A group of people, teammates, and family line up on the field/court. Familiar faces surround each other, covered with smiles and appreciation. They look back on the season they just had; the sweat shed, the memories made. Tears fill their eyes as relinquishment seeps into their hearts. 

The Bellevue East class of 2024 reflects on their last sports season and the dedication it took to get here. 

“I’m sad that the season is ending soon and I feel like I can do so much more,” senior Brayden Leibert said. “We have a good group of guys on the team and sad that I can’t have more time to play with them. I’m not ready to be done with it.” 

Not only are connections formed, over the years, but personal growth is seen within the players. They become more mature and physically stronger.

“Freshman year you don’t have a lot of responsibility,” Jacob Perrin said. “You just go out there and play, whereas if you’re a senior you kind of have to pay attention to everything going on, make more decisions.” 

Celebration is a crucial part of Bellevue East. Senior traditions fall into categories like the senior prank or senior ditch day, but different sports have their traditions too. For example, the Bellevue East Tennis seniors have hung up locks on the fence since 2016.

“The locks you will find on our fence are Senior Locks,” varsity tennis coach Krista Tew said. “The seniors that have put in endless hours of work and effort to improve our program earn them at the last competition on our home courts. The locks have their Initials and the year they played their senior season! This tradition started back in 2016.” 

Although East doesn’t have the highest winning record or is ranked first in the nation, the bonds formed are like no other. Athletes learn to fall in love with the sport by being surrounded by a strong support system. 

“I feel like we’re closer than a lot of teams, so it’s a lot of friends,” Perrin said. “Hanging out with the guys in the dugout is great. We spend a lot of time together, so we got close.”  

Working toward a goal is an important part of playing a sport. It shows dedication that will help shape the athlete into the best possible player they can be. 

“Their skill set/mental game is an obvious example of the growth I see in players,” Tew said. “But what I enjoy seeing more is them growing as a human, finding their passions in life, and putting in the work to achieve their goals. It is easily one of my favorite parts of being their coach.”

Being a senior sets an example for any underclassman just starting out. Passion, friendships, and unforgettable memories are formed by these seniors putting themselves out there. They took chances and made their last year an unforgettable one. 

“The reason I’m so passionate about golf is because I’ve always been passionate about sports,” Leibert said. “I’ve played sports all my life and it’s the one sport I’ve started and just took off and excelled. I just try to have fun with golf and enjoy the game and the people around me. I couldn’t have picked a better group of people to be around for my last season.”

(TayLana Tolbert)

(TayLana Tolbert)