Cheney Southard

Mildred Homecoming

Back in the 80’s, Mildred ISD had homecoming dress-up days. Every homecoming, Mildred had a day where the football players and cheerleaders switched roles. So, the football players would borrow skirts and tops from the cheerleaders, buy poufy wigs or clown wigs, and some even wear make-up. The football players were now

cheerleaders, and the cheerleaders were the football players and played football, or “powder puff football,” but instead of tackling, they would rip the flag off each other’s waist.

Jason: Coach B

There was one guy who was one of the football players that dressed up as a cheerleader, Jason. Jason was in the same grade as my mom’s sister Karrie and was known as the king of giving wet willies and wedgies. When I went to Mildred, he was my teacher and coached football and went by Coach B, though I called him ‘old man’ sometimes. Coach B also was a pickup man at rodeos. Coach B would joke with me every day and call me “Little Mary.” In 8th grade we had a glow in the dark pep rally and a teacher went up and danced, which was Coach B.  When I got home, I told my mom about it, and it reminded her of homecoming when she was in school. She told me that when Coach B had to be a cheerleader, he borrowed a cheerleader's skirt and bought a poufy wig since it was the 80’s. When he walked into the gym with the other football players, he had that big wig on and a girly outfit and balloons in his shirt. Everyone started laughing because of how oversized the balloons were as they did their cheer dances while the kids in the bleachers would say the cheers. They even made a pyramid.

David

We have a friend who went to Mildred dressed as a cheerleader when his daughter was in school. His name is David, but my parents and I call him “meeester.”  He went to Mildred with Jason, Karrie, and my mom. He’s now working as a cop in Navarro. When he dressed up at Mildred, he wore a big wig with a bow, a Mildred football jersey, a cheer skirt, lipstick and what I’m guessing is softball socks? And he hasn’t stopped joking around in wigs.

Shannon

This next person also dressed up when his daughter was in school. His name is Shannon. Shannon is a friend of ours, and he was also a softball coach. He is a home builder now and works for the city of Gun Barrell. He hunts and his dogs always end up on our property. His picture was probably around the same time as David’s- 2013.

So, as you can see tradition rules in Mildred, Texas-population 443! 

All photos (at top of page and above) provided by Cheney Southard