Column: Aaron Worm, Behind the Mic

I think it is one of the most anticipated weeks for any high school student — Homecoming Week.

My wife, who grew up a half hour north of Winnipeg, Manitoba, had never heard the term “homecoming” before moving to Minnesota. I don’t remember what my initial explanation was, but it was something like, “It’s the big home football game that each school celebrates each year.” That is somewhat correct, and obviously the Friday night football game is a big part of it, but there is so much more.

I think we all have memories from homecoming weeks in Albert Lea or from wherever you graduated from. I remember going to each homecoming football game in Montgomery, but I can’t recall if we won or lost that game during my four years of high school. I do however remember the things that led up to Friday night. Dress up days were always one of my favorite things. In one of the Montgomery Lonsdale yearbooks there is a pretty big picture of me dressed up for nerd day. (I know I have heard the joke, I didn’t have to dress up). I was wearing an orange and brown shirt, with baby blue pants, glasses and, of course, the pocket protector. Coronation, bon fires and parades are some of the other things that come to mind when I reminisce. And I always get a kick out of the homecoming buttons. Sometimes you look at them and go “Wow,” a fellow classmate can draw or others you think that’s kind of cheesy but it looks cool anyways. I think one year there was a button that said “Can the Giants” because we were playing LeSueur-Henderson, and LeSueur at the time had a Green Giant plant.

This is a week not just for the school but the entire community to show their support and pride for Albert Lea High School and for the city. A big thumbs up to the school board for making all the home sporting events free to students and faculty this week. Hopefully families will take advantage of this and bring out Tigers students of all ages to cheer on their classmates.

So, let the festivities begin.

Coronation kicked of the week this afternoon. Girls’ soccer is home on Tuesday, boys’ soccer, volleyball and girls’ swimming are at home on Thursday and Mankato East comes to Hammer Field for a gridiron battle on Friday.

There are also dress up days. Monday is Decade Day, Tuesday is Class Color Day, Wednesday is Support our Troops day, Thursday is Villain Days and Friday, of course, is Cherry and Blue Day.

I assume there are other events sprinkled in throughout the week. I imagine it’s a unique week for the teachers trying to teach when students are thinking more about what activities are coming up that day and the dance this weekend, than what homework assignment is due. Memories will be made this week that our kids will never forget. So enjoy the week Tigers students. Be safe, have fun and be proud to wear the cherry and blue.

KATE Sports Director Aaron Worm’s column appears each Monday in the Tribune. He can be heard from 6 to 11 a.m. weekdays on The Breeze.