127 years strong: The coaches’ perspective

The Pull is a Hope tradition dating 127 years. Every fall, the Even and Odd Year teams go head-to-head pulling hand-to-hand against each other. On Saturday, Sep. 28, the 127th Pull took place just past Athletic Fields West. To prepare for the three-hour-long tug, each team practices extensively for the first month of the semester. Leading the charge and training the team members are the coaches. In an interview, The Anchor sat down with Owen Babcock (’26), a pull coach for Even Year, and Luke Van Hout (’25), a pull coach for Odd Year. Both men told their stories and conveyed the impact pulling has had on their college journey. 

Before becoming a Pull coach, one must first pull. Babcock was inspired to join his freshman year. “Coming here my freshman year, I wanted to take every opportunity that came at me,” he told the Anchor. Van Hout, on the other hand, found inspiration through an interaction with a Pull coach. “Over the summer between my freshman and sophomore years, I ran into a Pull coach while I was rock climbing,” he detailed. “We got to know each other and I discovered that he was involved in the Pull . . .  He described it as a life-changing experience . . . That lit a fire inside of me – I knew I wanted to do it from that moment.”

Babcock and Van Hout both emphasized the community that was formed through their Pull experiences. “Once you get into the thick of it with Pull, you’re balancing a social life, homework [. . .] it’s a lot of stress [. . .]i t really brings you together as a team. It forces you to have effective communication,” Babcock noted. Van Hout also commented on the team dynamic that is forged. “Team members end up spending the majority of their free time together for the 3 weeks of practice. So they get very close, very fast [. . .] Looking back at years past you can see so many Puller/Morale pairs that have stayed close. . .”

Now as coaches, new responsibilities emerge. “What’s unique about my role as a pull coach is that I’m an anchor coach,” Babcock began. “Anchor pit is the pit at the back of the line . . . It’s different from the other pits because the anchor is standing. The anchor gets the end of the rope tied to them. . . they’re essentially holding up the whole team.” Van Hout also worked with the anchor puller. “I’m the anchor coach, so I get to work with the anchor pit very closely the entire season. Being able to work with just one guy is a great experience.” With this growing responsibility, a growing community also thrived. “It’s something that bonds you to a very special brotherhood. The team is all about creating a family,” Babcock emphasized. “You’re pulling for the people behind you and in front of you.” Van Hout agreed: “Watching the team learn, grow and bond over the 3 weeks of practice is an incredible experience and privilege.” 

The Anchor asked both coaches to reflect on their favorite memories thus far. Surprisingly, both of them corroborated the same sentiment: rain practices. Babcock recalled his team’s recent practice in the rain. “It was such a torrential downpour. . . by hour two of practice, it started raining harder than I’ve ever seen it rain,” he remembered. “Everyone was completely soaked, and the energy was so high. That’s what Pull is about: that crazy spirit that pushes you to do these incredible things.” Van Hout endorsed a similar experience. “My favorite memory from Pull is our rain practices,” he said. “Those practices are electric and get the team so hyped up.” 

Lastly, The Anchor asked each coach about how their Pull experience has shaped their college journey. Babcock noted his improved time management and appreciation for tradition. “It teaches you a lot about time management in a very practical sense. If you’ve got three hours of practice a day, you still have to balance everything . . .” To conclude, Babcock said this: “It ingrains you in a legacy, where you feel immersed in tradition. It makes you so proud to be at Hope.” Van Hout noted the ways in which The Pull improved his leadership skills. “It helped me grow much more confident in who I was . . . I hold several leadership positions around campus and I think that the Pull helped propel me into those roles, both directly and indirectly.” Van Hout further reflected, “Pull pushed my limits, hard, and I’m a changed person because of it.” 

The Pull is more than just a tug-of-war; it is a powerful tradition that unites students and fosters personal growth. The competition continues to advance the legacy of the oldest college tradition in America – and the coaches are there, pulling others along the way.