Senior night traditions

For many seniors on a sport, the most emotional, meaningful and nostalgic part of the year is their final farewell to the team. This is often translated into certain traditions, including Senior Night, that have occurred throughout Samo’s history. Senior Night usually occurs on the day of the last home game for the team, and acknowledges and praises the seniors for all their hard work over the course of their high school athletic career. Each sport has their own unique tradition for this day, ranging from giving gifts to having the parents of the teammates congratulate their sons and daughters on completing their final season. Among the many different traditions each sport upholds, girl’s soccer has the underclassmen get lunch for the seniors on the day of their final game. As a farewell, they also decorate the locker rooms with posters of cut outs of the senior’s head.“The underclassmen did a wonderful job decorating the locker room and providing lunch for the seniors before the game. They created posters and cut outs of all of the seniors heads,” co-captain Maggie Lena (’17) said. “We always play music, and the seniors receive roses on the field. It is always a day to look forward to.”After the last game, music and roses are given to the team members as ceremonial gifts. While the girl’s soccer tradition leans more towards the creative side, Cross Country (XC) takes a different approach. Before their last race, the underclassmen make a tunnel with their hands that the seniors run through, a show of honor and support for everything they’ve given to the program.  “The seniors, who run through the ‘hallway’ of people and hands, are announced by Fischer for their accomplishments since the first day they joined the program,” Brighton Mills (’17) said. “It made me realize that the Samo track team is more than a team: it's family. I love and care for each individual that has supported me in training, at meets and in general.”As for Senior Night, the cross country seniors are handed a flower which is coach Tiana Fisher's way of acknowledging their contributions to the team.A similar tradition to cross country is the girl’s water polo’s. First, before their last game, everyone on the team chips in to give the seniors thoughtful farewell gifts.“The non-seniors get the gifts and come in early in the morning to put streamers and balloons and other little decorations so it’s festive for sixth period,” Emma Ware (’18) said. With their fun pool decorations, they give the last game a boost of team spirit.“I really like the tradition because it's a really sweet way to honor the seniors’ last game at Samo,” Ware said. “They're really great people and we'll all really miss them.”On another pedestal, the football team brings out the families of graduating seniors onto the field as a final farewell. Once everyone is on the field, the team proceeds to clap and cheer for each senior. “We didn't win the game but we played well and enjoyed ourselves and the memories,” Isaac Gutierrez (’17) said. “My team had heart and fought some good battles and started a good upward trend for the program and its future.”Most seniors on a sport can agree that these senior nights are mostly for the parents. It's a time for the parents to reflect on their sons’ or daughters’ high school career, and hopefully be proud of them in the process. The celebrations are for the seniors but a huge component is always dedicated towards the parents. Sam Wittert (’17), a senior on volleyball, agrees with this, saying that it really is for both parties.“All of the parents are invited to come and sit down on the court. Just before the game, all of the seniors, in uniform, line up on the end line and wait for their name and number to be called,” Wittert said. “I would say it's more for the parents, and of course they really enjoyed it.”Teams such as baseball use ASB to help make their own gear and spread it throughout the Samo community. This year, ASB made baseball jerseys with all the seniors’ name and numbers on the back. Randy Martinez (’17) got his own jersey and appreciated ASB’s gesture. “An announcer would call our name [and]we walked on the field and took a picture with our parents holding our posters,” Martinez said. “In the meantime, the announcer would read off the things we wrote on our papers. We also took a team picture with only the seniors.” Most Samo athletes have worked hard, and proven their dedication towards their sport. It is expected that when their career at Samo ends they would want to celebrate it, and considering all the differentiated traditions, they can leave their sports on a positive note.