In past years, several different LFHS sports teams have either created or continued the tradition some sort of haircut or style to kick off their regular or postseason. This choice is often a unique opportunity to create a deeper bond within their respective programs, as is one of the easiest ways for a teacher or student to recognize you as part of that team.

I decided to explore five LFHS sports teams as to why they enjoy their traditions or to tell the story of how they were created.

Football: For over a decade, the Varsity Football team has participated in giving each other mohawks the night before the inaugural game of the year. The tradition started in the mid-2000’s when just a few players decided to get them before homecoming, and it has stuck ever since. 

Many current and former players can attest to how much they had looked forward to getting their coveted mohawk before their first varsity football game. 

“Whenever I’d go to the football games when I was little, I always thought that the mohawks made players look so cool,” said senior Michael Clarke. “It made me really excited to get my own.”

Field Hockey: The Girls Field Hockey team has been getting cornrows before their always highly-anticipated state championship run over 20 years now. Former Head Coach Melanie Walsh recalls how the tradition began. 

“In the late 90’s, we had lost in the state championship three years in a row to Oak Park River Forest,” Walsh said. “In 2000, we were trying to find something cool to unite everyone for the playoffs and get hyped up for state so we decided to borrow the idea from their team. We ended up winning state that year, so it has stuck ever since.”

Boys Swimming: For decades, the Boys Swim & Dive team has bleached their hair at the end of January, just before all of the championship meets. Everyone on the team eventually shaves it all off the night before the final meet. 

“It gets us really excited for the final few weeks of the season,” said senior Luke Lanigan. “I really feel like it brings us a lot closer together.”

Boys Hockey: One of the more infamous traditions in the school, the Boys Hockey team has never failed to turn heads as the first year players on the team walk down the halls on the first Friday of the season. Their chaotic and random haircuts, done by the seniors on the team, may seem like they get out of hand, but are always laughed upon by the ones who get it. 

“It’s scary at first, but once you see all your other teammates with the crazy hair, you feel initiated and even more excited to do it to the newcomers next year,” said senior and captain Alex Huddlestun.

Boys Lacrosse: One of the more recently created traditions, the Boys Varsity Lacrosse team this past year began getting mullets to mark the start of their postseason run. The idea had been lingering around the program for around two years but they had never officially pulled the trigger on it. 

“We thought it would be a good way to build some comradery within the team heading into the playoffs. It’s just something that sets all the members of the team apart,” said senior goalie and captain John Walsh. “When you walk down the halls, you’re instantly able to tell who’s a member of the team come playoff time.”

As the haircut or hairstyle trend keeps rising in Scouts athletics, many are excited to see more teams create their own similar traditions in the near future. If that may be the case, I am certain that we are all excited to see more crazy hair in the halls!