Palo Alto High School's sports news magazine

Viking Magazine

Palo Alto High School's sports news magazine

Viking Magazine

Palo Alto High School's sports news magazine

Viking Magazine

Photo from paly.softball.varsity on instagram.
Paly softball defeats Santa Clara 9-8
Amanda Goody, Staff Writer • March 27, 2024
Hannah Oh (27) takes a breath
Paly Girls Swim and Dive beat Los Altos High School on Senior Night
Ethan Wang, Staff Writer • March 27, 2024
Beyond the Mirror
Beyond the Mirror
Eliza Gaither, Katie Yen, and Sarah ThiemanMarch 27, 2024

Don’t stink, Paly!

Girls rule, boys drool. Boys stink, girls…well, not too fast there, clever elementary school kids. Rhymes on the playground are harmless, but the smell emanating from the team rooms and locker rooms are a different story.

Girls love to blame the boys – saying their football pads and cleats fumes are unbearable, well maybe take a whiff of your own cleats or knee pads. Not much different. This occasionally repulsive smell should reassure you that you worked hard, and whatever you are supposed to be doing, you are doing it right.

Women, the lotion you put on your legs and the sweet smelling deodorant you use should not be the overwhelming smell after you play a game. If you take a walk by your bag full of sweaty gear and roses or strawberries even cross your mind, something went wrong. I’m not saying smelling good is a bad thing, by all means, every morning a shower and some deodorant will go a long way. This is the first step to making friends. However, these lovely scents do not belong in a gym or a stadium.

Now we know all athletes smell, some more than others, but boys and girls are both at fault. Why do the boys get blamed? The answer occurred to me while siting in the training room with a bag of ice on my head.

An underclassmen football player was sitting across the training room getting his ankle taped by Stacy, the trainer. She noticed that the young boy still had blood stains on his tight football pants. She asked the last time he washed his pants,and after a little bit of babbling, she got her response – it had been weeks.

I’ll admit, sometimes I forget my dirty jersey in my bag until game day when it’s too late for a quick rinse. Emergency Febreze in the bag is crucial for a mistake like this, but Febreze can’t mask the smell of a whole weeks worth of workouts.

Although some more than others, we all smell. Dealing with it the right way is something that Paly’s athletes need a little reminder about. Invest in a seasons worth of Febreze, and get on a daily washing schedule (maybe consult mom about that one). For the smellier sports (soccer, football, etc.) or just smellier people, check out the “Febreze Sport Extreme Odor Eliminator”. I recommend a quick trip to amazon.com – a pack of 8 for only $47.31.

Leave a Comment
About the Contributor
Marina Foley, Staff Writer
Marina is a junior at Paly and has lived in Palo Alto her whole life. She has one older brother and a dog. She started playing soccer at a young age and it is still a priority; whether it's club season or high school season, soccer has always been where her time is spent.

Comments (0)

All The Viking Magazine Picks Reader Picks Sort: Newest

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *