As winter sports are coming to an end, senior athletes are facing the bittersweet feeling of their last season.
With their last games right around the corner, seniors have the attitude of giving it their all while reminiscing on the memories — knowing it will be the last time they are on the court.
Senior Savannah Ervin, who has cheered for the past three years, has a lot of heart-wrenching emotions. “I’m kind of sad that it’s my final season of high school cheer and it’s all ending, especially with it being different because of COVID,” she said.
Many athletes wish there was more. Not only will they miss their previous traditions, but they also miss everything from previous seasons that were lost this year due to COVID-19 restrictions.
“I really wish that we could still do certain stunts with twisting and cradling just because right now we are so limited with what we are able to do as a team,” Ervin explained.
Although there were many trials during their last season due to the losses that COVID-19 brought, seniors remain thankful but saddened at the experiences they will always miss, such as bonding with their team and accomplishing goals together. Not only are memories made to look back on, but their sport also teaches students lessons which they could not have acquired anywhere else.
Riley Vice, senior basketball player, describes, “One [lesson] that I think is very important is trusting the process… putting in the hours to be great will not only help yourself but your team as well.”
Some students decided to join a sport during their last year of high school; although they did not have the knowledge of what it was like during previous years, they took away nothing less from their time as a spartan than any other athlete.
Macie Skahill, senior, details what she learned during her first and last year as a spartan cheerleader. “Representing PVHS as a cheerleader became a responsibility and was rewarding knowing I got to be part of the face of our high school,” she informs. “I have made a great bond with my team [and] learned cohesiveness and trust as I take part of being a flyer and base.”
Participating in a sport in high school has given students so many great things to look back on as they prepare to exit their sport for the last time. Seniors’ sadness to leave only shows how much joy the season had brought them.