Senior athletes played their last Homecoming games this October, and their teams made sure to give them a send-off with an event known as “Senior Night.” During Senior Night, players dedicate a game to their senior athletes, and hold a special celebration with family and friends.
For football, Senior Night doubles as Homecoming– an event that holds huge meaning for every senior, as they come to grips with the reality of playing their last homecoming game. “Don’t let this moment be bigger than you,” is a repeated phrase Coach Ryan McConville gives his players before games like these. This year, as per tradition, the varsity football team and supporters honored the team’s seniors prior to the Homecoming game. The seniors were walked out by their family or important members of their lives and were announced for the rest of the supporters to hear and recognize. This year, the team had eight seniors: Brody Coreless, Fallou Faye, Jake Hotaling, Tyler Hyatt, Gabriel Rayes, Julian Schwarz, Nathaniel Stickle, and Jake Thomas.
The seniors had mixed feelings about the celebrations. With many of them focused on the game ahead of them, they felt they weren’t able to enjoy the ceremony as much. However, the team also celebrated their seniors off the field. According to Senior Captain Brody Corless, the team had a dinner together before the game in which their parents gave them shirts signed by their family and people who care about them. Schwarz, when asked about the Homecoming game, said that the game is definitely more emotional than most. “Especially combining Homecoming with Senior Night,” he said.“It makes it really about more of the football team as a family.”
Just before kickoff, the seniors got their names announced as they walked arm in arm with their close family members from the end zone to the midfield. Posters of the senior athletes and their jersey numbers hung along the fence overlooking the field.
Moments like these are spoken about at reunions in years to come. Along with the senior celebrations, Homecoming is also when the Haldane Athletic Hall of Fame inductees are honored for their athletic accomplishments. This event is a nice way to get alumni back to Haldane to celebrate what they have done for the school and what the school has become since.
Senior Night is an honored tradition, as Haldane celebrates what the seniors have accomplished during their time at the school, as a player on the team, and as a member of the Cold Spring community.