Next week starts the goodbye to our senior winter athletes with the traditional Senior Nights. Many of these celebrated seniors have competed for all four years in their sports, some at the varsity level, some as junior varsity, and every one of them working hard and having fun with their high school classmates. A few of our teams will move on to post-season play while some will not. Remember that tiny Weston battles not only bigger schools, but almost a quarter of our kids are at private school. Some of the athletes will not continue on in college or later, though some will become”lifers” as I have in running (alas, strained hamstring for the moment). The athletes on the court, rink or pool have given up other activities (theatre, after-school jobs, sleeping, video game mastery, etc) to be there.

Most of the winter sports (and other seasons too) have senior nights–a night to recognize and cheer for the senior athletes at one of their last home games. The seniors are always introduced, and many times, their parents also take a bow–it’s not easy being an athletic parent where you compete on miles driven on weekly basis as well as cold hours in a parking lot waiting for your kids to come out of the bus or locker room. Round of applause for you, parents.

There are many towns around us that kick ass at senior nights. Indeed it seems the entire town comes out to cheer the athletes, even if they have not once set foot in the gym for a regular season game, or know not one of the kids out there. I love these towns for it: Wayland, Westwood and Northbridge HS are the ones that strike me as towns that care. We can do it too–all you need is your clapping hands and shouted ‘go ‘cats!’ Consider it your warm-up for coming out to Town Green for graduation in June–that is a town event, you know. Not as many “go ‘cats” shouts, alas.

In any case, the Owl is hoping to attend the senior nights for the sports that have them. Nordic and Alpine Skiing, along with Indoor Track typically do not have senior recognition at a meet/race due to the nature of the multi-town meets. I suggest that we find a nice corner at the TRACK at New Balance to recognize that track athletes, and don’t the ski places have warming huts? Hmm.

Mark your calendars and hope to see you there! And, of course, go ‘cats!

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Senior Nights (all at home at Weston HS unless otherwise noted)

Swimming/Diving – Monday, January 30 @ 4:30 pm vs Westwood

Girls Basketball – Friday, February 3 @ 5:30 pm vs. Newton South

Boys Basketball – Friday, February 10^th @ 7pm vs. Bristol Plymouth

Wrestling – Friday, February 3^rd @ 4pm vs. Cohasset

Boys Hockey – Wednesday, February 15^th @ 6pm vs. Medway (hosted at Rivers School). Boys hockey is a co-op with Dover-Sherborn – go DS-W!

Girls Hockey – Saturday, February 4^th @ 5pm vs. Concord Carlisle (hosted at Rivers School, $5 entry). Girls hockey is a co-op with Wayland – go WarCats!

Indoor Track and Alpine/Nordic Skiing do not have scheduled Senior Nights.