Homecoming: More Than Just a Game

When we were in high school, homecoming week was one of the most exciting times of the year. Back then, it meant kidnapping the freshmen, riding around town piled up on each other’s cars, and pulling off the funniest junior-senior pranks we could think of. We rolled houses, dressed up in crazy spirit week outfits, and counted down the minutes until that Friday night game.

It was all about the fun — the thrill of it all, the laughter, and those wild memories that we swore we’d never forget. And honestly, we didn’t.

But looking back now, all these years later, I’ve realized that homecoming means something entirely different. Something deeper.

From the Playground to the Football Field

We grew up together.

We went from sliding down that big, tall metal slide at Twin City Primary — the one that would nearly burn the skin off your legs in August — to walking the halls at TCE, proud to be “the big kids” at the new school.

Before we knew it, fifth grade came and went. Then middle school. Then high school — and the years just started flying by faster than we could blink.

We laughed our way through junior-senior wars and cheered under those Friday night lights. Then suddenly, we were the ones walking across Roundtree Stadium’s field in our caps and gowns, hearing our names called, waving at our families, and hugging the friends we’d grown up with since the sandbox.

And just like that… we scattered. Some stayed home. Some left town. Some got married, had kids, or started new lives somewhere else. And sadly, some didn’t get the chance to grow old with us at all.

Last Night, We Came Back Home

But last night — oh, last night reminded me what homecoming really means.

It’s not just about football or fancy banners or who’s wearing what color this year. It’s about coming home — back to the people and the place that helped shape who we are.

Some faces were missing — life happens, and people get busy with work, families, and responsibilities. But those of us who showed up? We laughed like we were 17 again. We told stories like no time had passed at all.

We stood side by side — Black, white, young, old — just like we always did, back when life was simpler. In a world that seems so divided these days, last night was good. It was pure. It was home.

Tomorrow Isn’t Promised

That’s the part that hits different as we get older — the truth that tomorrow isn’t promised.

We’ve lost classmates, teachers, and friends over the years. And each time, it’s a reminder that these moments matter. The reunions, the hugs, the laughter — they matter more than we realize.

Because one day, it won’t be as easy to just “catch up next year.”

That’s why we’ve got to make it a point — a priority — to show up. To come home. To cheer from the stands, to hug old friends, to take the pictures, and to make new memories while honoring the old ones.

Homecoming isn’t just about reliving the past. It’s about celebrating the people who were part of it — and still are, in one way or another.

We Never Skipped a Beat

As I stood there last night, surrounded by the same faces that once filled those ECI hallways, I realized something beautiful — we didn’t skip a beat.

Time may have changed us, but it didn’t break the bond we built all those years ago. We laughed the same, we hugged the same, and for one night, it felt like 2007 all over again.

I’m thankful — so thankful — for my classmates, for every grade above and below us, for every Bulldog who still shows up to cheer, to laugh, and to remember where we came from.

Because when you strip it all down, that’s what homecoming is really about.

Coming home.

Coming together.

And never forgetting where your story began.

Forever ECI. Forever Bulldogs. Forever Family.

So next year, when homecoming rolls around again — don’t just think about the game or the tailgate. Think about us. Think about those who can’t be there anymore. Think about the joy of being surrounded by people who once knew you better than anyone.

Show up. Laugh. Remember. Celebrate.

Because one day, you’ll be glad you did.

Once a Bulldog, always a Bulldog. ❤️🐾