Watch your back to survive the intense traditional senior game. The senior water game was created in 1982 and has been loved for generations nationwide. Popularity for the game has skyrocketed as seen in television series including iCarly, Community, and Gossip Girl. The game is not affiliated with Cathedral Catholic and completely voluntary for seniors. Seniors pay a ten dollar entry fee, choose a partner, then they’re officially in the game.
The point of the game is to tag your designated target in hopes to win the ultimate cash prize. Tags do not count when wearing a pool floatie or in a designated safe zone including school grounds, practices, hospitals, etc. The social media account running the game is flooded with hilarious videos of players tagging fellow players in creative methods.
Brenna Williams ‘24 is the mastermind behind the game. Her position is not for the weak. She shares her roles and accountabilities consist of organizing teams, overseeing rules, assigning tag tasks, and running the social media page.
“The hardest part is dealing with over 280 people…39 teams” and “making sure everyone is having fun in a safe way” Williams allocates.
Numerous seniors crowd her at school with questions and controversies about the rules and money distribution. She clears the controversy, “All money is mostly going to the winning team or winning person.”
Seniors have the opportunity to learn more about other peers after school activities, sports, routines, passions, and locations for students “they didn’t even know the names of before,” Brenna Williams expresses, “It allows for students to build community” and “brings together the class of 2024.”
The tag game fosters kinship in an exciting, spirited manner. Students receive two new tag assignments every two weeks. The two week rounds continue until a winner is revealed. Acquiring a variety of students to tag allows cliques to mesh and re-energizes movement of students.
Neighboring San Diego schools also participate in the thrilling tag game. Many rules and regulations are shared, while some are dramatically diverse. Contrary to the Dons’ tradition, at La Costa Canyon, one junior in ASB runs the game. Klew Del Los Santos, current LCC senior, ran the game last year.
As a junior leader of the 2022-2023 game, “There is definitely some level of disrespect coming from the seniors. They try to degrade you through the phone and it definitely doesn’t make you want to help them,” Pea conveys.
Stakeouts, long drives, intricate timing. In order to stay in the game, students must come up with unique strategies and clever methods. Sophie Ortiz ‘24 and her partner to Addie Marquand ‘24 have partaken in considerable complex stakeouts. Ortiz claims, “Our strategy is mainly getting them before schools while they’re walking out of their houses in the morning.”
One specific stakeout, “I was at his (target) house at 5:50 in the morning in Vista, very far drive from my house…he decided to jump over two large fences and proceed to run out the side gate and down the street into his partner’s car.”
Think fast and act agile. Just one second of forgetfulness can cost a player the cash prize.
Senior year is the year for appreciating memories, bonding with your class, and living fully. The game of tag allows for students to build unbreakable kinship with their community in a vibrant and energetic fashion. Chasing targets and chasing every slipping moment.
