A time honored tradition
In another sign that things are getting back to normal, the Colby School District will be celebrating that time-honored tradition known as Homecoming this week.
Students and teachers alike will wear clothes that correspond to whatever theme the day happens to be. That could mean school colors or a time period like the 1980’s. The week will culminate with some homecoming games and a pep rally on Friday, and then a Homecoming Dance on Saturday.
The festivities kicked off on Monday this week, and I got a chance to see the kids play some spike ball and cornhole. Others have probably noticed the toilet paper hanging from trees or in the yards of teachers that was put there by a few naughty students, probably seniors.
It appears people are no longer hoarding toilet paper. I’m glad that trend is over.
Homecoming on its surface is a silly week, but it’s a great time to be a student. It’s one of those little things that reminds them that they belong to a community, and they have a shared identity.
Last year was lacking in Homecoming ceremonies, and though many kids won’t admit it, plenty of them told me they did miss it. I’m glad they get to experience it once more.
I can still remember the Homecoming celebrations of my time as a high school student in Hayward. We had a watermelon eating contest, and my team won. We started by bashing the melons open by head-butting them, and then ate the fruit by the handfuls. Needless to say, the sophomore girls I competed against were horrified.
I was never crowned Homecoming king, or made royalty, but that was never something that mattered to me, though I did go to the dance, and wore a nice pair of khakis and shirt. I danced awkwardly to a few songs with some girls I had a crush on.
That they even said yes was a surprise to me. Years later, they admitted to me that they thought I was cute. But then, when you’re 16 or 17, you don’t pick up on these things. You just try to get through high school without making any enemies, or getting a swirly.
The biggest part of Homecoming was the football game on Friday night. You hoped your team won, and sometimes they did, sometimes they didn’t.
This year Colby has a really big game coming up for Homecoming. Rather than schedule an easy opponent, the Hornets will be taking on the number one ranked team in the state in Division 7 - the Edgar Wildcats. Colby is ranked second in the state in Division 6, and I expect the stands to be packed.
Already the feeling in the air is like electricity, and I suspect it’s go- ing to be an excellent contest. I have my own suspicions about who will win, but I prefer not to say it out loud and jinx it. Yes, even sports reporters have superstitions about things like that.
To the victory will go the glory, and it will be something they can talk with their friends about for years to come. As for me, I look forward to chronicling the week and the game.
Like the kids, a year away from Homecoming saddened me as well. It’s a lot of fun for me to see this sort of thing, and I’m happy to get the chance to take pictures and capture these moments. They go by in a blink. M USINGS AND G RUMBLINGS
ROSS PATTERMANN R EPORTER
