The History Behind House Olympics

           When asked about their favorite Lawrenceville tradition, most Lawrentians immediately jump to House Olympics: Images of their first Saturday back on campus, filled with house pride and good sportsmanship are always the first to come to mind. House Olympics is an integral part of bonding with new and old Housemates alike, and without House Olympics, many students would not have gotten to know some of their closest friends. Contrary to what many might think, House Olympics is a relatively new tradition compared to the school’s two-century-long history. The beloved tradition began in 1999, and before then, mention of any type of active competition between the Houses was unheard of. How did an event of such humble beginnings turn into a staple tradition, serving as a form of initiation for all new Lawrentians to come? 

          Cindy Ehret ’95, a Lawrenceville alumnus and interviewer in the Office of Admissions, was the mastermind behind the sacred tradition. As a new III former in the Kirby House and later a V Former in Reynolds, she found that her “time at Lawrenceville was so transformational, and [she] always felt so grateful for [her] experience here. It changed [her] life.” 

          As do most Lawrenceville students, Ehret began her time at Lawrenceville with orientation, but it looked much different than it does today. All the students, Ehret says, would “literally [be] put on a bus and float down the Delaware River,” an activity planned by the Admissions Committee. While the adventure must certainly have been fun, the concept did not make sense in building community; the expensive trip, designed to orient students to campus life, was held off campus. With a small number of people in each boat, students’ ability to meet their peers was limited, defeating the purpose of connecting with the diverse student body at Lawrenceville. 

          Ehret came back to Lawrenceville in the Admissions Department in the fall of 1999, and in addition to her role in the Office, emphasized the inherent problem in Lawrenceville’s orientation. “We wanted everyone to get to know everyone, so our job was to brainstorm ideas,” she recounts. After deliberating through proposals, Ehret was struck with an idea: inspired by an ’80s movie, Revenge of the Nerds, the Crescent and Circle Houses would participate in Greek-style Olympic games.

          “In this movie, the culmination of the events is a tricycle race, so that had to be the finale,” Ehret described. Along with the iconic tricycle race, the original House Olympic events were tug of war, the three-legged race, the egg and spoon race, and a potato sack relay–nearly identical to the events today. 

          An event lost to time, the name game was vital to the goal of orientation through House Olympics. “The name game was essential because that way everyone had to get to know each other in the house before you went out there,” Ehret said. In this game, one person would go around and say everyone’s name in the House in order to win points. While this game is not done in House Olympics today, a similar game is played at II Form Orientation hosted by the Ropes Course Instructors. 

          Each game had a referee to determine winners in tight squeezes—but how did they know what rules to enforce? The answer: A House Olympics rule book. Although there is not a copy that remains on campus, Ehret showed that the rule book exists, written by a past faculty member. “It was hysterical, too, the way he wrote it, [because] he was super creative and he made it worded just very flowery like Greek Mythology,” Ehret noted. While most Lawrentians today do not know about the official rule book, students in 1999 took the rules to heart. “The students really wanted to make sure it was fair and just,” Ehret says, “so there were a lot of referee meetings after each event or during events to make sure some got the score right!”

          While House Olympics is a favorite tradition of Lawrentians today, the original creators were not sure if the games would transform into the long lasting tradition it has become. “On the day of the event, we were so scared,” Ehret recalls. “We were worried, ‘What if the kids don’t buy into it? What if they think it stinks?’ So we were standing of the balcony of [Memorial Hall] playing Olympic music, just waiting.” The suspense eventually broke as a “roar” erupted and every House came running with the same decorations we see today; the full body paint, the t-shirts, tutus, and crowns. And just as it happens every year, the School President adorned in a toga walked through a parted crowd with a torch, announcing the start of not only a day of fun competition but also of a new school year. 

          The House Olympics trophy, awarded each year to the winning house,was built by the Building and Grounds team here at Lawrenceville. “We had the tricycle welded to the wood base, and that was it. We thought of every detail,” Ehret says. While most of the equipment used in the original games eventually broke through wear and tear, the trophy still remains original, becoming the symbol for arguably the most important tradition at Lawrenceville. 

           While House Olympics originated from humble beginnings, it has now become one of the most influential and exciting Lawrenceville traditions today. The solution to the previous boat-ride orientation, House Olympics became the event that creates strong, resilient house bonds for the year to come. “That was the concept that became reality!” Ehret says. “And it all stemmed from my love of ’80s movies.” Who knew House Olympics’ story?