This article was written by Jhermani Barnes
Applause, smiles, tears, and bittersweet cries. The bleachers are filled with proud claps and screams from your peers. The day has come, faster than you realized. Senior Night. It’s the night that represents the end of an era for you.
Senior Night is a night to congratulate all the hard work and dedication senior athletes put forth in their four years. This celebration brings families and students together to recognize the time and effort seniors’ devoted to their sport and team. Watching seniors receive a token of appreciation with pride and joy and allowing family to be part of the moment is touching and heartfelt. Senior Night encourages others to do better and pursue their goals everyday.
Brandon Sharpe, a rising senior football player known for his talent around the school has drastically grown behaviorally and athletically. Having coaches to help Sharpe and guide him in a positive manner throughout his high school years. Being around certain people has also helped Sharpe develop a sense of direction for his future.
“Freshman year, I was not listening to any directions and I had trouble with authority, and now I’m more clear-minded and open to things,” Sharpe said.
Robert Nowak, the head varsity football coach, has seen seniors improve throughout their four years as students and athletes. Nowak is proud to have been able to watch his seniors grow as individuals and witness their slow and steady progress; they are showing a completely different side of themselves now.
“Academically, there’s plenty of kids who I’ve seen go from really struggling to even be eligible as freshmen to now being, on top of all their things, and it’s just the biggest thing for me as a coach is that it’s great to see [athletes] grow as people,” Nowak said. “And we could talk about athletically, seeing kids get bigger and stronger and more athletic is great as well.”
A soaring cross country athlete at the high school, Gracie Kimble shares the positive impact Senior Night leaves on seniors. The influence senior athletes build towards the joy of participating in Senior Nights recognitions.
“We’ve been working really hard. I think it’s really an accomplishment. It’s a thing you look forward to, ‘when am I gonna be able to show everyone what I’ve done’,” Kimble said.
Kimble takes Senior Night as an opportunity to reflect on how much she has gained from cross country, athletically and academically.
“I decided to get back into it. It taught me so much. Like, self-discipline and motivation, it’s not just a physical game, it’s a mental game. It’s way more mental than most people think,” Kimble said.
Meghan Meyer, the high school’s head volleyball varsity coach, recognizes the significance of Senior Night. Meyer realizes that celebrating seniors for all the hard work they put in their athletic careers for years is essential.
“You’re committed to four years, and you play during the season, but, just having a night where we get to celebrate them, all the work that they put in, and everything they’ve contributed to the program [is important],” Meyer said.
Every year seniors leave a long-lasting impact on our remaining wildcat athletes. Meyer is sad to watch seniors leave, but ecstatic for her seniors to flourish in the next steps of their journeys.
“It’s pretty good watching that success and encouraging them,” Meyer said. “I’m excited for their next chapters of life and they will be dearly missed.”
Nine year volleyball star Chloe Kunter has enjoyed volleyball thoroughly. Volleyball has been a safe space for Kunter since third grade. She loves taking a step away from the real world and indulging herself in the world of volleyball.
“It’s a pause from reality for me, it’s something I can go do, and, I can pause real life,” Kunter said.
Kunter has advice for upcoming student, senior athletes on their future participation in Senior Night.
“Keep working hard, and you’re gonna have bad days. You’re not gonna be perfect. You’re gonna make mistakes, and the more mistakes you make just keep picking that ball up and working towards it,” Kunter said. “Mistakes are gonna come with the process and good things are gonna come to you, so keep working towards it.”
A loud and full crowd is proudly cheering for you and your accomplishments, celebrating your years of determination to a sport you love so much. The time you’ve spent growing alongside your peers is coming to an end– it’s a wrap for the senior class of 2026-2027 and their fall sports.
Leave a Reply