For the first time in school history, the varsity girls volleyball team will compete in the homecoming game against Branham High School on Davis Field on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. The match will take the place of the traditional football game, which was cancelled due to safety concerns over a small roster.
This shift offers the varsity girls volleyball team an opportunity to compete in front of a larger audience than ever before.
“I was conflicted, knowing this is a tough situation for the football team, but at the same time thrilled for my team,” Head Coach Theresa Smith said. “I’m happy that the girls are being given a chance to put their game on display under the lights. They have earned this moment, and they deserve it.”
Yesterday, the athletics department began transforming Davis Field for the match, preparing the court by laying out flooring panels with surface tread for traction on the turf. They will also install two sets of temporary bleachers behind the end lines to maximize seating and bring fans closer to the court. Varsity girls volleyball setter Brooke Kubose (12) expressed the team’s enthusiasm to play for the entire Harker community.
“We don’t usually get such a big crowd, so everyone’s really excited to be the center of attention for once,” Brooke said. “Usually when we have games there’s not many people — the people that come are for senior night or our parents — so we’re really excited to show off our skills to everyone.”
Preparations extended beyond logistics and equipment: The team also had to adapt to the challenge of playing on the field, adjusting differences in space, depth perception and air currents they are familiar with in the gym. Players also have to contend with distractions unique to homecoming, like crowd, band, cheerleaders and other festivities happening during the match.
Varsity girls volleyball defensive specialist Alexis Leo (11) shared how the team has been training for the event.
“Playing outside is obviously gonna be a little different than what we’re used to, but in reality we’re focusing on making sure we’re mentally ready for the game,” Alexis said. “It’s gonna be a really big event, and so if we’re not mentally ready a lot of stuff could go wrong.”
While the football match has become the evening highlight on Harker Day, it was not always tied to the school wide celebration. For more than 70 years, the annual Family & Alumni Picnic and the homecoming game took place on separate weekends. It was not until 2021 that the two merged into a single-day event known as Harker Day.
Despite shifts in scheduling over the years, attendance has continued to climb. Director of Special Events Loni Keller pointed to the community’s ongoing engagement with school events.
“Every year something can impact turnout, but at Harker we rally around Harker Eagles, spirit and gathering,” Keller said. “People come to cheer on whatever team is playing, whatever group is performing. It’s such an amazing community, so I anticipate it’s going to be a great day and a great evening.”
This year’s homecoming will continue to feature familiar highlights, with pregame performances and cheerleading all taking place as usual. The “halftime show” is scheduled between the second and third sets of the match and will include the homecoming court, tug-of-war between the sophomores and seniors as well as routines by Harker Dance Company and cheer.
HDC member Christina Tian reflected on the months of preparation that went into their halftime show, noting that despite adjustments, the team is eager to deliver an energetic performance.
“I’m so pumped,” Christina said. “We put in a lot of effort into this dance, and I really want to hype up the crowd. They’re doing something different this year for us dancers. We perform in a smaller area, but it’s definitely something we can adapt to.”
Head of Upper School Paul Barsky emphasized that while the change may surprise the community, it offers an opportunity to reflect on the value of long-standing customs.
“Traditions evolve and naturally morph, and change can be scary, but it opens up new opportunities,” Barsky said. “It’s also an important aspect of thinking about what traditions that we hold that are important to our heart. But what and why is that? Are they important because they represent our values? Are there different ways that we can salute our values?”
When the team visited the lower school last week for a joint fall sports assembly and announced the new Harker Day programming, they saw the younger students’ excitement about the volleyball homecoming game. Smith underlined the significance of showing up for whichever team takes the field, reminding the community that the match serves as a celebration of collective spirit rather than individual achievement.
“It’s important to support whatever sports team we choose to highlight on Harker Day,” Smith said. “When one team wins, we all win. Think about how many young girls and boys will be inspired by seeing something like this and want to be a part of it.”