By Cindy Jin, Banner Staff

Pumpkin carving, creepy dolls, and haunted houses are common sights as October rolls around each year. Often, people fill their fall with eerie activities and superstitions, and so do many of Winsor’s fall sports! The Banner interviewed Winsor’s Cross Country, Junior Varsity Volleyball, and Varsity Soccer teams to hear about their spooky superstitions, stories, and activities, and would love to share them with you!

What are some spooky superstitions or stories that the Cross Country Team has? 

Chrissy Mayer ’28: “We used to have this creepy little doll that we call Irene…She’s kind of like those scary little dolls from horror movies. Throughout the 2022 season, she came to meets, EILs, and even some team dinners. [Our coach] thinks that Irene is the reason why we almost lost our EIL winning streak that year, [since the meet came down to the sixth runner as a tiebreaker]. But while we haven’t been seeing her recently, she is still a spooky presence on the team.” 

What are some spooky superstitions of the Junior Varsity Volleyball Team?

Lillian Feng ’29: “[We think] that the back staircase leading to the gym is haunted. Part of the reason we call it the haunted staircase is because sometimes the lights don’t turn on…Sometimes we go there [after practice] and record ourselves pretending to be people trapped in the walls of the staircase!”

What are some spooky team activities that the Varsity Soccer Team has done this year? 

Livia Bene ’29: “We had a team pumpkin carving competition! In groups of three, we were given an hour to figure out a design, carve, and come up with a name and spooky origin for our pumpkin. My team made the Jack Skellington pumpkin, but unfortunately, we didn’t win; the Frankenstein pumpkin won. His name is Frankenpumpkin!”

Clearly, Winsor’s fall sports are embracing the Halloween spirit of this time of year. These spooky activities are not only fun, but also help to encourage team bonding. The Banner wishes everyone a happy fall season! 

The responses in this interview have been edited for brevity and clarity.