As the world embraces the changes of lifestyles that come in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the senior class of 2020 has to embrace a different kind of response; the loss of one of the best years of their lives. Being a senior and a senior athlete, I am feeling a type of loss that nobody should ever feel, losing the chance to make memories that all kids, in every generation,  dream of. Prom, senior prank day, skip day, graduation, and senior week are just a few things that we, as seniors, will never get to experience. At least not the way every other graduating class has. But of all of the things that I will be missing, not playing my final sports season will be the hardest of them all to process. Not walking out for my senior night, or making a game changing play, or having one last run at a championship, will hurt more the most. 

I have looked forward to my senior season since I walked onto the field for the first time my freshman year. Looking up to the seniors for guidance and leadership was normal in our program, so that’s what I did each and every day. Now knowing that I won’t have the chance to give back and lead the underclassmen on my team hurts especially. Missing out on memorable nights like senior night is a different type of hurting, knowing you only get one opportunity for moments like those. But it’s not just about the memories. It’s about the feelings and emotions you get while playing in the season. The rush of excitement everyone gets before the first game or the anticipation building up on the bus ride to an away game; feelings you can’t feel anywhere else in life, but high school level competitions. There are so many different things that go on, in the course of these sporting seasons, way too many to name, that will be missed out on throughout this time in our country.

In the blink of an eye, everything we have worked towards, for years, has changed. When asked about the season being “sidelined”, Senior Boy’s Lacrosse captain, Prince Ayivon said he felt, “So hurt. All the goals and work I did for myself and with others are gone. No senior night, no signing day and the opportunity to show up and shock people is gone. It’s something nobody could have ever pictured.” Many other athletes are feeling the exact same way as I am, and are having trouble dealing with this type of loss. Some athletes though, are taking a different approach looking at this situation. Senior Boy’s Lacrosse captain, Michael McGeehan stated that, “Although I am incredibly hurt by our season being cancelled, I took some time and put into perspective how dangerous this situation really is. I have accepted that the cancellation of my senior season is a small inconvenience when compared to the pandemic the world is facing right now.” 

There is so much more to life and senior year other than just sports, but for those who have dedicated many years of their life, it isn’t “just sports” to them… it’s part of who they are. With this being taken away from us athletes, I can give my advice and with honesty from the heart. The cliche of, “Play every play like it’s your last” is one every athlete should live by, because I now know, every play very well could be your last. It doesn’t hit home until it hits home is how I felt about that quote, and now that it hit home, I felt it (and hard). Life goes on and the pain will fade, but for now, it does hurt, and we can deal with it in our own ways. We all must learn from this, live life to its fullest and take advantage of every good opportunity we have, because they may not be there long. 

Signing off, 

Senior Varsity Captain

Jason Forchetti

Editors Note:

If you or someone you know is struggling with depression, there are resources that can help. If you have a trusted adult, you can reach out to them, if you’re not comfortable doing that you can also easily access the Maryland Crisis Helpline by texting or calling the numbers below.