No team can be ready for a big game without building a bond between its members. Game day traditions can help turn teammates into friends, with shared experiences bringing them together.
From good luck routines to unique pre-game habits, here are some of the ways Northwood teams prepare for their games:
Cross country:
The girls cross country team beats the heat of a hot race in style. With coordinated face paint and matching ribbons in their hair, the runners create a united front. This year, team captain senior Christine Nam organizes the event and crafts the ribbons, adding a personal touch to their race-day spirit.
“It’s a really good way to get us feeling better about our meets,” Nam said. “It’s also a way to have school spirit, because we always make the ribbons white, silver and blue.”
Wrestling:
Although most sports teams are familiar with a team chant, the wrestling team adds a unique flair to theirs by incorporating the sport’s trademarks. Before each match, they drum into their mats lying face down to create a rhythmic energy.
As the anticipation builds, teammates gather around the wrestler in the corner, calling out their name to pump them up.
“Wrestling is a highly individual sport,” varsity player senior Isaiah Walker said. “So having that brief moment to connect with everyone, especially right before you go out to your match, lets you feel that you have a team behind your back.”
Girls volleyball:
For home games, the varsity girls volleyball team wears matching “alpha” shirts to showcase their Timberwolf spirit. This off-court uniform not only promotes their upcoming game but also allows them to crack jokes with one another and alleviate pre-game jitters.
“Since varsity games count, it’s easy to get psyched out,” varsity player junior Georgia Downs said. “If the team trusts each other, then we perform better together on the court.”
Flag football:
Breaking from the conventional tradition of post-game team dinners, the girls’ flag football team arranges a team lunch before their big games in head coach Harry Lee’s room. Usually on Wednesdays, a different player brings a dish for the team to enjoy as they talk strategy and review game film in preparation for their next big matchup.
“I like it because it’s kind of secretive, and everyone—upperclassmen and lowerclassmen—is friends,” JV player freshman Skyler Bajorek said.
For more on flag football’s team lunches and Lee’s coaching journey, visit https://thehowleronline.org/
