Sign ups for Powderpuff, the all-girls football tournament, will start tomorrow, Oct. 18 at 8:30 a.m. in the Activities Office. It costs $20 to participate.
Student Council advisor Kelley Wittenborn said the goal for now is simply to spread information about sign ups, but she encourages students who eventually attend the games to bring canned or boxed food as a donation to the Central Missouri Food Bank. Though her emphasis is on the way the event can help others, she acknowledges the many elements that make Powderpuff a fun tradition at RBHS.
“I think [Powderpuff] serves as a nice, fun wrap-up to fall sports. The weather is finally cool; most fall sports have ended, but winter sports haven’t begun, and it provides a fun activity for students to participate in or at least go watch,” Wittenborn said. “Also, for whatever reason, the girls in this school just really love it. I see so much comraderie and excitement emerge, and there aren’t often opportunities in the year for the grade levels to compete with one another.”
Students are excited to sign up for powderpuff
Junior Anna Kate Sundvold plans on signing up to play; she looks forward to the competition, as well as the chance to be with friends.
“I think [Powderpuff] is a fun way to get involved with others in your grade. I am a dancer, and guys always joke about how we can’t do anything except dance,” Sundvold said, “but Powderpuff allows us to show them that we can and throw a ball — maybe not as good as them, but we can do it.”
Like Sundvold, junior Olivia Sowers agrees. She recognizes the activity as an effective way of bringing together the students in each grade level.
“I participated [in Powderpuff] last year and loved it,” Sowers said. “I am most looking forward to beating the freshmen.”
The tournament will take place at 5:30 p.m. Nov. 9. Freshmen and juniors will face-off first. Sophomores against the seniors follow. Finally, the winners of those games will battle it out for this year’s title. Wittenborn, however, explained that if football or boys’ soccer makes it to the state tournament, the Powderpuff games will likely begin at 7:30 p.m. She is excited, nevertheless.
“I think it will make [Powderpuff] even more exciting this year because our football team is doing so well,” Wittenborn said, “and it adds an element of fun to ‘flip’ it and allow girls from our school to play the football, while some boys perform in the “Bruin Boys” role.”
Are you planning to sign up? Interested in the past? Check out this oldie form 2013. (Though it is uncertain how long powderpuff has existed nationwide, there is evidence is more than 80 years old.)
