunrise at the start of the year and senior sunset toward the end. Community members, parents, and Emerson students are encouraged to support the powder puff game and other senior activities by donating through the senior PTSA-sponsored section of the Emerson website where all contributions go directly toward funding memorable events such as this.
