For many teams, jersey swaps are a light-hearted tradition that brings players together. The tradition warrants that everyone feels included in the event. Jokingly or not, jersey swaps help bond peers and other players, entitling everyone to a shared experience beyond sports itself. Nonetheless, inclusivity might lead to players having mixed emotions regarding the practice.
The inclusivity and purpose of jersey handouts have been questioned on the hilltop throughout its years of being a tradition. Hackley sports teams have a tradition known as the “jersey handout tradition.” In this tradition, students on a sports team give their sports jerseys to someone of the opposite gender. The team captains and older players nominate who gives their jersey to whom.
Normally, an individual might give their jersey to someone they feel connected to, like a boyfriend, girlfriend, or sibling. However, the tradition of jersey handouts being team-wide enables other players who do not have someone special to give their jersey to be included. Most sports team captains decide to partake in the Jersey Handouts tradition.
Most junior varsity sports teams do not take part in jersey handouts, although for some special events, they do. Teams like Junior Varsity Lacrosse do, while most others, like Junior Varsity Basketball, do not. It all depends on the interest of inclusivity among a team’s players.
There might be specific cases where some students might be annoyed by who they were assigned to. However, for many teams like Field Hockey, the handouts create inclusivity amongst team members in a joking fashion to promote chemistry and connection within the team.
“We’ve never had someone get annoyed, we don’t try to be mean or make fun of people by assigning jerseys, we just like to keep the tradition going and have fun with it,” said senior Field Hockey captain Elizabeth Doherty.
Although Field Hockey attempts to maintain inclusivity and keep them harmless, some sports might not consider those factors. Some players love the tradition, while others are annoyed when a handout is assigned.
One student who is not a fan is Hackley Varsity Football player Graham Klabin.
“Sometimes it [jersey swap] makes me feel awkward … when I’m paired with a random person who I am not connected with,” he said.
Like Graham, some students don’t feel as comfortable with the jersey swap process but still participate in the tradition. Although team captains don’t intend to upset other players, it might be awkward for some when paired with a person the athlete does not know.
While jersey swaps attempt to provide a connection between players and peers on sports teams, the tradition might benefit from adjustments to ensure that everyone will feel comfortable if they decide to participate. Although jersey swaps are inclusive at heart, making the process more flexible, taking more time to discuss who could be each person’s pair, and also encouraging athletes to provide input in choosing such a pair could make some players more willing to participate.
Jersey handouts are an important and inclusive tradition for most Hackley sports teams. However, as with any tradition, there is always room for improvement. In the end, Hackley teams should continue to support this tradition, as it is important and one of many positive parts of Hackley athletics.
