Lehigh Lafayette rivalry game spotlights team traditions

For the 10 days preceding the annual football game between Lehigh and Lafayette, students from both schools celebrate The Rivalry, commonly referred to as Le-Laf week.

The game is a tradition in itself, but with time, the campus community, local residents and alumni have created their own ways to celebrate The Rivalry.

For Lehigh’s student athletes, many of whom are competing in Le-Laf rivalries in their respective sports, these traditions are about more than connecting with the rest of campus — they bolster team spirit, allow athletes to connect with alumni of their teams and prepare them for competition against Lafayette. 

On Nov. 7, Lehigh After Dark hosted its annual banner making event on the STEPS lawn, where students had the opportunity to spray paint blank bed sheets with a message supporting Lehigh or dissing Lafayette. These sheets are then hung from windows of buildings around campus and will stay up until the rivalry week is over. 

Devon Sutton, a sophomore on the women’s cross country and track and field team, said she loves seeing the Le-Laf banners across campus.

She said it has given her team a chance to bond with each other and interact with other sports teams. 

For the Lehigh men’s swim and dive team, the event was an opportunity to increase team morale before competing. First-year swimmer Jackson Landahl said making the banners with his teammates helps boost the energy going into their meet against the Leopards on Nov. 22 at Lafayette. .

“It makes me want to win even more,” Landahl said. “I think it gets everyone on campus into the mood to beat Laf.”

First-year swimmer Samuel Stone said, along with banner making, the team has its own tradition of holding a race against Lafayette the day before the football game. Lehigh has secured the win over Lafayette for over the past 30 years. 

Stone said as first-years, they’re unsure what to expect from their team during rivalry week, but they’re eager to learn about their team’s unique traditions.

“We like to do pasta parties the night before,” Stone said. “It’s good team bonding and gets us ready for the meets.”

Gracie Smith, a sophomore outfielder on the softball team, said her team will celebrate The Rivalry at a tailgate at this year’s game with the women’s basketball team. 

In addition to current students making their way to Goodman Stadium, many alumni visit for the game. Sutton said a tradition of the track team is hosting an alumni tailgate every year at Goodman prior to kickoff, and she’s excited to see those who attend this year. 

“It’s a rare time where we get to see alumni that graduated and were a huge part of the program,” Sutton said. “It’s so fun seeing not only our alumni, but the alumni from other sports, or just a Lehigh alumni in general, because The Rivalry just goes back for so many years.”

She said the return of so many alumni shows how tightly knit the Lehigh community is and gives current students and athletes an opportunity to connect with them and ask for advice. 

“Even though these men and women are in the workforce, they still come back and want to support this program and Lehigh in any way they can,” Sutton said. 

In addition to placing an emphasis on inviting alumni to attend the game, sophomore placekicker David Fishbarg said the football team celebrates their senior players’ last rivalry game. He said one way the team does so is by hosting a special luncheon for the seniors prior to the game each year. 

He said he also recognizes the large impact of the game and the week leading up to it on those uninvolved with the football team. 

“Le-Laf week is one of the most obvious traditions Lehigh has because it’s not just for our team,” Fishbarg said. “It goes into the whole Lehigh community.”

Rivalry week at Lehigh is from Nov. 18 to 23, concluding with the Le-Laf football game at noon on Nov. 23 at Goodman.