Handmade posters hang on the walls of the gym, pictures and messages scattered across them. Phones snap picture after picture. Seniors receive flowers and chocolates and snacks from their teammates and friends. It’s senior year. From senior photos to Halloween costumes to college applications, seniors have plenty to think about. And as much as we like to joke about wanting to leave South, many of us will miss it once we’ve left. This is especially true for South High athletes, many of whom are saying goodbye not only to their sport but also their team. A senior game is that goodbye.
A senior game (sometimes referred to as a senior meet or senior night, depending on the sport) is typically a team’s last home game of the season. Traditions for senior games range from decorating courts to serving food to making posters and giving gifts. By designating the final home game the “senior game,” teams say farewell to and celebrate their seniors.
Seniors on the girl’s varsity swim team received personalized Crocs and jibbitz along with American flags with their faces printed on them. Boy’s varsity badminton made posters, and Coach Allison Gottfried gave flowers to each senior.
However, teams sometimes aren’t able to follow tradition. In boy’s varsity volleyball, the seniors outnumbered their underclassmen 3 to 1, so making posters wasn’t really an option. Instead, the team celebrated with a post-game party where they ate food and, as senior Jun Ko said, “enjoyed the last moment [they had] together.”
When it comes to the actual games, many seniors find the experience to be “surreal,” as senior Victoria Wang put it. The games remind seniors of the limited time they have at South. Just last year, they worked on the game celebrations, knowing they would have their own senior game next.
“You always think ‘oh, there’s so much time until I’m gonna be a senior,” said Jun. “But now that I’m the one graduating, it feels weird.”
The senior games bring excitement, but, at the same time, teams lose valuable members. “During the season, I’ve literally spent 3–4 hours every single day with them. That’s more than I spend with my own family,” said senior Khloe Chong. “We really built up those bonds together and I’m really sad that I’m graduating, because that last time, that last practice, that last game, that was the last time I’ll ever be on the court with them, and I’m really gonna miss that.”
The bonds built over the years don’t end with a senior game. “Varsity has been one of the highlights of my year,” said senior Sydney Dong. “It’s gotten me so many places, so many friends, but I know that I’m not leaving this behind, even if I’m leaving high school. I’ll come visit, I’ll say hi, and I’m really excited about that.”
