Team Mario Wins Field Day 2023

Mario must defeat Bowser and save Peach in every typical Mario Game. However, this game is different, taking place in the real world instead of behind a TV screen, and hosting a long roster of characters besides the usual cast of Mario, Peach, Luigi, and Bowser, characters like Shyguy, Goomba, and Petey Piranha. This year the Emery/Weiner School hosted its annual field day to the theme of Super Mario Bros, where 18 teams competed against each other in field games and spirit, awarded in the form of stars. Instead of saving Princess Peach, the teams competed for the coveted field day trophy and ultimate bragging rights.  

Each team consisted of 15 middle schoolers and 15 upper schoolers with 2-3 junior captains who provided the team with treats like donuts and chicken minis and decorations like face paint and water guns. Furthermore, each team was themed after a Super Mario Character and was tasked with fully dressing in that Character’s color, red representing Mario, green representing Luigi, purple representing Walugi, and so forth until the entire Emery School was represented through a cascade of Rainbow colors. 

Each team took part in eight separate field day events consisting of poster decorating, dodgeball, capture the flag, tug of war, relay races, Just Dance, trivia, and of course Mario Kart. At each event, teams could win a maximum of four points, one for winning the event/game and up to three points for spirit consisting of good sportsmanship and creative/energetic cheers. Each team went head-to-head against an opposing team. At the end of all the events, the top three teams based on wins and the most spirited team went head to head on a final relay race. 

The four teams that competed in the final relay race were Donkey Kong, Peach, Mario, and Yoshi. The race consisted of the captains of each team completing a two-lap course on top of a scooter. The race was named Rainbow Road, in accordance with the acclaimed Mario Kart track. During the race the captains had to endure obstacles like limboing under a pole, going over humps, and dodging pies thrown at them by the Student Government (SGA). 

The race resulted in a tight competition between Team Peach and Team Mario. Team Peach started the race far ahead in front of the other teams, blowing Team Mario out of the water. However, after the first lap of the course, Junior and Mario captain Ethan Canfield closed the gap between the two, making the race more interesting to watch. However,  Team Peach’s scooter broke, resulting in Team Mario winning and in turn the whole game and the coveted golden trophy.  

After winning, Team Mario celebrated their victory by singing the Italian National Anthem referring back to their coveted Italian plumber, Mario. According to Junior and Team Captain Vera Fotopoulos, she accredits her team’s success to “working together to be the most spirited team the entire time and for the activities we selected the teammates that were more skilled in that area to help us win.”

Ultimately, Field Day this year was a reset and an example of the spirit and sportsmanship that every field day in the future should model.