For decades our school has battled with another school, being Stanwood. Whether it’s on the field, the court, or the stands, this rivalry is more than just about winning. It is more than just a game, it’s about pride within these two schools that are just miles apart.
Dating back to the start of the rivalry of Arlington and Stanwood in 1971. Two football coaches, one from each school, wanted to bring more interaction within our communities. Being in such close proximity to each other they brought upon their schools the idea of the traveling trophy of the Stilly Cup. From that beginning, every Stilly Cup game is a tradition that brings so much excitement each year.
Every season, every sport, the anticipation of Arlington vs. Stanwood is so high. Players know that when they face Stanwood, our students look up to them and that pushes them to go out and play their best. The energy from the stands carries on to the field or court.
“They bring a lot because we feed off the fans and everyone’s energy around us. It makes us play a lot better and we win games by that,” Mac Crews (‘27) said.
Rivalry is part of our culture of sports here at Arlington. It shapes the way our athletes set their goals, influence the atmosphere within our fans, and that competition can be a good thing for a school because of the motivation and energy it brings. The tradition of Arlington vs. Stanwood isn’t about just one game or season, it’s about something that builds each year.
“When our teams sit down and do goal setting, I think one of the first blocks that goes on their chart in terms of goals is, beating a rival,” Tom Roys Athletic Director said.
Not only do the fans push our athletes, their coaches do a lot in preparing their team for each game. Their preparation before their games is just as important as their actual performance. Practices leading up to the game are intense with coaches pushing players to reach their full potential, making that rivalry become motivation for these athletes.
“Coaches push us hard during practices and we know that even though it’s a rival game it’s still gonna be a good game no matter what and that we push ourselves to be the best we can to beat them,” Basia Pzonka (‘28) said.
