The Huddle

Submitted by kate.searle on Tue, 02/06/2018 - 10:20

It's common for a sports team to gather together and huddle  before the start of a tournament or a game. What is the reason for this huddle? The huddle is known to boost morale and for teammates to give each other “good luck,” but, sometimes it's more of a tradition. For example, a famous cheer for the cheerleaders is during their performance at halftime games, they gather into a group and yell, “AIN'T NO PARTY LIKE A PAYSON PARTY, CAUSE A PAYSON PARTY DON’T STOP! ROAR!”

For some sports the huddle doesn't matter, but for others such as football, the Huddle is critical. The Huddle is usually when the coach or team captain takes time to go over some strategies or to get the team pumped up. In football, for instance, the huddle is a time to get the endorphins going and for the team captain to boost morale, talk strategy and get the team thinking about each player as a whole instead of individually. The same is said about Soccer, it’s mostly to calm the nerves before the game and to say a quick prayer for safety.

Sometimes the experience is more spiritual. In cross country a prayer is often said and an embrace is given. Basketball is a combination of both, a prayer is said but there is also strategy talk. Drill and Dance Company are very similar in the fact that it gets serious and a prayer is said. You might think that the Huddle doesn’t involve the cheering crowd, but, it does. When the football or basketball team wins the students in the crowd join together in the middle of the field/court in a yelling, jumping, sometimes scary, Huddle of victory. This Huddle brings the students together to celebrate the win and maybe just rub it in the other teams faces just a little bit.

What does the Huddle mean? The truth is that the Huddle means something different to every single player. It’s a time to focus and put your attention on the game and not personal issues. The Huddle can mean everything and nothing, it all depends on how the players make it. So Payson, what does the Huddle mean to you?

Attributions
Article by Sabryne Kelly
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DSC_1076.JPG 2.48 MB