The bright colored spirit jacket has become a fixture at St. Dominic football games. The jacket also has made its way into numerous other varsity games, yet most people know little to none of the deep-rooted history. The secrets, the duties, and the honors of getting to wear the jacket have been left to students’ imagination, until now. 

While many think the jacket dates back to the ’80s or ’90s, it really started in 2008. The jacket got an unlikely start as Kevin Hufford ‘09, the original owner of the jacket, wanted to spice up his outfit for one of the football games. 

“The jacket was my older brother’s. He wore it for a talent show, singing and dancing to Play That Funky Music. I found it in a bin in our basement,” Hufford said. 

When it came time for Hufford to graduate, instead of heading home with the jacket, he gave it a new purpose. He handed it down to an incoming senior, who would take on the duty of owning the jacket for the upcoming year. Thus the tradition began. 

“I picked someone I respected and who would support their fellow students,” Hufford said. 

As the years progressed, and St. Dominic grew, more responsibilities were put onto the jacket owners. They not only had to hype everyone up for games, but also learn the chants, and plan how to get everyone to participate. 

“I had to prepare by finding the crew I wanted on the floor with me. I also had to assign someone to be the drummer,” Phillip Hartenbach, jacket owner for the year ‘22-’23. said. 

In recent years, the jacket wearer has had the honor to run the superfans account on X (formerly Twitter), and choose the themes for varsity games. The themes are a huge part of Friday Night Lights, so taking your student body into consideration is very important.  

“For Borgia, they live in Washington so figured a lot of them will be hunting. The talk is, we’re ‘Hunting Borgia,’ so we went with camo,” current jacket wearer, Hudson Riebow said. 

With the responsibilities of just wearing the jacket also comes the responsibility of everyone watching your every move. An entire student body is counting on you to bring the energy and keep the crowd pumped up and ready. 

“I think it’s a symbol. But, I think the power comes from 1100 kids being behind that person, and all doing everything they can from the sidelines, to make us win the game,” Assistant Principal for Student Life Mr. Nathan Tock said. 

This jacket has stood the test of time and has made its place in St. Dominic history. In 2008 when this all started, no one would have suspected this jacket would be such a symbol of community and spirit. 

“I had heard from a few people that it was still there; I suppose now it’s been confirmed. I hope it’s been washed (carefully),” Hufford said. 

The jacket, and its owners, are full of spirit. St. Dominic would not be the same without the the “life” of this jacket, which brings so much joy to others. We can’t wait to see where the jacket goes from here. Hopefully, it lasts for many more years to come.