Freshmen Gerardo Navarro and Aliyah Arnold trace over the Powderpuff football game logo during a Student Government Association meeting on March 16. SGA adviser Shannon Biggs is planning the annual Powderpuff game with SGA members. “We’re actually looking at possibly the end of March and we’ve got sign up starting next week. T-shirts are in the process of being designed and, so we’re doing all that stuff,” Biggs said. Photo by Jordan Rhym.
By JORDAN RHYM – Print Lead Copy Editor
Clarke Central High School’s Student Government Association members are planning for the annual Powderpuff game and hope to begin recruiting for the game during the week of March 20.
Towards the end of January, the Clarke Central High School Student Government Association began planning for the 2017 CCHS Powderpuff football game. Unlike the regular fall CCHS football season, the Powderpuff game allows female juniors to compete in a flag football game against female seniors in the Billy Henderson Stadium while male students cheer for both teams on the sidelines.
In years past, the annual game was held during the fall semester, but this year SGA is holding it in late March.
“We’re trying to keep the traditions alive at (CCHS). Also, the change in when we are having it is a difference. We use to have it right after homecoming, but now we are having it in the spring. Nice weather should always bring good vibes to the game,” SGA President Alexandria Crawford, a senior, said.
To get the word out, SGA members have created posters and written a blurb to be displayed in the daily announcements emailed to students to help promote the game’s sign-up form.
“We start sign ups (March 20), so I’m hoping we’ll get some good feedback, hoping that the juniors and seniors are excited,” Biggs said. “I know the seniors are excited. I haven’t heard a whole lot from the juniors, but I don’t see a lot of juniors.”
For any juniors or seniors interested in competing, there’s only one requirement for participate necessary.
“To participate you really just have to buy our T-shirt, and so T-shirts, we’re looking at between either $15 or $20 at this point and that’s the full thing. That’s the full cost,” Biggs said. “(The senior and junior shirts) will look similar, except on the back it will either say either, ‘juniors’ or ‘seniors’ with the class year.”
Before the game, the teams will have an opportunity to learn a few tips and tricks from CCHS football coaches who choose to volunteer.
“We’ll have a couple of practices, just one or two, and the coaches will work with the teams and we are specifically asking (CCHS football offensive line coach Demetrius Edwards) and (CCHS football defensive backs coach Jeff Finch) and then inviting any of the other coaches,” Biggs said.
Biggs hopes the Powderpuff tradition will provide students with a sense of “Gladiator Pride”.
“It’s an opportunity for junior and senior girls to have a really good time, to show some school spirit and to have that like class rivalry kind of thing going on. So it’s really just a chance to have some fun,” Biggs said.