East and West Campus will face off for the annual powder puff football game on October 9. The girls-only game has been a Homecoming tradition since 2013. The players compete for bragging rights against their friends as well as a trophy on the Wednesday before Homecoming.

There is plenty of enthusiasm every year surrounding the game from students and the players. Shaina Tolan, senior at West Campus is going into her second year of powder puff, and she is just enjoying the bonds she forms with her teammates and having fun with the sport itself.

The girls’ excitement for the upcoming game allows them to have fun during their practices as well. “I am super excited,” Tolan said. “I love everyone on the team, I get to basically be with my best friends everyday, and it’s the people I get along with. It’s just a really great group of girls that just basically get to be together and just have fun.”

The teams are coached by male football players who are students at their respective campuses. “It’s two a week it’s on Monday and Wednesday and the practices actually went very well,’’ Tolan said. “Our student coaches are Anthony Angeles, Matt Ezop, Dawson Fallaw, Chris Parish, John Lawrence, and Jacob Lesus. They have a practice plan for us and usually we are on offense or defense and everyone will be put into their spots and they usually rotate everyone very well.”

Powder puff is meant to be a safer version of football where the girls don’t need to wear pads or a helmet and can just play for fun. The players all wear flags around their body, and when a flag is pulled, it is the equivalent of a tackle in regular football. “It’s like tackling but in a safer way, so that we don’t get hurt but it’s actually really fun because we can try to push someone back as far as possible,” said Tolan.

The sixth annual powder puff football game will take place at McCracken Field at 6 pm a few days before Friday’s Homecoming varsity football game and Saturday’s dance.