Written by Lauren Roth
Becoming a senior is something that all students dream of all the hard work paying off and getting to walk across that stage. Being a senior as a student athlete is even that much sweeter. Student athletes have spent the last four years working day in and day out, on and off the field. As a senior you wait for your hard work and dedication to be recognized and that is what happens on senior day.
This past weekend Roanoke’s field hockey program had the opportunity to recognize 11 seniors this past Saturday in their game against St. Mary’s. Each senior was escorted across the field by someone of their choosing, whether it be their parents, siblings, or friends. As they made this way across the field, they were announced along with all their accomplishments, both athletic and academic. In addition to being honored across the field, banners were personally made for each senior along with gifts from the entire team, a special performance by the team, and a fully decorated locker room. It was a day of celebration for the seniors and their accomplishments, and also for their win against St. Mary’s.
During the game, seniors Katie Martin and Emilee Wooten lit up the scoreboard against the Seahawks. Just 8 minutes into the game, Martin scored to get the Maroons off to a 1-0 lead. St. Mary’s answered with a goal to even the game headed into the second half of play. The game would stay even until the final 11 minutes of play where Emilee Wooten scored, making it 2-1, and Katie Martin scored her second goal of the afternoon, sealing the 3-1 win for the Maroons.
Looking back at the four years, if the field hockey class had to pick one way to describe what it is like to be where each of them are right now, they all say bittersweet. Senior Emilee Wooten shared, “It’s rewarding to see all the accomplishments you’ve achieved, from playing your first game to scoring a game winning goal”. Hannah Bunten added to Wooten’s point, stating that, “It’s crazy to think of because you spend so many years defining yourself as a student athlete to then one day sit there and realize that it’s almost over. You cherish every moment”. Being a student athlete is a title that doesn’t go away easily.
Many athletes continue to be involved in their sports and athletics for a remainder of their life. As the team heads into their final games of the season, the seniors won’t take their remaining time with the Maroons lightly. They plan to cherish each and every moment, the wins and the losses, because it’s these days they will carry around for the rest of their life.
