There's just something about tailgating

The Watchdog

November 2006 Vol. 16 No. 1 C.D. Hylton High School Woodbridge, Va

There's just something about tailgating
Hylton students gather in the parking lot for pre-game party

By Heather Gioia
Features Editor

Ever notice the crazy juniors and seniors running around the parking lot down by the football field on Friday afternoons? Depending on what time you pass by, you may notice them sitting around eating hot dogs and listening to music. Come a little later and you’ll see the shirts vs. skins football game on the asphalt. Show up right before the game and you’ll see the crowd all bunched around, students walking around shirtless with the starts of HHS being painted on their chests and yelling, “Who has the yellow!?”

Three years ago the Tailgating Tradition was started with Jacob Grobb and Kenny Harkines, who at the time were Hylton seniors. Joe Scott and Jim Smith, underclassmen at the time, were lucky enough to be exposed to the tailgating experience and decided to carry on the newly started Hylton tradition.

“Grobb and Harkines, man, they are the men, the myth, and the legends,” reflected senior Joe Scott on the beginnings of tailgating before the Hylton-Henrico game.

For Hylton students, tailgating is all about coming out and having a good time before going into the stands to support the Bulldogs defeat another school.

“It’s a gathering,” explains senior Steven Mattos, “all are there, and it’s a time for some of the guys to spit their game.”

“Even though the games are awesome, there’s just something about tailgating that starts the night off right,” said junior Patty Tripp.

Students have their own words to describe Hylton tailgating, from awesome to chaos and memorable to fantastic, along with ridiculous.

“Awesome,” said junior Kelly Ziegler, “because lots of people go, it’s a high energy atmosphere, and there’s food!”

Others described the environment similar to a party or just a fun get-together. Some enjoyed going just to watch the crazy students run around in chaos.

“Ridiculous, because things happen and you’re like ‘why did that just happen?’” explained senior Nadia Guevara.

All of the students get something different out of tailgating, but all enjoy the environment of being around friends after a long week of school and just being able to let lose and go crazy. Some students come for the people. While others come for the free food.

“There’s so much more than [free hotdogs],” senior Lizzie Erickson laughs. “There’s free soda, and free chips and free fun!”

The tailgating atmosphere is different from any other one students experience in school. It has got the high energy similar to a pep rally, but does not have the class competition of who is going to win the most class spirit points. Anyone is welcome, and it is highly recommended by the students that attend that you do come out and join them.

“Dawg! That’s just what [the students] do! For free food, that’s why,” junior Harry “Freaking” Hicock, said. “I first showed up to get away from school stuff.”

Students respectfully request that teachers do not start joining them in their social gathering.

“We wouldn’t have the freedom; the freedom would be gone,” said junior Sean Dorland, “I’d go to the games, but not tailgate, because it’d be boring.”

For students, tailgating is a student-only event started by the students, and a Hylton tradition. A lot of the students have mixed feelings about other schools starting to tailgate to their football games.

“I think that other schools are trying to do like us, but they can’t. One, because our students are way more involved, and two, their football teams aren’t as good as ours, so they don’t care as much,” junior Justin “J-hall” Hall explained.

The seniors who now run the tailgating show at Hylton— Scott, Mattos, and Jim Smith— all find it flattering that the other schools are imitating them.

“They got nothing on us!” Scott exclaimed, “we went up and challenged the OP tailgating crew to a friendly tailgate football game; they refused vigorously.”

This year’s seniors have faith that the juniors will carry on the torch next year.

“I have to be honest,” said Scott, “I don’t know [how this years juniors will do next year].”

Hylton tailgates every home game, and local away games, such as Osbourn Park, Gar-Field, and Forest Park. Tailgates normally start around 4:30 P.M. and run until right before kick off. Events have consisted of hot dog eating contests, water balloon fights, and good clean fun. Each tailgate is a different experience and another high school memory.