Eatonville Cruisers hold annual Big Brother Big Sister event to kick off football season

As teams across the state gear up for the upcoming fall season, the Eatonville High School football and cheerleading teams took a break from their training to host a special event for the community's youth. The annual Big Brother Big Sister event, held on Aug. 23 inside Rainier Connect Arena at Eatonville High School, brought together the high school athletes and the Eatonville Cruiser Youth football and cheer programs.

The event, which has been a tradition since 2017, was slightly different this year as the cheer programs were also involved. During the ceremony, each youth player and cheerleader received their game jersey or uniform from a high school athlete. The high schoolers introduced themselves, shared their position, and announced their grade before presenting the jerseys to their assigned “little brothers” and “little sisters.”

The purpose of the event is to foster mentorship between the two programs. The youth program serves as a feeder to the high school, and the hope is that by building strong relationships, the younger athletes will feel inspired and supported as they progress in their academic and athletic careers. The high schoolers, who often express great joy and enthusiasm during the event, serve as role models for the younger generation.

Head Coach Rex Norris emphasized the importance of this tradition, stating, "It was a tradition that was started before my involvement in the program. Coach Gavin Kralik, the previous head coach of the football program, would have similar events happen on the practice field. He did a great job connecting the older program with the youth programs. It was received really well, it meant a lot to the younger players." 

Norris, who has been deeply involved in the preparation for the upcoming season, emphasized the importance of such events in the broader context of the program’s development. 

“The town of Eatonville has a storied tradition of having a successful and involved football program. We have done a lot this summer to prepare for our transition into the 2A division. We have already started our practices leading up to our first jamboree. This is just another step forward for our student-athletes to have opportunities to grow and learn what it means to prepare but also give back as we head towards the start of the season. We are also looking forward to the 911 Community Serve Day on Saturday, Sept. 14. We hope to see others out there as well. Go Cruisers!”

Eatonville Cruiser Youth Football & Cheer President Alicia Sullivan shared a similar sentiment, “Our ultimate goal is to build a mentorship between our program and the high school. We are a feeder team to the high school both in football and cheer; the more we grow the better it is for those programs. The players and cheerleaders look up to the high schoolers. They want to be and will be them in the near future.” 

Sullivan ended with, “The high school players always have a big smile and seem to really enjoy getting to be part of the process. When the juniors go to a game and get to see their "big brother/big sisters" playing under the lights it's so exciting for them.”

The night finished with both program’s players joining up in the middle of the gym floor for the ceremonial “We Are EC” chant that both football programs do prior to and following their games. It was quite a sight to see and hear.

The high school team started their season with the jamboree at Orting High School on Aug. 30, where they will faced Orting, Aberdeen, and Onalaska high schools. The Junior Cruisers, who had their jamboree this past Sunday, will also begin their regular season in September. The Eatonville High School team will host the Cascade Christian Cougars on Thursday, Sept. 5, at 7 p.m., while the Junior Cruisers will have their first game on Saturday, Sept. 7.