At Sterling High School, it is common for each individual sport to develop a tradition, including ones that were established years ago or new traditions that are started. Not all traditions are related to the sport itself, but more so about the building of the team.
Girls’ basketball coach Taylor Jackson shared, “We have a sign in the locker room that we always hit when we go in and out. This tradition has been going on for about 25 years or so. We also say “Together” when we break out of a huddle and this has also been going on for 25 years!”
This tradition isn’t exclusive to the girls basketball team.
Volleyball Coach Alexis Ruiz said, “One of the traditions that we have is that we have a sign in the locker room that the girls touch every time they enter and every time they leave. This tradition has been around since about 2005.
As for track and field, coach Tyler Gaumer mentions the 4×4 team wave, a victory lap with the team cooldown at the meet, and a PR circle at the end of the meet as well. These three traditions have been continuing while Gaumer was still a coach, and before he came a coach as well. As for newly recent traditions, the team does a senior circle at the end of the sectional track meet. The seniors will address the team and pass on words of wisdom. Gaumer sharedhow this gives the senior athletes a chance to say goodbye and get closure.
The traditions extend to other sports as well
Bowling coach Loren Wolf said, “Well, some of our traditions are hard to separate from our normal activities. We basically play the same teams and tournaments each year. We have a tradition of cheers that we use at competitions, some to do with all bowlers getting a fill frame, either strike or spare. Others for getting more than one strike in a row. Some cheers have a response from the spectators. While others go back at least 20 years or more. A newer tradition is the wearing of hats or other gear based on the bowler having a turkey (three strikes in a row) in which you wear a turkey hat. Hambone (4 strikes in a row,) you wear a pig hat. five Strikes in a row is Yahtzee, in which you wear a die hat. We started using these about seven years ago and continued to add to them as the need arises. Six is six-pack abs, seven, lucky 7’s, eight, an octopus hat, etc.”
For other teams, it is simply a tradition of success. For wrestling, “Sterling High School has one of the winningest traditions in the state of Illinois, being one of only around 10 teams that are approaching 1000 all time dual meet wins. I believe that we are currently at 961 wins and will likely be to 1000 in the next several seasons,” according to coach Nolan Baker.
He also mentions whenever the fresh-soph team goes down to state in Springfield, Previous Coach Heller would continue the tradition of taking the kids out to get “horseshoe” sandwiches. This is a type of sandwich that does not have a top piece of bread and was invented in Springfield.” Wrestler James Allen says, “The sandwich was delicious. I would definitely recommend it.”
Lastly girls gold coach Weston Henry said, “Since I have been coaching, the only tradition type thing we have had is that we create a playlist to play on the bus when we are going to away meets. Each girl sends 10 songs and I create a girls golf Spotify playlist and we listen to the same playlist on shuffle every away bus trip.” The music encourages the team to get ready or enjoy the bus ride there with either song choices as motivation or rather it be popular songs to sing to.
These traditions bring a team together and add more than just a sport, instead they help build a family.
