As May rolls around at HHS, seats become stickier with sweat, students grow more restless, and seniors prepare to say goodbye to high school. Beyond the books and notes, teachers, and coveted spots in the close parking lot, seniors must also bid farewell to their sports teams. Senior tennis player Will Bierwirth summed up the sentiment felt by senior athletes fairly well when he said, “I’m sad.”

For many seniors, they practiced and competed with the same coaches and teammates for years. Every school day (and for some, weekends too), students could spend anywhere from 2 to 5 hours with their teams, much longer than they spend with a certain teacher and even most of their peers. Therefore, the end of this final spring season is much more bitter than those of past sport seasons for seniors.

Senior Track and Field captain Alexandra Colby shared, “Honestly I’m a little sad that it’s my last season playing sports at high school. I’ve been on some great teams and met some really amazing people and it’ll be sad to leave.” Sports are a big part of the school culture here at HHS, and finally saying goodbye for good can feel like leaving a family.

While some seniors will go on to play varsity, intramural, or club sports in college, their high school teams will always stay with them. Senior Cross Country runner and Sailing team captain Luke Slane explained that “it’s sad to see the people I have gotten close with not be able to see me next year.”

Sports at HHS help form many new friendships between peers and also between students in different grade levels. For underclassmen, the seniors’ departure is a somber event because they feel that their team will never truly be the same without the seniors.

However, these moments are still bittersweet. Activities like senior nights and pasta parties allow for teams to celebrate their friendship, achievements, and time together.  Although seniors are leaving behind one family, they will move on into the world make a new ones. But, despite continuing on into new chapters of their lives, seniors will always retain the memories and friendships they made through HHS sports.