Asian clubs’ Rice Bowl an undiscovered tradition

By Adina Garneata &
Johnny Stacewicz

Two Lane football events took place on Wed, Nov. 25: the Turkey Bowl, a school-sanctioned event held in Lane stadium, and the Rice Bowl, a lesser-known tradition of Lane’s Asian clubs held off-campus – this year at Horner Park.

The participating clubs included: Filipino, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, and Thai-bodian. Each club was required to wear a specific color to distinguish themselves. Members of each club were split into boys and girls teams of 11 players each. A series of flag football games lasted from noon til 6:30pm.

“It was rough,” said Edrienne Besagar, Div. 056, member of Filipino Club. “I pulled a muscle playing in the mud and rain.”

Although the teams were competing against each other, members of different clubs showed sportsmanship and friendship.

“Every time someone fell, we would ask them if they were ok,” said Jane Remigio, Div. 029, member of Chinese Club.

Some of the teams took the games more seriously than others by holding pre-Rice Bowl practices. Filipino Club members even had their own chant that they performed before every game.

“We would say ‘Kapamilya Habang Buhay’,” said Besagar, “which means ‘family for life’.”

One anonymous source, however, said that some clubs took Rice Bowl too seriously.

“One club in particular was using bad language [swearing],” said the anonymous source. “There was also unnecessary roughness. One kid threw a football at another kid’s face on purpose.”

“In the moment, sometimes you do or say things you normally wouldn’t,” said Besagar.

This year’s winner for the boys was Filipino club, and Thai-bodian club for the girls. In previous years all players would throw in a certain amount of money, and the winning teams would get the money. This year no buy-in was required, which led to mixed reactions from players.

“I don’t know why there was no money involved, which I thought was lame,” said Filipino club member Amanda Arbolea, Div. 167. “But I’m guessing [it was] because then not as many people would show.”

“I would not have played if money was involved,” said Besagar, who did not like the idea of spending money just to participate.

An anonymous male senior, who has participated in past Rice Bowls said the reason no money was used is because in previous years it led to more fights and arguments.

Because the event took place during school hours, many students refused to comment, believing that talking publicly about the event could jeopardize Rice Bowl for next year.

One Asian club sponsor refused to comment on the story, and then instructed the president of the club not to answer questions either. Even some students who spoke on the record to reporters about this story later asked to have their names withdrawn in fear they would get in trouble for ditching school. Other students said they viewed publication of this story as an invasion of the privacy of their tradition.

Student members of these clubs were not the only ones who did not want to talk about the event. Dean of Students, Mr. Jarka, also had no comment.

Still, some students said Rice Bowl should not be discouraged because it unifies students of the Asian clubs.

“I bonded with my club, made new friends, and got closer to everyone,” said an anonymous female senior.

The Asian clubs also host a number of other bowls throughout the year including Noodle Bowl (basketball tournament), Shrimp Bowl (volleyball tournament), Find-a-Bowl (treasure hunt).

“I think other clubs should do something like this [Rice Bowl],” said Remigio, “I had a lot of fun.”