Ellery Kerrigan

The varsity volleyball team huddles up wearing its “baggy blues” before it plays its last match of the regular season against Millennium. The Gators are ranked No. 1 in the state and are determined to dominate heading into the playoffs.

According to Weebly, a Web hosting company, for the last 30 years women’s volleyball teams ranging from competitive to collegiate levels have sported traditional spandex shorts for more flexibility, and in recent years, leggings for comfort. Before then, skirts and comfortable athletic shorts were the standard. 

However, the volleyball teams at Xavier have a tradition of their own: the “baggy blues.” 

The baggy blues earned its name from its loose-fit, long-length and of course, its royal blue color. The inseam of these shorts are five inches long, while typical skin-tight spandex has an inseam of three inches. 

Wearing such uncommon shorts prompts questions like: “Why are you wearing basketball shorts?” and “Don’t you hate wearing such baggy shorts?” Hearing these comments as a freshman made me feel uncomfortable and even a little insecure, however I quickly came to appreciate the benefits that came with the baggy blues. 

The baggy blues offer coverage and comfort, which most women must often sacrifice when wearing spandex. As a volleyball player on club teams who experiences the battle of constantly pulling down spandex and the discomfort from wearing them, I vow that the baggy blues are the perfect solution.

Varsity volleyball head coach Lamar-Renee Bryant notes that modesty was the original goal of the baggy blues. However, the shorts have evolved to carry symbolic significance.

Bryant explains that earning one’s first pair of baggy blues is like “wearing a badge of honor” as it represents the years of hard work and training it takes to earn a spot on a Xavier volleyball team. 

Courtney Snopko ’25 explains that the shorts are an identifying aspect of a Xavier volleyball player. “The baggy blues are a staple for Xavier’s volleyball teams. When people look at them, they know we come from Xavier, a school of athletic success. The baggy blues set the standard for all teams, knowing that Xavier’s athletes are all-around excellent people,” Snopko said. 

In over 20 years of coaching, Bryant has never seen another team with baggy shorts even when facing teams from out-of-state at tournaments like the Nike Tournament of Champions and the Durango Fall Classic. 

Arriving at other high school gyms and tournaments wearing the baggy blues, I feel a sense of unity with the team knowing that it is something only 16 of us share. 

Although Xavier is a Catholic all-girls school, these shorts are not required by the diocese. The baggy blues are simply a unique aspect of the uniform implemented by Xavier. “This is something nobody else does. This is your identity. Embrace it and use it to your advantage,” said former varsity head coach Susan Contreras.

Varsity captain Annemarie O’Gara ’25 experiences a sense of “Gator pride” when wearing the shorts and explains that they help the team to stand out among other schools, allowing the team to be “successfully different.” 

“These shorts symbolize who we are. We are not like other schools and teams,” Contreras says. 

Snopko reflects on continuing the tradition for the past four years. “Before coming to Xavier, I would see my sister wearing the baggy blues and always knew that I wanted to do the same. They were a symbol of tradition, excellence, and dedication–all characteristics that I hoped to soon portray.”    

Bryant explains that even the way the shorts are made is special because the cut is taken from the soccer team’s shorts but modified to fit the needs of a volleyball player. Contreras adds that Under Armour (the team’s athletic gear sponsor) works hard and makes multiple revisions to the shorts before achieving the desired product, different from any other team’s shorts.  

Although the world of volleyball uniforms experiences constant changes, Xavier should continue the tradition of the baggy blues for future Gator volleyball players. 

The baggy blues are a rich symbol of hard work, modesty and intelligence that many girls at Xavier dream to wear. “They are a bond between volleyball players, a unifying connection between the program, and a sign of achievement we are motivated to uphold,” Snopko said.