Last night, at the HSE girl’s Swim and Dive meet, the royals competed against North Central. The lady royals also celebrated their senior night. The stands were full of fans, family, and friends to support those 11 seniors on their special day. The seniors had lots of fun competing while still finishing with the win.
One special memory of the night was each senior’s poster board display. The displays were set out on tables in the hall on the way into the natatorium. All 11 seniors had poster boards filled with photos of themselves from childhood to now. The images caught quite a lot of attention. Family, fans, and friends stopped and were in awe of the detailed photo boards.
The most meaningful and memorable part of the night was the senior walkouts. Each senior walked out with their parents by their sides while an announcer talked about each swimmer. The announcer mentioned their future plans, favorite memories, and how well each of them competed this season. The walks ended with a big hug and a single white rose from a non-senior swimmer on the team. Usually, the hugs were from a sibling on the team or a best friend on the team. These hugs would last a while; this moment was usually when the parents or friends got emotional. This was their special night, and if any tears were shed, it was happy tears that these seniors have accomplished so much and have big and bright futures ahead of them.
We asked a senior diver what emotions she felt while walking out.
“It felt bittersweet because I’m going to miss my sport, but I’m excited for the future. This moment made me truly realize I’m almost done with high school and onto the next chapter, so it was definitely emotional, especially since I’m so close to my teammates, but it was also exciting. It was also special to hear what my coaches had to say about me.”
We then asked her if she had been looking forward to it. “Honestly, no I was more nervous because I wasn’t sure how I would feel and it’s scary to think about being done with something that takes up almost all of my time.”
Lastly, we asked how she picked who would give her the rose. She responded, “I chose three people, the other divers, to give me my rose. I couldn’t pick just one because they all mean so much to me and it just wouldn’t be right if I didn’t get to hug and appreciate all of them that moment with them. We’ve been there for each other through good and bad and are the best friends I could ask for.”
This was an unforgettable night, full of everlasting memories. These lady royals’ swim and dive teams have created bonds and friendships to last a lifetime!