The Jesuit women’s soccer team looks to win a state championship on the field, off the field they build culture through their various traditions. These traditions have existed for years and are a special way to bond the team.
The team kicks off the year with a retreat to Redmond, Oregon. While they practice a couple times on the trip, the main focus is on bonding as a team. They talk about their goals for the season and play team games.
“The retreat is a bonding moment for the team. We all come together and hang out and play games. My favorite memory from this year was our baking competition,” said Natalie Webber ‘27.
Game days begin by wearing their game jerseys to school. The players then sit at lunch together on game days. When the bell rings at the end of the day, you will find the soccer players sprinting through the halls. They race to see who can get to their team car first.
“Our game day traditions make us really close and prepare us for the game,” said Jo Frischknecht ‘26.
The team prepares for the game at a player’s house. They eat Chipotle or Roxy’s while doing homework or spending time together.
When they get back to the locker room, the real preparation starts. Before they go out to the field, the lights turn off and they gather under the posters surrounding the walls. The posters represent their values as a team like “calm is contagious.” They scream the songs Halo by Beyoncé and Sader Nation at the top of their lungs. They finish by taking three deep breaths before stepping out of the locker room and walking silently to the field.
“My favorite tradition is singing Halo in the locker room with our arms around each other,” said Natalie Webber ‘27.
However, the traditions don’t just end when they step foot on the field. The iconic warm up includes the players doing stretches at the same time as the lines weave between each other. The most impressive part being when they sprint across. They then sit in a circle stretching and go around saying their personal goal and team goal for the game to get focused for the game.
“I think these traditions give our team a sense of assurance and stability,” said Riley Jeffries ‘25.
“Our traditions give the team a sense of community and sisterhood,” said Natalie Webber ‘27.
Being a Jesuit Women’s soccer player is a special experience. The traditions and culture have made the team what it is today.
