From leotards to bowties, art areas often require dressing in costumes seen throughout the hallway. A red and white jersey for a Friday night game, however, may garner some questions. The absence of a football team on campus may have given the school a classic inside joke (an undefeated record), but it highlights some high school traditions students may miss out on at an arts school. 

Due to recent legislation, students can now play sports at other schools. In the midst of football season, some Dreyfoos athletes gear up as Forest Hill Falcons on game days. 

“It’s actually mandatory for players to wear their jersey the whole game day, through the whole school day,” communications senior John Markee said. “I don’t want to do things differently if I am a part of the team, and I support the team. Even though I got a lot of looks, I never found it embarrassing.”

A wide receiver on the Forest Hill varsity team, Markee’s introduction to the school began before football. Markee participated in Dreyfoos track & field during the spring, where his school shared the track inside the Falcons’ stadium. There, he was able to meet his future teammates and defensive coordinator, though Markee said that first impressions were “intimidating.”

Forest Hill Football coach Garrett Necaise, however, made no distinction between the origins of his players, only the contribution they bring to the team. Necaise said he aims to teach his athletes the importance of football on and off the field. 

“They have not changed my perspective of what makes a team work together,” Mr. Necaise said in an email.  “It is called a team for a reason.  I hope their takeaways are far beyond the X’s and O’s and fundamentals of football. I wish to see each young man leave here with respect, discipline, integrity, and all the characteristics that make up a man of great character.”

Despite two-hour practices every day after school and the demands of adapting to a new environment, these players continue to face other obstacles just to play the sport they love. Digital media junior Joseph Floreal, starting linebacker and slot receiver, credits these challenges to making him better understand the coach’s lessons.

“Even though it’s extremely taxing on the body, it has made me such a better athlete and a more resilient person,” Floreal said.

As of Oct. 1, the team boasts a 5-1 record to start the season, so athletic director Matthew Vaughan encourages fellow students to show their support, even as Dreyfoos students represent another school. 

 “It’s tough to go play for a school we play in other sports. That team spirit and support may not be there right away,” Mr. Vaughan said. “Home games are only five to 10 minutes away, so I always tell kids to post on Instagram or tell their friends. We have the (Athletic) Honor Society spreading the word. The more students that support them, the better.”

This story was originally published on The Muse on November 19, 2024.