The long-held Powderpuff tradition, where girls from each class play football for a chance to win at Homecoming, may now be broken due to disrupting new construction plans on the upper and lower field.

MVHS students, parents and administration have been fighting for years to allow the construction of a new football field and stadium ever since 2008, when the first bond measure was passed. The District Board then went through a long process of compiling the required Environmental Impact Report and passing the blueprint through the Department of State Architects, which oversees all public buildings in California. The blueprints passed just last week—faster than expected. Now, by the end of Sept., both the lower and upper field will be under construction for about 12 to 15 months, which ultimately means Powderpuff, along with all other activities, will not be able to be run on the fields.

Leadership’s Student Life Commission has been planning out the details of Powderpuff since the beginning of summer, and the coaches have been drafting out new plays and techniques all year.

“All the excitement we used to have for Powderpuff is just over now—being able to make plays, being able to pick our girls,” Powderpuff coach senior Austin Burrow said. “It’s disappointing now that we aren’t able to run the same plays, play in the same field, and watch from the same stands. Everything’s just different, and I wish there was just more [administration] could do.”

The preliminary Powderpuff games were intended to be on Oct. 4 and 5, with the seniors facing the freshmen and the juniors facing the sophomores in football. The final game was planned for Oct. 12. Now with construction plans, the field will be unavailable for all games.

Powderpuff football still may be an option, but it is unlikely. An alternative would be to play the games off-campus and promote transportation to watch the games. Other options which entirely take away Powderpuff football are class dodgeball, Olympics or other games that encourage class competition. Either way, boys’ cheerleading is not effected in any way other than location or schedule.

All of this information was released to students at an interest meeting Sept. 7 during lunch run by Student Life Commission. Coaches and players alike were taken by surprise at the news.

“If it just affected my commission and what we did, I wouldn’t be as frustrated. But, it’s not only affecting my commission; it’s affecting the entire school. Dress up days and talent shows are like extra flavoring, but Powderpuff is really what makes homecoming along with the rally and football game,” senior Ben Yang said. “It’s frustrating to see the whole school disappointed after everyone was looking forward to it.”