By Caitlin Conner
Staff Writer
Every Friday morning as students walk across the parking lot, they can’t help but notice the large tent sitting to the right of the main entrance along with a group of fatigued, scraggly boys sitting in lawn chairs. These students are carrying out what has been known for years as the senior soccer camping tradition.
“Every home game, all the senior soccer guys get together and camp out at the school for fun,” senior team captain Jordan Elgin says. “It’s mostly just to hang out but it is also to support the football team.”
This tradition started with the class of 2006, when former soccer coach Mike Ridley’s son Jeff created it for hanging out and team bonding. Though the school has never given direct permission for the campout, the administration allows it.
“We have allowed them to continue the tradition as long as they follow certain rules and stipulations we’ve put in place, such as no open flames,” assistant principal Sean Bagley said.
Thursday night every senior on the boys varsity soccer team meets at the school around 8PM. First they set up their camp, this year consisting of three tents, an assortment of lawn chairs and one oversized husky dog stuffed animal named Balto.
Once everyone is situated, the boys make a late night trip to Taco Bell for food. From there, they boys spend the rest of the night hanging out and talking.
“It is fun sitting out early in the morning and watching everyone walk in to school,” Elgin said. “You see tons of people that you know and some even bring us food. [Senior] Kristen Carter brought us donuts before Lariette practice the first campout.”
Senior team captain Joey McKillop and Jaxon Williams agree that their favorite part is playing Miley Cyrus’s “Party in the USA” and watching everyone walk in.
Each year, the seniors vote on one special junior they will allow to attend the campouts in order to properly carry on the tradition the next year. Though the decision has been made, the boys are keeping it a mystery for now.
“We all just agree on whomever we think would be most fun to hang out with and who would carry on the tradition best once we’re gone,” Williams said.
Though the boys aren’t exactly roughing it out in the wilderness, there is nothing comfortable about the way they camp. Every campout so far has been interrupted either by rain, tornado sirens or even friendly visits from the Coppell police. During bad weather, the boys regroup at a teammate’s house and then return to their tents once the weather dies down.
“Last campout a cop came and asked what we were doing so we explained it to him,” McKillop said. “He was pretty cool about it. He just told us to make good decisions and then spent an hour with us talking about college and our future plans.”
For these seniors, each campout is an adventure as well as the perfect opportunity to spend time with each other. As they continue to camp throughout football season, they grow closer as a team
