The competitive spirit of Harvard athletes extends far beyond playing fields. Many athletes in the Harvard community are as adept at such dancing and beer pong as they are at scoring goals in field hockey. The shotgunning prowess of some student athletes is similarly striking.
Athletes abide by rules concerning the times in which it is appropriate for them to let loose and party during the academic year. Most teams refer to this time as a “dry period.” Some teams prohibit partying altogether during their seasons of competition. Yet such prohibitions need not —and have not—doused the lively spirit of athletes across the athletic spectrum. Perhaps even more importantly, such prohibitions have not prompted any significant deterioration in the drinking game capabilities of Crimson athletes.
The drinking game capabilities of Harvard student athletes are truly extraordinary. But such drinking-game acumen is also rivalled by athletes’ singing abilities. The Field Hockey team has a particular reputation for their athletes’ singing ability, and among greats, there is a consensus standout. “Kolbe Keating is the best singer on Field Hockey,” said sophomore player Avery Donaue. Donahue continued, “She is Shakira’s long lost twin.” Owing to Keating’s exceptional voice, among others, we on the Independent expect Field Hockey to defeat the men of Crimson baseball in any sing-off.
Sound dancing serves as an even better indicator of athletic ability than singing. Of course, a substantial amount of coordination and nimblessness is required in any effective dance routine. Fortunately for the Cambridge community, effective dance routines abound on athletic teams at Harvard.
Perhaps because of the wide range of athletic abilities that team members boast, including the flexibility of the pole vaulters and the stamina of the distance runners, the Track and Field team has the widest and best array of dancers. Even among a large and varied crew, there is a favorite. “Lance Ward is our best dancer,” said sophomore team member Jaeschel Acheampong. He continued, “If you watch him do his ‘Lance Dance,’ you will bear witness to some of the greatest moves ever put on by any Harvard Track & Field member.” Ward’s unique moves will surely give Track and Field the edge over Women’s Water Polo in any dance competition.
Student-athletes on the Women’s Soccer team noted similarities between the conduct of their peers on the field and the traits such peers reflect during intense competitions like flip cup. “Anna knows how to work productively with her teammates and how to lead a team to victory. She’s our best flip cup player, hands down,” said sophomore player Taylor Fasnacht. Such leadership has propelled Women’s Soccer to the the top of the Independent’s sport team flip cup rankings.
In the end, Harvard’s student-athletes have proven once again that their competitive spirit has benefitted them. Winston Churchill once remarked that he had taken more from alcohol than alcohol had ever taken from him. The same can certainly be said about athletes who utilize their athletic abilities to defeat their opponents during drinking games in Cambridge. The rest of the Ivy League ought to take note.