Here at Lincoln Way-Central, everyone has heard of basketball, baseball, soccer, and of course football. What a lot of people have not heard of, though, is Charra Escaramuza. Lincoln-Way Central student, Sophia Vargas, and her younger sister compete in Escaramuza with their team, Bella Tradición.

Escaramuza is a team sport which consists of synchronized horse riding to music. Vargas describes the sport as “a traditional Mexican sport for only females in the rodeo world.” Escaramuza creates a bond among its participants that seems unmatched by most sports. When speaking of her team, Vargas explains, “The relationships that I have built on my team honestly makes me feel grateful for all the girls! A sport that consists of every team having 8 girls working together creates a sort of sisterhood with all of them. I know at least for me that I can consider every single girl on my team my sister and just like sisters.”

Escaramuza is a sport practiced in the United States as well as Mexico – even the judges for competitions in the United States fly out from Mexico. The sport is a closely-knit part of the Mexican culture. With Escaramuza gaining more popularity in the United States, more of the Mexican culture is being upheld by those who no longer live in the country. Vargas touches on the cultural satisfaction the sport brings her when she describes, “It’s sort of an “addiction” for me, being looked at by others as a representative of the Mexican culture through this sport urges me more to do even better every time because in order for me to feel accomplished; I want to win state and eventually compete at nationals in Mexico – to know that my hard work paid off as a US citizen that is bilingual coming from Mexican roots. Especially now because it is hard to keep traditions the exact way they were brought up.”

Escaramuza is much more than a sport, it is a preservation of family, friendship, tradition, and culture. Ultimately, sports such as Charra Escaramuza should be better recognized by communities such as our own for displaying a passion for something greater than just a game or competition. We should honor the cultures and students that comprise our school and celebrate their uniqueness.