The last Bay County League (BCL) cross country meet happened today, in Golden Gate Park, where seniors competed in their last league meet of the season. To honor the seniors of the cross country team, they were given posters to display their positive influence as seniors throughout this season.
“For the girls’ team we made posters that made a play on their names or funny phrases that the team says,” said junior Annika Carpenter. “I think it is a great tradition that most sports do where all team members work together to organize the posters for the seniors,”
In addition to celebrating the seniors and their contributions to the team, senior night provides a way for underclassmen, especially freshmen, to learn more about and from the seniors by getting to know them in order to make their poster. It allows everyone to connect, and grow closer to one another as the regular season comes to an end, according to freshman Alexandra Hermann.
“Senior night is a good bonding experience and it is also a great opportunity for me to learn more about the seniors,” said Hermann. “I got to talk and connect more with the seniors as well as the other upperclassmen because of this tradition,”
As seniors, leading your team and being a role model is a privilege given for their dedication to the sport over the years. Their job is not only to perform their best but also to guide people through situations they have experienced but others may not have, according to Cross Country Coach Caroline Falvey.
“The seniors are often leading the team through practice and meets, so senior night gives the team a time to give them recognition they deserve,” said Falvey. “Senior night is a special time to celebrate the seniors who have worked so hard as members of this team, and I believe this tradition to be one of my favorites,”
Karina Abernathy, Grace Gallagher, Deirdre Kenny, Charlotte Lyon, and Jalysa Jones are the Convent seniors on the 2023 cross country season. While there is a mix of those who have been a part of the team from their freshman year and those who joined more recently, they are all vital members of the team according to Carpenter.
“Each one of this year’s seniors are vital members of this team,” said Carpenter. “They each have their own way of leading the team, whether it is through instruction or their positive attitude, and I couldn’t imagine this season without them.”
