As long as there has been a Rhodes Stadium, there have been cardboard riders on its hills. To them, the football game below is just an afterthought. All that matters to them is the glory of conquering the hill.

They come in all different sizes and ages, but most of them are small elementary school students. The smiles never leave their faces, even when they are approaching a brick wall at what bystanders would consider uncontrollable speeds. The risk is just part of the game to these kids.

“It’s a lot of fun,” said 8-year-old Hunter Joyce after a successful run. “ I don’t worry about hitting the wall.”

There is also an understanding between riders. If they run into each other there is no crying or complaining. There are no fights or tattling on fellow riders for crashing into each other. All that an observer sees is laughter as the kids race each other back to the top of the hill.

Collisions are inevitable because there are so many riders in such a small space. Needless to say, it is not an activity for the faint at heart.

“It’s really hard not hitting people, I’ve ran into other people like 1,000 times,” Joyce said. “One time I stopped and this boy went over me. It was really funny.”

Crashes and the wall are not the only obstacles for these young daredevils. Any time there is a field goal or an extra point attempt, there is the threat of a football taking out a rider. But don’t be scared for them, they have overcome the fear of flying pigskins.

“I’m not scared of them [footballs], because one time one hit me right here,” said Joyce pointing to his forehead.

The chariots of these riders are all different kinds of cardboard boxes. Old printer, television, pizza and just plain brown boxes, it doesn’t matter. They all work. Although all the kids think their own boxes are the best.

Seven-year-old Taylor McKinney, who was making her second Homecoming appearance on the hill, held up her slab of cardboard and boasted that it was the best.

Even though she has only been sliding down the hill for two years, McKinney said she is getting better with each run. What is even more impressive is she uses the standing technique and surfs down the hill.

“Standing is my favorite,” McKinney said. “It feels like I’m skiing on water.”

Joyce agreed with McKinney and said standing was his favorite style of sliding because it was the most dangerous. There are countless techniques that the different riders use including sitting, kneeling and running and diving onto a stationary piece of cardboard.

The more extreme approaches are going down the hill while in a box. That’s right, as if sliding at a wall that they can see was not dangerous enough, some kids skim down the hill in a whole box, oblivious to their surroundings.

There is also the rolling approach. This is when the rider keeps moving forward but their cardboard sled does not. They then proceed to tumble down the hill, refusing to be denied a good time.

As for those who are not racing on pieces of cardboard, beware. Every step a bystander takes could be their last as kids speed by on all sides. Chances are that the children gliding by are not in danger of being harmed, but rather there is always a threat of a walker tearing his or her ACL.

When the sun sets and the scoreboard clock reads 0:00, the cardboard sliders leave with their parents, satisfied with their accomplishments. They are already looking forward to the next home game and their next chance to tackle the hill at Rhodes Stadium.

Sports Editor: Jeff Rickel - 11/14/07