The time is 7 p.m., Wednesday night, right in the middle of Homecoming week. The lights beam brightly over the field. Cheers echo from the bleachers as sweat drips down the face of each girl, as they anticipate the opening whistle. Pressure lingers in all of these athletes, praying that they will not let their respective grade down. This is a moment that a lot of girls look forward to throughout high school. This is an event that highlights homecoming week: the powderpuff game.
Many students at Kaneland High School love powderpuff. The game creates a heavy rivalry between the junior and senior classes. Each girl who decides to play is eager to help their grade earn the victory.
“Since I am [one of the three] running back[s], speed and agility is definitely the best in being able to think fast and run around people,” senior running back Bailey Frein said.
Frein believes that the purpose of powderpuff is to encourage involvement within the school community, allowing those who play to create quality memories with friends and find new friendships within the team. Along with these benefits of playing in powderpuff, there were many differences between the junior and senior teams in terms of their pre-game preparations. For instance, the seniors typically took half an hour at the end of practice to hold a scrimmage, while the juniors consistently ran plays throughout most of their practices to attempt to ensure perfection.
Frein knows that a key to maintaining a positive attitude as a team is building resiliency.
“We never let ourselves down if a play does not go well, or it does not turn out how we wanted,” Frein said. “Our coaches remind us that it is okay, and that things will go well in the game.”
Frein illustrates the power that the senior coaches have within the team as a source of encouragement, as well as a positive and uplifting force. Not only do the coaches make the team strong but the seniors’ greatest strength as a team is their ability to come together, as one, understanding that they all have the same goal. “My expectation for the game is to win and beat the juniors,” Frein said.
Although they may be the underdogs, the junior team refuses to give up hope. “The seniors lost last year when they were juniors, so we try to put that first,” junior quarterback Savannah Plumb said. “We want to prove that we can win, and our coaches remind us that we can.”
Plumb views powderpuff as a chance for girls to play a sport that they usually have little opportunity to participate in. She mentioned that she has been helping her two brothers practice for a very long time, always hoping to get a chance to showcase her skills. Plumb revealed the juniors’ preparational advantage as having held more weekly practices for a longer period of time.
“We have practiced four times a week for the past five weeks, and we always stay pumped up, so I believe that we are determined to win,” Plumb said.
Maintaining a positive mindset can be especially difficult for the junior team. This attitude is likely due to the history of victories for the senior class. Motivation can be crucial to performance.
“I try not to get into my head a lot because that has been a big issue for me. I have never seen the team in a negative mood,” Plumb explained. “We ignore [the negative remarks] that people are telling us. I also go to my coaches for help if I am ever doing something wrong that is affecting our team.”
She also described her coaches as determined and helpful and implied that they use their knowledge of teaching and the game to educate their players. Plumb explained her expectations of the game as being drama-free while giving the girls an opportunity to have fun and the juniors a chance to win.
While powderpuff mainly consists of its players, it is made possible through the coaches. In order to be a powderpuff coach, you do not need many qualifications. In fact, senior powderpuff coach Daniel Ferrel’s only experience was his history of coaching, though never anything powderpuff related, and his football knowledge comes through being a fan and former player.
“There are a couple of different approaches you can take. Some coaches are really into all the X’s and O’s, the play calling and the logistics. I consider myself a Jimmy’s and Joe’s type of coach,” Ferrel explained. This means that he develops connections with his players and makes an effort to motivate them.
Every team has their own strengths that make them successful. Ferrel described the seniors as an enjoyable team who incorporate a balanced mix of seriousness with a playful atmosphere. He highlighted his coaching ideology as creating a good team culture that allows opportunity.
“If they are bonding both on and off of the field, if they know that they can trust each other and have good chemistry with one another, then they will be successful,” Ferrel said. He went on to describe that this environment must also be encouraged by the coaches. Ferrel believes that this experience should be fun for the girls, allowing them to play whatever position they desire, as long as the team can fill up all of the spots. Ferrel explained his excitement for the game, highlighting the energy of both the fans and players, and claiming the seniors to be “hungry [for the win].”
Highlighting the opposing mentality between the teams, the junior coaches have a different approach. “Our strategy is to win, but I think we try to really prepare off of what we see coming from the defense, and we design enough plays to counter that,” junior powderpuff coach Daniel Ponczek said. “We have to have a different strategy every year in powderpuff, and it has been awesome. We play our opponents, see what they are doing and adjust during the game.”
Ponczek explained his qualifications simply as his passion, knowledge and ability to improve morale. All coaches have their own philosophy, and Ponczek illustrated his as “having fun and bringing in the win.” He believes that a team is most successful when it has developed communication and teamwork and expels any drama.
A distinct difference between the teams is how the girls are positioned on the field. While the senior team allows the girls to select their own roles, Ponczek rotates his athletes into different positions, making note of their footwork and ability to read the field. He then sorts them based on their skills, but allows the girls to voice their opinions and refuse a position that they do not enjoy playing. When it comes to the results of the game, Ponczek offered a prediction.
“It is a win, no doubt in my mind,” Ponczek said. “The question is, are we going to win 42 to nothing, or is it going to be 42 to 24? That is really what it comes down to. It is how large of a margin we are going to win by.”
All aspects of preparation for the powderpuff game establish teamwork and unity, providing players with determination and a hunger to win. Each player and coach applies extensive efforts to ensure that they are ready to win the game. Powderpuff is not just a game, however, for it is a celebration of the girls, upperclassmen and the overall school spirit that it creates. As the game approaches, the anticipation continues to rise. Who will win the game? Will seniors remain victorious, or will the juniors make Kaneland history? Find out at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 2, at Kaneland High School’s Peterson Field.
