CRLS Students Participate in Powderpuff Game
Student Government Revives Tradition of Football Game for Female Players
November 29, 2017
At 3:00 PM on Thursday, November 9th, CRLS students took the field to participate in the first CRLS powderpuff football game in four years. Unfortunately they were not able to literally take the field due to a change in the CRLS boys football schedule, but instead they took the field house.
Powderpuff games are traditionally flag football games played by female students. Powderpuff games have been a tradition in the U.S. since 1931, when the first powderpuff game took place at Western State Colorado University. Since then, students at high schools and colleges across the country have been organizing and competing in powderpuff games.
Student Government brought back the CRLS powderpuff game this year in an effort to promote girls athletics in a culture where men’s sports often take center stage. Student Body President Sophie Harrington also said they wanted “an event that was cheap and easily accessible [for students].” To watch cost $1, and to play also cost $1. Student Government was successful in making a more accessible event, as over a hundred students showed up to cheer on their peers.
Before the game began, history teacher Mr. Dua, who acted as the referee for the game, explained the rules to the players. He then shared the purpose of the powderpuff game, a statement written by Jamia Yard ‘18 and Emma Andrew ‘18, the co-presidents of Club 1. One of the reasons they gave for the game was “to give young women who do not have enough space the spotlight.”
Sixty girls signed up to play, most of whom showed up, and the players were organized into four teams: Black, blue, red, and white. The teams played in a tournament format; red played against blue first, and then the white team played the black team. The winners of those games went on to play in the championship game. The games were full of dramatic plays, with touchdowns, interceptions, and long passes. The supporters exuberantly cheered on all of these plays. Leo Barron, a 9th grader in attendance, commented that the reason he was there was to see the “game of football being made accessible to everyone.”
In this year’s competition, the red team emerged victorious despite good performances from the opposing teams. Overall, the event seemed to be a success, and as one player, Chloe Smith-Sokol, put it, “I can see it becoming more popular over the years.”
This piece also appears in our November print edition.
