Banners crowding the sidelines, students chanting passionately for their teams—the energy in the air was electric.
At the time, I was a young boy wearing my EA blue and white. After all, it was a tradition. I always admired the high school kids who painted their faces, cheered on their teams, and competed on EA Day. As a first grader, I could feel the excitement and school spirit building.
EA’s traditions include spirit week, pep rallies, and other school events leading up to game day; they’re quite similar to the ones at Haverford. The culmination of dedication in practices, games, and matches is celebrated in a full day of sports competitions. Students gather to spur on the various teams: water polo, golf, cross country, soccer, and the most anticipated, football.
Many players get special haircuts that express the team’s bond and their last, largest meeting of the season. As a lower and middle school student at EA, I noticed these special haircuts and thought they were funny, but I also thought they gave athletes a unique, intense look.
I remember those brisk, early November Saturdays—spending the whole day on EA or Haverford’s campus, running from game to game, supporting EA from the back of the stands because the front was where the big kids rallied. I intently watched the soccer games and aspired to be one of them.
One particular rainy Saturday afternoon at EA, I spent the whole day dashing from game to game, cheering from the back of the stands, my socks soaked from the pouring rain.
Last year on EA’s soccer team, I got my hair cut by my upperclass friends into an arrow in the middle, like Aang from Avatar. On the day of the pep rally and game day, they painted the arrow blue.
Spectating from the bench, it was clear that Haverford’s spirit, with giant flags and drums, overpowered EA’s chirps and chants.
My last memory was sitting on the bench after the soccer game, consoling the crying and heartbroken EA seniors who lost 1-0. The Haverford kids stormed the field at the center circle, jumping up and down, celebrating victory. We silently underwent the painful walk back to the locker room, which became filled with seniors crying to each other.
At the football game directly after, Haverford was yet again much louder, leading the bleachers in spirit.
In the grand scheme of things, EA Day goes beyond sports in connecting two school communities. This rivalry builds character and passion, but most importantly, it brings students together. EA Day includes tradition, rivalry, and respect all bound together—which is what makes it worth celebrating each year.
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