Huber explained that “after a big win we’re all in a good mood, and the environment is better, but after a loss everyone sticks to their own group and it’s quieter.”

        Senior basketball teammates Sawyer Junge and Daniel Roberts agreed that after a loss going out to eat is less exciting and sometimes they don’t even venture out at all because they feel that there isn’t really anything to celebrate.

        Girl athletes have a different view on the situation. Junior Nikki Miller felt that it’s a good time either way; there are a lot of laughs, and it’s a good distraction for her from a tough loss. 

        Miller’s softball teammate, junior Kailey Leal, felt that she dwells on the loss a little more than Miller, but when going out she said that she always tries to make it a fun time.

        What restaurants hold the best environments for these rambunctious (and hungry) teenage athletes? It’s the sports restaurants like Buffalo Wild Wings (more commonly known as B-Dubs), Landing Pad, and Jeds.

        ”We watch other sports, see how other teams in the BVC are doing, and when we’re at Landing Pad we head to the pet store and look at the pets once we’re done eating,” Nelson shared about the traditions of eating out.

        Junge and Roberts agreed with Nelson that “The Pad,” as they call it, is the best place to go after a game.

        The juniors begged to differ, though. Huber and Miller expressed that B-Dubs is their favorite place to eat because they know most of the workers from eating there so much.

        “It’s like a tradition to go to B-Dubs after a game,” Huber described and that is another reason he would choose B-Dubs over any other place.

        They both shared that the food is also what gravitates them to B-Dubs.

        Wings and pizza seemed to be the two main meals that everyone loves to eat along with appetizers of either cheesy fries or fried pickles.

        “It’s a tradition for Daniel and I to split a pizza at Landing Pad whenever we go out together, more specifically the chicken-bacon-ranch pizza from there,” Junge shared.

        Miller confessed her tradition of drinking pop whenever she goes out to eat, and if there is room for dessert she chooses the hot fudge lava cake at B-Dubs.

        Whatever the reason, going out to eat after a Friday or Saturday night game is a tradition among many student athletes here at Van Buren, and with the recent success of the boys’ basketball team it is definitely a time of celebration.