If you take a walk through the halls of Archer, you’re sure to see student athletes wearing their new game day polos. Different from the standard Land’s End polos, these were introduced at the beginning of this school year and are meant for upper school students to wear on days they have athletics competitions after school.
Director of Athletics Kim Smith said some seniors last year supported the idea of having specific polos for all athletes. She said there is great meaning and purpose behind wearing the polos.
“By putting on that polo, it creates a sense of unity amongst the athletes,” Smith said. “They get to step into their game day self.”
Catalina López- Sánchez (’27) plays on the varsity tennis team and said she thinks that the polos’ material is comfortable. She said she sees both pros and cons of the new game day polos.
“I think it works with the new era that Archer is trying to go to with the new uniforms and new designs, since they are trying to really make us all cohesive,” López- Sánchez said. “So, I see how it could be trying to make the athletes all stand out.”
JV volleyball player Georgia Lebowitz (’28) said the new polos can help raise awareness about what specific days student-athletes have games after school.
“It’s a way to show how the school can support athletes,” Lebowitz said. “Like, ‘Oh, you have a game. Good luck.”
Smith said the idea of the polos also aims to promote inclusive, rather than having athletes wear their individual jerseys to school with their uniform bottoms. López- Sánchez said although the new polos can help strike up a conversation, the Archer community is already small, so people often know what sport others play. She also said that the quantity of polos each athlete receives can present challenges.
“We also only receive one, so if you have multiple games a week, it’s hard to be continually doing laundry,” López- Sánchez said.
The polos are made by Nike, and Lebowitz said that she prefers the comfortability that the game day polos offer compared to the standard Land’s End uniform polos.
“That collar is part of our Archer uniform, and so I wanted to make that collar part of the Archer Athletics uniform on game day,” Smith said. “Everything that we do in athletics is an extension of what’s happening in the classroom.”
López- Sánchez said that the polos help bring attention to the athletes and show what Archer Athletics values.
“I think it represents that Archer Athletics really values community and wants everyone to feel involved and supported no matter what sport they play,” López- Sánchez said. “Whether they’re on JV or varsity, it shows everyone’s love of sports.”
