The Rochester High School Cross Country Team is creating a new tradition that expands on an old one. Senior night is common for all sports and usually involves the recognition of senior members of a sport at a home game or competition. It could even include gifts or posters as gifts from the younger members of the teams.
Cross Country is a little different. The nature of cross-country meets only really allows for one home meet a year, and the Rocket Invite is usually at the beginning of the season. This doesn’t provide a great opportunity for senior recognition, as it usually occurs near the end of a season. This, combined with the lack of spectators and how dispersed everyone at a meet usually is, led Rochester Cross Country to adapt.
Somewhere along the line, an event to commemorate the seniors was started. A potluck, hosted at someone’s house, where the seniors get little gifts from their younger teammates. It was a more private event, creating a more personal feel. The lack of attention and a smaller crowd was probably appreciated by some of the seniors as well.
The juniors typically plan and are given the liberty to collect money and purchase gifts as they please. Underclassmen are involved as well, but the juniors are in charge.
In the past few years, senior night, specifically for the boys’ team, has evolved. One year, someone involved a costume in the presentation of the gifts. That alone was enough to trigger a chain reaction of one-upping the juniors from the previous year. The past two years have involved elaborate, humorous costumes with expensive gag gifts.
Last year, senior Wyatt Gustafson received a 12-foot-tall Halloween statue of a Wendigo. He also received other smaller gag gifts, all presented by the junior class dressed up in devil costumes.
For contrast, a senior on the girls’ team will typically receive a basket of nice gifts, such as blankets, stuffed animals, candles, and clothing.
This year, the seniors received gag gifts, continuing the tradition even further. The gifts included edited photos of them with their junior teammates, t-shirts with jokes on them, and a life-size cardboard cutout of Coach Owens. “I’m kind of jealous,” says Paityn Henry when asked about boys’ senior of night. “I think they had one of the best senior nights. They had quite extravagant gifts. I thought they got really appreciated.”
All of these gifts were presented to the seniors by the junior class in costume. They were dressed up as rabbits and cheetahs, continuing the ridiculous costume traditions.
“Yeah, it’s hard to top that, but we will keep going to try to beat this year,” Sophomore Gabe Spalding says. “Some of the things for next year might include Disney Princesses”. This shows how the tradition isn’t likely to go anywhere.
Senior night gives the juniors a chance to flex their leadership skills as well, because the seniors don’t get involved with the money collection or gift buying. This provides useful experience for the future leaders of the team.
