A big week for our seniors – and the parents
Seems like this particular column subject rolls around quicker and quicker each and every year, but regardless, once again it’s time that we offer up congratulations to our graduating seniors, as well as a little advice .
While we want to extend our congrats to each and every one of the 119 seniors who will be receiving diplomas this Friday night and making the transition from student to alumni – with this being primarily a sports column, I always try to offer up a little something extra for our graduating class members who were also involved in some way or another in one or more of the athletic teams at Clinton County High School.
From our staff to you, congratulations are certainly in order on your accomplishments, and we have thoroughly enjoyed covering your efforts in these pages during your high school playing days.
While there are those who will argue that being involved in team sports on the high school level is simply a waste of time and will amount to very little in the form of advantages as you go through life – well, those are the ones who were never there.
Reality is, while wins and losses might be how many rate the success of the athletic programs, you will eventually come to realize that you will soon completely forget the team records, and will instead be leaning on the lessons you have learned through the years while playing your sport or sports.
And that will continue for the rest of your life – or at least I can attest it will continue until you are at least 56 years of age – as is the case with this writer.
You will catch yourself thinking back to something a coach said to you at one time or another – perhaps not even during a game but on the bus ride to the contest, or in the locker room during one of those one-on-one situations or maybe even the time when you watched a teammate do something that gave them an advantage in some way or another, or cost them a starting position and it didn’t even have anything to do with the game or contest.
You will also lean on the fact that you have enjoyed the benefit of getting to be a part of a team situation and all that goes along with it, simply because you made that extra effort of staying after practice to get in a few more free throws, or perhaps took an extra lap around the field or even put in a few extra pushups or a mile or two of running at home on your own.
For all you did – win, lose or draw – we thank you, and we congratulate you on your achievements.
But it doesn’t end here. Remember all of those times before you were able to drive to practice or drive home after practice. Remember all of those times when you needed that little extra help with the homework before the bus left for the game. Remember all of those times when Mom or Dad left work early or missed out on their own favorite weekend activity to make sure you were taken care of first.
You were on time for practice. You were on time for the bus schedule and often during the early years, teams were coached or fed or funds were raised at car washes or bake sales by Mom and Dad.
You will spend a lot of time during the next few days getting pats on the back and being told how successful you are for reaching this milestone. Remember to take a minute or two and thank whomever it was who was responsible for getting you there on time and making sure you were fed, dressed and ready to tackle this extra activity.
Finally – don’t be a stranger. Throughout your athletic career, and especially during the varsity years as an athlete at Clinton County High School, the stands were full of fans who were yelling and showing their support while you were on the field.
Yes, many were parents or other relatives, but a host of us in the stands and working as volunteers behind the scenes weren’t parents – but we were former athletes trying to do our part to keep the tradition going.
This weekend you will make one of the most important and memorable milestones of your entire life – that transition from student – and in your case student/athlete – to alumni and former athlete.
Remember to not be a stranger to the game that you have loved so much.
You might have once have been an student, and you might have once been an athlete, but what you should always remember is . . .
Once a Bulldog – always a Bulldog!
Congratulations!