More Than a Tug of War

In the fall of 1999, forty freshmen at Hope College took part in the Pull, a tradition with over a century of history that began as a tug-of-war but has become much more. A three-hour tug-of-war, the Pull tests the mettle of its participants in a way that few other experiences can match.

In only three weeks, the forty men and women who will make up the 03 Pull Team are pushed to their mental and physical limits as they train for the incredibly grueling experience that is the Pull. They're forced to dig deep within themselves and each other in order to find out if they have the strength to become a part of the Pull tradition.

The author observed all of the 03 Pull team's practices and the 102nd Pull itself, as well as conducted interviews with members of the team, in order to document their thoughts, feelings, and experiences in a way never before done. This is their story.