What do ugly t-shirts, buddy bags, and golf balls have in common? They are all part of Dallastown fall sports teams traditions. When players are off the field, teams bond together through unique traditions established over the years.

*Cheer & Football*

The senior cheerleaders pick senior football players to be their buddy. Each week, they decorate the boys team locker room and create buddy bags filled with treats.

Every Thursday after practice, the senior cheerleaders meet at one of their houses to have dinner, prepared by the parents.

“I like being able to bond with my teammates at dinner. It’s a good way to get to know each other and voice our goals for the season,” Paige Barlow said.

The football players also have senior dinners, either at a player’s house or local park. The team bonds over competitive yard games.

“The big hit this year has been volleyball,” Raymond Christas said.

*Girl’s Cross Country*

The cross country team decorates t-shirts with fabric paint to wear to school the day before districts and states.

For other big races the team gathers together the night before to have “pasta parties”: A dinner where the runners carb load on a variety of pastas.  

Emily Schuler said, “ Running is hard, but these traditions make racing more fun and exciting!”

*Field Hockey*

While their sticks and fierce competitiveness can be intimidating, field hockey’s preseason tradition is all laughs.

Each player brings a bag with an ugly t-shirt or costume in it. The girls then choose a bag and wear the costume for practice.

The “Ugly T-Shirt Day” “makes everyone laugh and brings us together as a team,” Niharika Arora said.

*Girl’s Tennis*

During preseason, the team has a glow in the dark themed practice. Instead of actual practice, the team plays tennis games under the lights, decked out in neon colors and glow sticks.

Every year, the team hosts “Super Saturday”: a fundraiser where guests come play against the team. However, the match is untraditional in the sense where guests can purchase “cheats” in order to win.

“We have a really intense post season where the girls have to miss days of school, sometimes 2-3 days in a row,”  Coach Hare said. “We always have fun driving and listening to the radio to get excited.”

The team also hosts a Special Olympics night. Between sets, Special Olympic tennis players assist in coaching the girls.

Whether it is making buddy bags or feasting on pasta, wearing ugly T-shirts or glowing under the lights, traditions not only make the fall sport season fun, but also create lifetime friendships and team bonds.

Other Fall Sports Traditions

Girl’s Volleyball

• Bald Eagle Scrimmage
• Penn State Game
• Pink Out Game with Swiffer Boys

Girl’s Soccer

• Lock pinkies during national anthem
• Sing song “I’ll Be” on bus rides home

Golf

• Dallastown “logoed” golf balls
• Breakfast at Briarwood before tee-off
• Van rides to golf courses