Homecoming: More than a Game

As the sun takes its final strides towards the horizon, it doesn’t leave the moon alone in the sky; surrounding the moon are towering white lights that illuminate the turf field. On the field, two football teams face off: one in all black, the other in all white. Cheerleaders in red, white, and blue tumble through the brisk autumn air. There are no bleachers; instead, fans watch from behind makeshift soccer goal barriers, which separate the sideline from the viewing area. Amongst these fans are parents, teachers, alumni, and students of all grades. One could be forgiven for not coming to distant Pier 40 on the Hudson River on a rainy Friday night. However, there aren’t many to forgive on Friday, October 16; the turf is filled for Stuyvesant High School’s Homecoming game.

The week leading up to “Hoco,” as it is affectionately nicknamed, is distinctly influenced by Cheerball. Cheerball is an annual Stuyvesant tradition between the football and cheer teams, where football players and cheerleaders coordinate themed outfits, culminating in a gift exchange on Friday. From “white lies” to Twin Day to the uniform swap, these outfits are not inconspicuous in any manner; students can be understood for the double takes as they pass football players in cheer crop tops in the hallways. The week contains a humorous balance of embarrassment and school-spirit-building. 

While they can provide a laugh, comical outfits can’t be the sole reason that so many people spent their Friday night at Pier 40. As a Stuyvesant Varsity Football player, I’ve always wondered why so many people attend Homecoming. Are they excited to see their peers play football? Have they come to meet old friends? Did they just get dragged along by a friend? Having played my last two seasons on Junior Varsity football, I’ve experienced Homecoming from the stands. There, I met the wide swath of individuals who made this pilgrimage to Pier 40. They come for various reasons, but are united by their Stuyvesant identity.

Rain is in the forecast, but there’s not a cloud in sight at 3:45 p.m. It’s in these perfect conditions that the Junior Varsity Peglegs kick off their game. However, at “the Pier,” the Varsity team is nowhere to be found. Rather, we are lined up in all-black jerseys next to Stuyvesant’s third-floor gymnasium. Inside, cheerleaders, band members, and performers await the audience. In a moment, the doors will open and the bleachers will fill for Stuyvesant’s annual pep rally.

An integral part of the cheer team, senior and Stuyvesant cheer co-captain Audrey Hu said, “We’ve been working on our pep rally performance since July. Homecoming is one of the very few events Stuy has to bring people together, so this is when we make the biggest effort to make everyone proud to be a Pegleg.”

The pep rally begins. As the football team is announced and runs through the gym, I get a brief glance at the bleachers. Though it’s only for a second, it’s easy to notice: they are packed. As my teammates prepare to head to the field, the overflowing stands of students will have the pleasure of watching performances from cheer and Stuy Legacy, accompanied with live music from the band. Following the performances, trivia and a relay race precede the end of the pep rally, creating school spirit in anticipation of the night’s main event.

There is no singular reason to go to Homecoming. Rather, a variety of reasons bring a large crowd of people yearly. Senior Will Hajdu said, “I’m going to Homecoming to root on the friends I have classes with because I know how hard they work.” 

Junior Sonam Kanaujia was going to Homecoming to socialize. “It always feels nice getting to see so many people you know, as well as interacting with different people in a social setting,” she explained.

Stuyvesant Chemistry teacher and alumnus Douglas Zhu (‘16) said, “I had never actually attended any games, neither as a student nor as a teacher, so I wanted to experience at least one [Stuyvesant football game]. I had a good time at Homecoming, and I was able to see some of my old classmates who graduated around the same time as me.” 

As I embark on the 15-minute walk to the Pier, I begin to envision the night ahead. Knowing that there will be a large turnout, I am eager to put on a good show for our home crowd. I encounter the 15-acre facility that many fellow Stuyvesant athletes call home. Walking through the narrow entrance, I find the wide turf field with an unobstructed view of the still bright afternoon sky. It’s encompassed by a rectangular paved walkway connected to the Pier’s three-story building, giving the impression of a square donut. I set my gear aside and watch my younger teammates play.

In center stage, the Junior Varsity Peglegs face off against Franklin Delano Roosevelt High School’s Junior Varsity team. To the right, the Varsity Peglegs in our all-black uniforms. Some can be found tossing footballs, others are busy adding camo tape to their uniforms. I can be found sitting on a bench with my black lower pads and white compression shirt. After a pregame stretch, I tune into my playlist and envision the game. I zone out until my meditations are disrupted by the most exciting sound of the night. 

“Tweeet, Tweeet, Tweeet!” Three consecutive whistles signal the end of Stuyvesant’s Junior Varsity game. Their 40-0 victory over FDR anticipates the night’s main event. Cheerleaders practice in preparation. Like a stream that becomes a river, people begin trickling in. The Peglegs take the field to warm up. 

As a quarterback for the Stuyvesant Peglegs, my warmups typically consist of throwing with my fellow quarterback, junior Fynn Chadwick. Today, we’re joined by a familiar figure in an unfamiliar context: Principal Seung Yu. As we throw with increasing speed, Principal Yu remains unphased, instead encouraging me not to hold back. Principal Yu said earlier, “[Homecoming] is a fun outing for me and my family to spend time with my Stuy family.” Indeed, from parents to alumni, students, and even players, Principal Yu is evidently intent on fostering a community that expands beyond the classroom.

Principal Yu is far from the only person who is excited about Homecoming. While many come to socialize, senior and Stuyvesant varsity football co-captain Isaac Sprung has been focused on the game for the past week: “I remember when I was a freshman, Varsity lost on Homecoming to a terrible team. Today, to be a top team in the city, it’s a real privilege to go out and make our school proud.” It’s not all about football though. Sprung added, “It’s the most well attended of any game we play, and I love seeing Stuy football alumni come back to watch us. It’s especially meaningful, given I’m a senior and it’s my last time.”

The sun is all but gone as storm clouds darker than the night sky loom ominously in the distance. The Peglegs break the game open with four consecutive, unanswered touchdowns in the first quarter to quickly put the game away; an immediate and complete reversal of Sprung’s freshman year Homecoming game. 

As the first half comes to a close, rain droplets fall with increasing frequency and force. While the viewing area is vacated, not many have left the Pier. Rather, they’ve retreated a mere 20 feet into the paved perimeter, where they find shelter from the elements. Some mix of school spirit, fun with friends, and the inconvenience of leaving in the rain keeps attendees present through the storm. 

Most high school football games leave the field vacant during halftime. Today, however, a youth flag football team takes the field to practice. Watching them, I can’t help thinking about myself at their age: waking up early on Saturday mornings to play flag football on Randall’s Island. This seemingly minor halftime practice gives the next generation of players a bite-sized taste of Stuyvesant football in the hopes that they’ll come back hungry for more. As halftime ends, the rain lets up. Teams return to their sidelines. The viewing area on the field level is filled yet again. Students resume throwing footballs, peppering with volleyballs, chatting, and watching the game.

“Tweeet, Tweeet, Tweeet.” The Peglegs win their game, 42-7. On the sideline stands the youth football team with sharpies and footballs, eager to receive autographs from Stuyvesant players two times their own size. Friends and family congratulate the Peglegs on a great game. School pride and connection are thick in the atmosphere as players and cheerleaders exchange gifts. As the night comes to a close and the Pier empties, the Peglegs leave with a final message.

“I WANT TO THANK YOU” fills up the outside of the Pier in big red block letters. It’s always been there, but it holds special meaning tonight. It’s a reflection of the appreciation felt: appreciation for the energy brought by cheerleaders, appreciation for the volunteers who set up tables, appreciation for everyone who came to support, and above all, appreciation for the unique community bond that we share at Stuyvesant.