The homecoming game, a school’s big hoorah to the new school year. The week of homecoming is a time to show off your school pride to everyone around you. But is it a distraction to the football team? Are the crazy events and continuous talk of the ‘big game’ putting pressure on the players?

Most would think that yes, homecoming is a distraction to the players, but according to Perry’s own quarterback D’shayne James he thinks it is not the disturbance most would think it is. He explains this by saying  “ I don’t think it’s quite the distraction, but I guess it makes everyone hype and ready to go for the game”.

Though homecoming game isn’t a distraction, he does feel the pressure of winning especially considering that he is a sophomore and because the football team lost their last homecoming game they have the added pressure to win this upcoming game and make it up to their devastated fans.

Though, when asking head football coach, Coach Jones, about the pressure put on the team to win the game he goes onto say “No I don’t think so. I think we just try to treat it like another game”. He does not want the players to add any pressure to themselves because as he goes onto say “We try to keep it in perspective it’s just another football game. Win or loss, homecoming doesn’t make any difference in a win or loss”. Coach Jones tries to remind the players to stay focused once they step on the field and to remember football comes first.

As James goes on to tell us how homecoming is actually an exciting game to play, this being James second time playing a homecoming game he explains that what really makes it so much fun is the overflowing bleachers with fans full of puma pride;the crowd helps him get “hyped up” for the big homecoming game.