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Tradition goes poof in 'powder-puff' game
(by Joan Demirjian - October 15, 2008)
Tradition goes poof in 'powder-puff' game
By JOAN DEMIRJIAN
An incident at an annual "powder-puff" event in Bainbridge ended with reported assaults and police charges.
Recent incidents associated with the traditional football game between high school senior and junior girls have raised concerns about their safety. The tradition has centered around flag football, but in some cases the game never gets played.
In the Oct. 5 incident, a 17-year-old girl from Bainbridge reported being assaulted at the event which took place at the commons of the Lake in the Woods subdivision in Bainbridge. The victim's brother reported that he was assaulted when he went to her aid. A 17-year-old girl, also of Bainbridge, is being charged in the incident, according to Bainbridge police.
Male students showed up and threw frozen eggs at the girls, police said.
Bainbridge police Lt. Jon Bokovitz said the games are held every year, in the fall. They are not held in the same place, unless the group has authorization, he said.
The event is informal and is not sanctioned by the Kenston School District or any other group, according to police.
Bainbridge Police Chief James Jimison said powder-puff football has been played by Kenston students at least since the 1970s. The school district sponsored it one year but canceled future sponsorships when the event got out of hand, he said.
It is supposed to be flag football but sometimes ends up as tackle football, Mr. Jimison said.
The police department also took charge of the event one year and set rules and had mouth guards made for the girls who played, he said. "But people got out of control, and, after that one game, we gave it up." There was a liability issue involved, Mr. Jimison said. "There was a potential for people to get hurt, and we did not want to take it on."
The most recent case involving the reported assaults will be sent to the Geauga County juvenile prosecutor for review, he said.
He said years can go by without complaints about the event, and, in some cases, if something does occur, police might not learn about it.
Kenston School Superintendent Robert A. Lee said, while the event originally focused on the game between the two grades, it has evolved in intensity and to an unacceptable level.
The girls have made T-shirts with the names of those who they "want to get," he said. They were wearing them to school and had to be told it would not be permitted, he said.
Another aspect of the event has involved the male students throwing frozen eggs at the girls. There were egg shells left all over at the latest event, and a group of youths cleaned up the property, Dr. Lee said.
"It has evolved into a negative thing. And alcohol has been involved as well," he said "From what I understand, the students didn't even play a game this year."
Even with flag football, people can get hurt, he said.
Although the schools may not sanction the event, that does not mean it is eliminated, Dr. Lee said. Students plan the event among themselves.
He likened it to the Chagrin Falls pumpkin roll, with the time and day being kept undercover. The powder puff's location also is kept secret and unannounced, he said.
Unlike the pumpkin roll, which has only one site, on Grove Hill in the village, the powder-puff event can be held in a number of locations in Bainbridge and Auburn, Dr. Lee said.
In the last two years, the Lake Lucerne subdivision and Settlers Park were chosen for sites.
Dr. Lee said the tradition is being reviewed with the thought of modifying it to make it a safe event.
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