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Writer's pictureKate Krabacher

How was the Homecoming Tradition Started?

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It is officially homecoming season and it is always an exciting time of the year for all students. The girls are busy shopping for a brand-new dress to wear and the guys are working up the nerve to ask a girl to the dance. But how did homecoming turn into the big event it is now?


Today, it seems as if this tradition has strayed from its original intention. Many colleges like Baylor, Southwestern, Illinois, and Missouri have claimed to have been the first ones to hold a homecoming game and it is still debated today. Regardless, it started out in the 1910s with a college football alumni game. Former football players would come back to participate in a football game usually held against a rival. In turn, this brought other former students back to their school to support their former classmates and boosted school spirit.


However, homecoming has evolved greatly since the 1900s. Most schools no longer have alumni come back to their old stomping grounds to participate in an athletic event. Now, homecoming football games are just another big game of the year. Occasionally, alumni will come back to visit their alma mater during this week, but it is not as big of an event as it used to be. In fact, the football game seems to be just another activity during the week of homecoming.


At Loveland, there are many more activities to participate in than just attending the football game. For example, there are spirit days where students will dress up for the theme of the day. There is also a powder puff flag football game and male cheerleading where the girls play in the flag football game and the boys put on cheerleading performances. All these activities are aimed to boost school spirit throughout the whole school. All these elements of this event can make this season an exciting time for all.


The most popular event of homecoming week is the homecoming dance. This semi-formal dance is held on the Saturday of homecoming week at the high school. Students will either go with a date or with a group of friends. In the weeks building up to the week of homecoming, guys will often make “homecoming proposals” to the girl they are asking to the homecoming dance.


This tradition is mainly an American tradition. Football is the sport that homecoming was originally centered around, so this tradition is specific to America. However, some high schools and colleges in Canada have held events similar to the classic American homecoming.


Regardless of how homecoming was started, it is an exciting tradition for all students. Most students think of just the dance when homecoming is mentioned, but it has much more history behind it than just a dance. Make sure to participate in your high school’s homecoming week!


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