If you ever walk through the halls of CHS and see students dressed in a variety of accessories like tutus and tiaras with posters hanging around their necks, and more, do not be alarmed. Hazing or initiation for sports, sororities, clubs, etc are usually brutal and kept under the rug, but at Canyon, it is a harmless joke shared throughout the whole school.

On Wednesday, Sept. 22, the returners of the Canyon Girls Varsity Basketball initiated the so-called “newbies.” In the days leading up to it, the returners went to Dollar Tree and Party City to buy key pieces and makeup for the initiated members’ final looks.

“Basketball initiation is a fun way to welcome the new players onto our team. My initiation last year wasn’t typical because there was no school during COVID-19, but I’m glad that I can help dress up the newbies so they can show off their funny outfits to the whole school” said Girls Varsity Basketball Returner Josie Regez.

On the big day, returners of Canyon Girls Varsity Basketball woke up at 3 a.m. and surprised the new players by waking them up with water guns and silly string in the middle of the night. Each player was taken to returner Koko Booker’s house where they were dressed up in their own unique outfits.

Along with waking up the new players in the middle of the night and dressing them up, having a team breakfast at Denny’s is an important part of the tradition. The players that were initiated were able to fill themselves up and prepare for a day at school with fake green hair on their heads, soda cans tied to their ankles, and more.

Basketball is not the only group on campus that initiates newcomers. The fun tradition has been carried on for years across many groups and hopefully will continue to do so! Which initiation outfit is your favorite?