Signing ceremony, solemn and touching

cypresspat
Fri, 15 Nov 2019 01:39:47 +0000

Our HS had its DI/II signing ceremony yesterday, and I attended. One of the athletes was a kid i tutor, and the other was my son’s best friend. The third was also a friend of my son’s.

I have to say I was surprised at the tone of the ceremony. Having never gone to one before, I didn’t know what to expect. But it was solemn and very serious. The AD knew a great deal about these three kids (one headed to an Ivy - my sons best friend, one to a very highly ranked university (no doubt because of my tutoring, ?, and one to a large sports powerhouse), and spoke about who they are as people and how proud he was of how well they represented our HS, always. The three students seemed struck by all of the students and teachers who came to support them, and their expressions of gratitude for all who helped them was heartfelt. I have known 2 of these 3 kids for years, and I suddenly saw them as adults. They are entering a new world where they are expected to perform athletically AND academically, and the hugeness of this was not lost on them at all.

This was not a Woo-hoo!!! event, at all. It was clear these kids had sacrificed a great deal to get where they are, and now they feel the weight of the responsibility to deliver, and the gratitude for the chance to try.

My hat is off to all the recruited athletes out there. Knowing these two kids as well as I do, I appreciate what you’ve agreed to take on. Bravo.