LYNN — There aren’t a lot of things better than football on a Sunday afternoon. Better yet, this one features a traditional rivalry between teams that meet just once a year.

The Lynn Classical and Lynn English powderpuff football teams face off at Manning Field this Sunday with kickoff slated for noon. 

Rod Valrie Jr. is in his third year as Classical’s head coach, and getting his group ready for the big day.

“Practices have been going very well,” he said. “The girls have been working very hard to get to where they are at now. At first, it’s slow because a lot of these girls haven’t played a sport a day in their lives, so they are just trying to get the hang of things and how the game is played. It’s a transition for them.” 

Going home with a win on Sunday would be a plus, but Valrie knows it’s about more than just points on the board.

“It’s all about having fun and making sure they’re enjoying it,” he said “It’s more about them having a good time.”

In the NFL, for example, the Patriots play the Jets, Bills, and Dolphins twice a season. Sunday’s game, however, is for all of the marbles.

“We only have one chance to win,” said Valrie, whose Lady Rams are on a two-year winning streak. “It’s not like we have a rematch against them next week. This is it, because it’s only seniors that do this.”

Ashley Aldred – English’s head softball coach – is in her first year as powderpuff coach.

“Its been going well. We have a consistent number of 30 girls showing up every day,” she said. “It hasn’t been the easiest practice, since the field behind Lynn English is being done over, so we are actually practicing on the front lawn. That has been a bit of a challenge, practice-wise.”

And in her debut season, Aldred is “super excited.

“This class is very athletic, and even some girls that don’t play on sports teams are good athletes that we found, so we are just excited to get out there and see what they’ve got,” she said.

Aldred touched upon the camaraderie that finds its way into an event like the powderpuff game.

“A lot of the time, the girls at school don’t know each other, just because there are so many kids at Lynn English,” Aldred said. “Each class, it just builds some camaraderie for their grade and the girls in that grade.”

Valrie couldn’t have agreed more.

“They get more friends out of it – more friends than they already had because a lot of these girls might have been in a school for these four years, but they might not have talked to each other,” he said. “You’re building relationships that are long-lasting.”

Come noontime on Sunday, you can bet both sides will be ready for kickoff. The Lady Rams defeated the Lady Bulldogs, 34-18, in last season’s matchup.

“We are aware that we have lost the last two years, so they are excited to get out there and get a win not just for themselves – but for their school,” Aldred said. “It’s an exciting week with spirit week, the pep rally, and the football game next week.”

Owen Finn is a student at Endicott College studying journalism