W
hat does it mean to play your last game on St. Luke’s home court? Well for me it was everything I have ever dreamed of.

Having attended St. Luke’s Episcopal School since kindergarten I have experienced a multitude of senior nights. But it wasn't until January 6th as the horn blew to end the last quarter that it hit me, how fast it all went by.

All my life I have participated in athletics and as I ended my last game on my home court, I realized just how important sports are to me. As they called my name to walk across the court, I looked around the gym at all my closest friends, I finally understood what it meant to be a part of the St. Luke’s family. In the bleachers, there were not just my classmates, but my closest friends, not just my teachers, but my greatest supporters, and on the court was not just my team, but my closest family.

Words cannot begin to describe the instant gratitude I felt for all the warm souls surrounding me and I would not be here without each and every one of them. I know it may seem like a sappy cliche, but the best advice I can give any underclassmen is to appreciate every moment truly. I know the practices full of running seem horrible, but I would give anything to go back and run it one more time. Just for another game with my team, another huddle with my family, and even getting chewed out by my coach one more time. The emotion St. Luke’s athletics has brought into my life is unmeasurable and I will be forever grateful.

St. Luke's athletics have shaped me into the person I have become today. Each sport is so different, but all of my coaches have taught me one thing. Athletics is bigger than a win or a loss, it's about how you conduct yourself through it. As I walked across the court for the last time, I was overcome with memories of my season.

This moment made me truly appreciate the type of coach that Coach Hill has been for me. She has taught me strength, gratitude, selflessness, and courage. Coach Hill has brought out the best in me and I know she has always seen it even when I didn’t. She has been there for me when I didn’t know I needed her and pushed me and my teammates to be the best versions of ourselves, not for our sake, but for our team. I will forever be grateful for the opportunity to play under such a passionate coach and I hope more people get to experience the way she changed my life.

Throughout my final sport at St. Luke, I found a deeper appreciation for my teammates. These girls and I have been to War together, from no-ball practices to learning a team cheer, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. They are who I try for and who I play for, they have taught me passion outside of myself. That is the most precious life lesson to me, fight for someone else and not just for you. Specifically, the younger classmen are who I find the most love for. Although there are grades in between us, they have become my best friends on and off the court.

That's what St. Luke’s athletics have done for me, it has provided me with an ever-growing family. From the outside, our team may look like a regular, run-of-the-mill basketball team, but deep down these girls have become the most important people in my life. They orchestrated the most thoughtful senior night for me, from balloons to silly strings. They knew my favorite songs, candies, and bible verses. This ceremony was everything to me, but the appreciation I felt from my teammates was so much more. I know that this next step in life is going to be terrifying for me, but I have so much faith in these girls that I’m not scared. They are stronger than they think, braver than they believe, and smarter than they know.

So as I finish up this last season, I hope to see you all in the stands supporting us and the rest of St. Luke’s athletics. Try everything you can while you still have time, because it will be over in a blink of an eye. Find deeper appreciation for the moments you do have and don’t dwell on the moments you have lost. God has provided you with the most amazing opportunities, don't let them go to waste. Love your team, your classmates, your coaches, and your teachers because you will never find a closer bond anywhere else besides St. Luke’s.

Go Wildcats!