As a senior, one of my favorite parts of Red & Gold Kickoff is watching the utter confusion crossing the freshmen’s faces as they discover the decked-out bathrooms, the poster-ridden walls, and the sleep-deprived hysteria of the captains welcoming them into the gym after receiving their teams and categories.

Some of them forgot that it wasn’t a regular school day; most of them didn’t realize it was a half-day; and quite a few don’t realize that the breakfast served in the Assembly Hall is for the captains and not everyone else.

Now that we’re all neck deep in the Red & Gold season, I’m curious about how the freshmen feel looking back at Kickoff’s characteristic chaos. Freshman Daniella Gonzalez was certainly surprised by the festivity, though she was instantly ready to leap headfirst into Red & Gold: “What surprised me the most was that there was so much energy given! When I walked in that campus on kick off, I was shocked! The bathrooms were amazing, but the energy levels were off the roof! Even the teachers were just as excited. The skits were funny and creative! I was amazed with my first kick off! And I can’t wait to see both teams hard work pays off on the final days of red and gold!”

As one of the soldiers who decorated the bathrooms, I’m glad the hidden work of captains continues to create magic for the rest of the student body. Another part of that Kickoff magic is seeing Rosary’s campus transform into a bonanza of school spirit with red and yellow posters filling in the spaces between each team’s original tapestries.

Tahlia Jain ’26 appreciated the decorations of her first Kickoff, saying, “Kickoff was so much fun and definitely made me excited for Red and Gold! All the posters and crazy decorations in the bathrooms gave the school a very happy energy, and the skits were so creative and funny; I loved watching the spot-on portrayals of celebrities and Rosary’s teachers! Go Gold!”

Ultimately, the purpose of Kickoff extends beyond showmanship, finding out information for the rest of the Red & Gold season, and decorating bathrooms. Kickoff marks the initiation of a new class of young women into the Red & Gold community for their next few years at Rosary where they will grow in their leadership skills and make lifelong friendships.

As a captain, my hope was that the freshmen would feel welcomed into this beloved tradition as its latest generation. Kateri Hodge ’26 certainly felt welcome at Kickoff, saying, “I did feel like part of the Red and Gold community. I had such a good time meeting my teammates and the practices have been really fun.”

After hearing about some of the freshmen’s experiences, it seems like Rosary had yet another successful Kickoff that hopefully marks the beginning of another successful Red & Gold season. I wish them luck and I hope all the freshmen savor the magic and excitement of their first Red & Gold!