At Hamburg Area High School, the annual Powder Puff football game has become a highly anticipated tradition, bringing together students, staff, and the community for an evening of spirited competition and school pride.
The event, which has been held for many years, continues to evolve while maintaining its core purpose of fun and unity. “It has been running for many years. More years than I have been up here at the high school. More than 20+ years. The rules for Powder Puff have changed since Mr. Gaul has been running it. He has made it a lot more structured than in previous years,” said advisor Ms. Reppert.
Math teacher and Student Council advisor Brett Gaul echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that while the tradition has endured, the game itself has seen recent updates. “We made a change to the format last year from 11 on 11 to 7 on 7. Since 7 on 7 flag football burst onto the scene nationally, we decided to follow their format.”
The goal of Powder Puff is not just about competition, but about the experience it provides for students. “We hope students will have an enjoyable experience participating in powderpuff football and encourage the school community to show their support from the stands and sidelines,” said Mr. Gaul.
As one of the advisors for the event, Ms. Reppert plays an important role in ensuring the game runs smoothly. “My role is just to make sure that the juniors are playing fair and that there are no discipline issues. I also do crowd control and keep people who don’t belong on the field off of it,” she explained.
Interest in the game remains strong among students. “As of right now we have about 34 students signed up to play or be a cheerleader,” Ms. Reppert added.
With passionate players, supportive staff, and a dedicated community, Powder Puff at Hamburg Area High School continues to be a highlight of the school year and a tradition that not only celebrates fun and competition, but also strengthens the bonds of the Hamburg community. Come to the game on October 1.
