“Go Hawk-D, Go Hawk-D Go”! This is what you hear at every Allderdice basketball game, home or away. When you hear this, you automatically know “them Hawk-D boys are in the building.”

Everybody on the team, the coaches, and even the students, take pride in Hawk-D. Hawk-D is well-respected in city league basketball as well as the WPIAL, with their own t-shirts and back-to-back city championships. But what is Hawk-D, and where did it originate from?

“There is no defined answer to what Hawk-D is,” said Mr. Jason Rivers and Mr. Andre McDonald, two of Allderdice basketball coaches. “It’s more of an attitude than anything; it’s our own swag that no one can take us from us.”

“Hawk-D started about 10 years ago, but it’s now just now getting recognized; like about three years ago. But Hawk-D isn’t just about the basketball; it’s more about bringing people together as one,” said Rivers.

He said, “Hawk-D acts as a unit; it’s more like a bond of brothers than just a regular basketball team. We help each other overcome obstacles on and off the court because that’s what brothers do.”

Rivers has a tattoo of Hawk-D on his forearm to show how much he is committed to Hawk-D.

The idea of Hawk-D is so much more than a concept; it is a religion. The movement has made its way from sport to sport in the Allderdice community, and has drastically increased school spirit.

“Hawk-D” has won two city league championships, and is hoping to achieve a three peat. Hawk-D is more than just a saying; it’s a “brotherhood.” Hawk-D is what makes Allderdice, Allderdice; it’s our own “swag.” So when you’re chanting “Go Hawk-D, Go Hawk-D”, just take a second and think about what it really stands for.