If you assume the bags athletes lug to practice are loaded with gear, you would be right. What may go unnoticed are the details that make the carry worth the load. Whether it is a team tradition, family memento, or curious convenience, these bags come with character.
The tradition began just last year on the Varsity Girls Volleyball team. The team captain makes little keychains for the players to hand out on the bus before each match or tournament, each one with the match and a motivational quote on the back, according to Leah Salit, junior.
"It’s nice [how] everyone’s reading them at the same time so we can all be inspired when we're about to play," Salit said.
Salit and her team will eventually have a complete collection of keychains to look through and reflect on their season, according to Salit. "Just having them with us [on our bag] all the time to remember is [nice]," Salit said.
Samantha Cranstoun, freshman cheerleader, decorated her cheer bag with an eleven-year-old Minnie Mouse keychain. The token was a gift from family during her first trip to Disney when she was about three years old, Cranstoun said.
"[The keychain] reminds me that my family is always there for me," Cranstoun said. "It helps boost my confidence when I know there are people that will support me."
Mark Blasko, senior, keeps an unexpected item with his soccer gear - a garbage bag. Its use is unconventional, but convenient, as Blasko and some other members of his team use garbage bags to keep any extra jerseys or shoes dry in case of rain, according to Blasko.
"I don't want my clothes to start to smell and get all wet," Blasko said. "I know at least a few other people who keep garbage bags, maybe it's a soccer thing."