The date of the Homecoming football game was changed to Friday evening from Saturdayafternoon by student and administrative council last May, according to Dr. James Shellard, student activities director.

Shellard said this change was mainly brought about by Johnny Cowhey, a varsity football player, who argued for having the football game, and all other athletic games that usually happen on Saturday, earlier in the week. Cowhey explained that athletes with games on the Saturday of Homecoming often missed out on Homecoming events such as the Pep Rally, street dance and parade in order to participate in games.

“If they had the game that Friday night, they would be able to participate and they would be able to use Homecoming to its fullest,” Hannah Schiller, student council secretary, said.

Cowhey said he was asked to organize a group of students that supported his idea before presenting it before student council.

“I started talking to students,” Cowhey said. “I tried talking to Jeffrey Mathew, our student body president, and other students to see what their opinions were, and I would say probably 90 to 95 percent of other students agreed with me.”

However, Cowhey admitted his idea was unpopular with many of the members of student council when first introduced.

One example of apprehension was senior Sydney Kiwaiko, student body vice president.

Though hesitant at first, especially about breaking tradition and timing of the Pep Rally, Kiwaiko eventually became a propenent of the change.

“While we still had many concerns, we believed that with enough planning and dedication from student council, we could truly make it the best homecoming yet,” Kiwaiko said. “We are all hopeful and excited for this change. We like to think of it as the year of ‘starting new traditions.”