To the seniors,

To the ones who bought in, the ones who never questioned, the ones who never quit,

To the ones who didn’t leave school until the sun was almost setting, covered in sweat, then went home to do their school work,

To the ones who suited up for the name on the front of the jersey, for the pride of their city, until the day they hung the jersey up,

I thank you. Your school thanks you. Your town thanks you, but more importantly: thank yourself for making a decision you will remember for the rest of your lives. You might not realize it now, but you will think of your teammates and the experiences you shared, years down the line, and smile. Nobody can ever take those away from you.

Read More: When The Game Ends: A Letter To High School Seniors