By Thomas Smith

You know you’re a Shark if…. You’ve been to a game at the Shark Tank. 

You know you’re a Shark if…. You shout “Fins UP!” before sporting events. 

You know you’re a Shark if…  

The are many unique traditions that create a culture of Ponte Vedra High School. These traditions transcend all classes, from Freshman to Senior, creating one student body rich with traditions, creating unique bonds that define the PVHS experience. 

You know you’re a Shark if… you dress up on game day. Kate Pelot, a junior at PVHS, said, “If you aren’t dressing up, then you aren’t experiencing high school swimming at PVHS.” Kate contributed to the PV Girls back to back state championship titles her freshman and sophomore year. NFL legend and current head coach at University of Colorado, Deion Sanders, once said, “You look good, you feel good, you feel good, you play good, you play good, they pay good.” PV Sharks are known to dress up and “feel and play good” for their sporting competitions.  

You know you’re a Shark if… you play Assassin. Every spring student evade “deadly” water gun duels, attacks and ambushes. A school-wide water gun battle leaves just one team standing, the champion. Junior Sophie Fox was taken out of competition when her team was surprised leaving swim practice. “Assassin was such a fun game with my closest friends,” said Fox. “It was a great stress break from the pressures of school.” 

You know you’re a Shark if…. Senior pranks make national news. Every graduating class in high schools across the country look to leave their mark with dramatic senior pranks.  At PVHS, these can sometimes make national news.  In 2022, PV seniors strung a shark from the rafters. While this senior prank demonstrated a spectacular lack of judgment, it set a high bar for future classes contemplating senior pranks. For example, last school year, the senior boys rode their bikes around the Micklers round about, and all the way to school.

You know you’re a Shark if…. You start planning your parking spot design as a freshman. Parking spots are limited at PVHS. The best, closest parking spots are limited to the seniors at the top of their class. These spots are earned and then decorated. The Class of 2024’s creative expression is on full display in the senior lot. Seniors are known to design parking spots that express their personality, hobbies and talents. For example, senior Ava Doyle covered her parking spot with smiling on a hot pink backdrop.  

You know you’re a Shark if… You’ve battled it out in the “Pickleball Sharktacular.” PHVS’s legendary pickleball tournament is open to all students competing in a single elimination bracket for the ultimate bragging rights of pickle ball dominance.   

You know you’re a Shark if… you love “Beech Burgers”. Bud Beech grills hundreds of burgers in the courtyard for the students to purchase for $4. Dean Beech has made thousands of burgers for students. This money goes to a fundraiser for kids with special needs at Camp I Am Special.  

Whether it is sports or academics, PVHS has so many fun and unique traditions that define our school. These traditions help build bonds with teammates, classmates and friends that help define PVHS. 

Pictured: A parking spot that gets painted by incoming seniors every year.