The Rochester Rockets football team has had a very successful season this year and are looking very promising heading into the 3rd round of playoffs. They will face their conference rivals, Sacred Heart-Griffin. Lots of people will be in attendance for this game, as it will be one of the most broadcasted and watched games in all of the area, as it is every year. The Rockets are 10-1 heading into the game, and the Cyclones are 8-3 coming into the game.
Nevertheless, many football players tend to dye their hair during playoffs. This is a tradition for the post season and allows to express creativity. Since playoff season is upon us, many Rocket football players are seen with new hairdos. Many people have always wondered why they always do that in the playoffs instead of just all year.
With all the curiosity we have about their tradition, I asked some questions to players about their view on it. Cade Jones, a senior football player, was asked a few questions. I asked what is the meaning behind the hair dyeing for the playoffs.
“For the players, a reminder to always try your hardest, because if you lose you’ll end up looking like an idiot and then you’ll look even dumber if you lost in playoffs, and now you just have a stupid haircut for no reason. When people ask why you have a stupid haircut, you can say, ‘Oh it was for football, but we lost’,” said Jones.
It shows that they don’t do it just to be dumb or for fun, it has a real meaning behind it, to show they are one team and to give it their all for another reason.
“So I think it is just a commitment to giving it your all,” said Jones.
Many players dyed their hair pink, but not Cade.
“Well I had a season ending injury Week 4 so I was like, I’m not committed to anything, my football career is over and I might as well not do something dumb because like I don’t have anything to commit to.”
Unlike Cade, Cody Foster, a senior football player, had a different outlook on the tradition.
“I’m going to be so for real with you, I don’t know.”
With everyone’s hair being pink, I wanted to know who’s idea was behind this because usually it is only bleaching your hair.
“Lowkey Tanner and Xander, it was a combination thing. Zane technically did it first though, so if we really wanted to give credit to somebody it would be Zane,” said Foster.
His hair is pink like the others, though there isn’t a meaning behind it, I still asked why he did pink.
“You want me to be honest? I don’t know.”
I asked one more question about whether or not this brings the team more together and if they have a different outlook.
Foster said this, ““Yeah I think it makes us more one-mind, because our heads are the same color. When we think about our heads are the same color so we have the same mind.”
Based on the players explaining how it can bring them together as a team and know that they need to give it their all, the hair is not the sole reason why they give it their all in their games. Their eyes are on the State Championship like it is every year. This tradition has gone on for probably years and years, and still brings surprises into new looks from players. At least one person surprises everybody with their new looking hair. That would be a great example for this year, nobody knew the team would do pink until someone showed up with pink hair.
