Across the United States, senior year has gotten off to a quick start and seniors of fall sports are coming to the end of their final high school seasons.
Each season, for each sport, seniors at Pleasant Valley High School are celebrated for their achievements and commemorated for the hard work they have put into their sport over the years.
This senior night tradition takes place prior to a team’s last regular season home game. Seniors here at Pleasant Valley walk out with their parents while the announcer lists their future plans, favorite memory and words of advice to younger generations entering the sport.
Senior night can be filled with many emotions: grief, disbelief, happiness, pride and gratitude. These emotions are easily seen through the smiles, laughter, and tears of the athletes, coaches, parents and fans.
There are many different definitions of what senior night means, but to most, it is a sign of stamina and dedication. Being a high school athlete takes a lot of time and commitment, it is not easy to keep up with school work and practices. It is a combination of daily practice, weight lifting, team meals, summer workouts, Saturday tournaments, and an all out grind. Achieving this point in life makes the school proud.
Many athletes give up on their sport before their senior year. Celebrating the ones who stuck with it through injuries and adversity should be praised.
Each sport honors their seniors in its own way.
Pleasant Valley Baseball has a different tradition than many others. Head coach, Derek Stecklein, a special meaning for senior night, “For me it is the start of an end that happens too fast. Usually when Senior Night rolls around it hits me that this group of individuals is closing in on their career ending as a Spartan. At that point we do our best to soak up all those moments and end the best we can. Doesn’t always work that way, but that is part of the ups and downs of life.”
Stecklein gives each of his athletes a personally engraved wooden bat. “Honestly the wooden bat signifies it is time for them to give back. Although some do continue to play at the college level, it is more of a calling where a “fungo” is a bat that coaches swing. I decided on a fungo instead of a real bat as I want them to always think about others,” said Stecklein.
This tradition stemmed three years ago from Stecklein’s favorite quote, “One of my personal favorite quotes is ‘A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.’ – Jackie Robinson. We work to help these young men be good people and maybe when they see the bat they will remember some of the lessons along the way they learned.”
Coach Goetz likes to preach on playing for each other “Our pre-game talk is always centered around our seniors and what they mean to us as basketball players but way more importantly as people,” she said.
Ultimately, senior’s need to be recognized, “Senior year is a very special year with many emotions. It’s the end of a chapter but also the beginning of another. I truly try my best to honor our seniors in an authentic way through actions & words. Our seniors are the backbone to our program and senior night needs to reflect that,” Goetz said.
Senior night is the end of many athletes’ careers and can be filled with many emotions. But ultimately, it is a tribute to the hard work and determination these athletes have put in throughout their high school years. Coaches make sure to honor their players and make one last special memory before saying goodbye.
