Soccer Ball Juggling

Title: Soccer Ball Juggling

General Information about Item:

Informant Data:

Jennifer Costa was born in Smithfield, Rhode Island on August 31, 1998. Recruited to Milton Academy, Costa was a tri-varsity athlete in soccer, hockey, and track and field. While at prep school, Costa played club hockey for Massachusetts Spitfires. She is currently a junior and a member of the leadership group of Dartmouth Women’s Ice Hockey.

Contextual Data:

Cultural Context: soccer ball juggling has been a part of Dartmouth Women’s Ice Hockey culture for many years. It is a ritual that is always performed on game day and helps to foster team chemistry. The freshman in the group is in charge of carrying the ball for the group.
Social context: Soccer ball juggling occurs after right off ice warm-ups in the ice rink. The spots of the four players in the circle is always the same. This tradition allows us to all work together to achieve a common goal. Everyone in the group is of equal importance, regardless of class.

Item:

The same soccer ball has been used since the start of the tradition. Even though the ball is nearly flat, since it is material folklore, this specific ball must be used. By juggling with this soccer ball, the group is reminded to honor and appreciate former women who were a part of Dartmouth Women’s Ice Hockey.

Soccer Ball Juggling Christina Rombaut (’20), Jennifer Costa (’21), Lotti Odnoga (’22), Celine Piestrazek (’23)

Transcript:

“Soccer ball juggling is an important ritual that has been in the team’s culture for many years. After off ice warm-ups, a selective group of four teammates (one per class) juggle a soccer ball. At the start of the season, a freshman is drafted to join the squad and has to try out in front of the current members to see if they have good enough footskills. The freshman is responsible for carrying the ball to all games. The group must complete at least the number of juggles of the player with the highest jersey number in the group. To finish, each player must head ball at least once. Before the senior in the group graduates, she writes her jersey number on the ball; by signing the ball, the legacy of the player is manifested. The same soccer ball has been used since the start of the tradition.”

Informant’s Comments:

This tradition allows us to all work together to achieve a common goal. Everyone in the group is of equal importance, regardless of class. By signing the ball, the legacy of the player is manifested.

Collector’s Comments:

This tradition allows players to face a challenge before the game starts and requires that the players all work together and communicate with one another to achieve their goal.

Collector’s name: Jennifer Costa

Tags/Keywords:

Dartmouth Folklore Archive