On Sunday, October 25, Truckee High Varsity football players geared up for the game against South Tahoe that would decide if they went to the playoffs or not. While going over strategies time and time again, they also prepared for another key moment of that same day: senior farewell,  a longtime tradition dedicated to celebrating players achievements and future plans as their last season comes to a close. However, atypically from farewells for other sports, this day hosts the senior farewells of the Varsity football team, the cheer team, and the Truckee High band. 

Walking into the stands, it was hard to not to note how empty the student section was. A normally jam-packed, almost rowdy, group was now whittled down to the bare-bones. It wasn’t hard to understand why; overhead, rain trickled down from low hanging clouds that cast a dim, almost green-hued light on the field. By contrast, looking over at the parent section, it was almost as if this reality didn’t exist at all. Families filled the stands, a little more bundled up than usual, with bright smiles and a rapt focus on the proceedings on the field.

Towards the front of the stands, visages of the seniors from all three groups were strung up with zip ties on the front fence so that they looked out to the crowd; on the field, an arch stood for seniors to walk through with friends and family as their names were announced overhead.

Before the game, seniors from each program went through the arch on the field and stood basking in the glory of memories from previous seasons and the unknown future that lay ahead of them as their last season came to a close. 

Although this is a day to celebrate seniors specifically, family members, friends, and even younger team members are all involved. For friends and family, this can be a day of pride. For younger team members this involvement is less clear at first glance, but is just as important. As Coach Torres, the Cheer coach, said, “you want to recognize [the seniors], make them feel special while also having it be a whole team event.” 

In her own team, Coach Torres encouraged involvement by having the younger team members make posters to support their senior teammates. Events like this are particularly important for team games, because it gives you an opportunity to celebrate specific individuals, but there is validity to what Coach Torres expressed. By having the younger members involved, the team becomes more connected and it can even work as motivation for the younger members to look up to older teammates and their accomplishments.

During the game, everybody steeled themselves away to the anxious possibility of extending the season another few games given Varsity wins. The Varsity football team managed to keep a strong defense and an even stronger offense. Artfully, they maintained a lead through each quarter, starting off strong with a fourteen point lead and ending with a twenty-eight point lead at 42-14. With this victory, the Varsity football team is now set to play this coming Saturday, November 1.

With their last season coming to a close, the question on most senior’s minds is, “what will happen next?” Penciling in answers to the prompt “After high school I plan to:” on the Senior Farewell sheets felt easy, but with the end of an activity that has been a constant for years, everything feels uncertain. But it’s important to look back on all that has been learned and accomplished through these activities; to take lessons learned and apply them to the future. Speaking with a few members of each group, it becomes clear that these activities are more than simply a way to fill afternoons or have more to put on college applications. 

Within the football program, answers to what football has taught them included looks into the competitive and social side of the sport. Miles Macosko, a varsity football player who has been playing tackle football for four years, said that football has taught him discipline and how to stay focused in difficult situations. His teammate, Brady Kraunz, focused more on the social aspect of the game, explained how football has taught him leadership skills and the importance of community. He went on to say that he would recommend playing football throughout high school as it is a great way to make friends.

In the cheer team, answers touched on very similar topics. Valentina Vasquez-Moreno, who has been on the Cheer team for two years, elaborated on the point that Kraunz made about the importance of community saying, “You get to meet a lot of new people and, like I said, build connections… definitely it’s made some unforgettable memories for me.” Her teammate, Isabel Filipe, also mentioned forming connections as a key part of what she has taken away from the sport, but mentioned how cheerleading has taught her how to handle herself and push through in competitive environments. Furthermore, she mentioned how cheerleading is particularly important to her because you are not just playing a team sport but connecting with a  “team full of girls.” Tying in how cheerleading offers a unique opportunity for girls to connect with one another in a space that is meant solely for them while also learning team building and communication skills. 

Differing from members in cheer and football, band members were more focused on personal improvements that playing an instrument has offered them. Daisy Kuzma, who has been playing since middle school, said that she was unsure if she will play competitively in the future but she hopes to continue playing recreationally because as she put it, “it’s an enjoyment…it offers a lot of skills.” Specifically, she mentioned skills pertaining to leadership, memory, and dexterity. Another band member who has been in the since middle school, Hayden Featherstone, stressed the importance of community involvement in band programs and having the band be a place that is open for everyone but also felt that band offered significant opportunities for personal improvement. 

Although answers differed slightly between all three groups, the message stays the same: these programs offer skills that can be taken anywhere. That’s part of the reason that senior farewell is important for sports and art programs. Through recognizing and celebrating the seniors, it forces them to reflect on their accomplishments as well as what they have learned and what they will take away with them. Ultimately, this process of reflection aids seniors in their next steps forward into an unknown future after high school.