For the 24 years Christine Czikray has dedicated to teaching at Mayfield High School, and 12 of them have included devoting her time to the United Way program.

Every year, the seniors participate in ‘Senior Celebrity’ where they gather in groups and choose a theme of characters to dress up as all week in an effort to raise money for the charity event.

“I was a young teacher who had the heart to help out a colleague at the time and I became so involved that I continued the traditions,” said Czikray.

Due to the popular demand of the junior and senior girls last year, powder puff football returned to the Mayfield football field. Because of that success, powder puff football has indeed been welcomed back to the Wildcat Stadium.

“After multiple students approached me with the idea, I met with Mr. Legan to see if he would approve, and he did,” said Czikray.

Powder puff football takes place in the middle of football season and under the lights of the Wildcat Stadium. With the support of students, teachers and parents in the stands, the junior and senior girls of Mayfield High School play face-to-face on the turf as a culminating activity following three weeks of practice. While each girl represents the football players by sporting their jerseys, flags are chased up and down the 100 yards of the field while the boys strut their stuff on the sidelines in the Mayfield cheerleading uniforms.

Not only are the players an important part of the event, but the coaches and cheerleaders are as well. Think about a parallel universe; the football team is stacked with girls, the cheerleaders are all guys, and the coaches are the original junior and senior Friday night football stars. This special event proves to entertain all.

Czikray said, “My favorite part of powder puff is not only the funk, but seeing the excitement come out of the students. I stand there on the sidelines watching them have the time of their lives.

“A great deal of time and effort goes into planning this event. At this point, there are over 80 seniors signed up to play this school year yet there are only a limited number of spots on the field,” she said.

It’s not all fun for Czikray, as there’s a lot of work to be done.  She said, “The least favorite part of this all is collecting the money and permission slips because there are so many and not everyone turns them in on time.  The energy is unreal from the students and teachers striving to reach a goal for a great cause.”

Last year, the juniors took the win and this year, when Czikray was asked who she thought would win she stopped in her tracks, gave a suspicious look and said with a smirk, “Oh, I can’t say!”