SENIOR NIGHT! It was a tender experience to have Makenzie included at senior night at our last home soccer game before playoffs. A banner was hung on the bleachers for each of the 6 senior girls and there was lots of support from the Desert Hills fans! Ryan and I felt honored to have the opportunity of walking out on the field with Makenzie, the other senior players and their parents. It’s hard to believe our Makenzie Ann is already a senior! As we lined up and waited for her name to be announced, my mind quickly took me back to when she first started playing soccer as a little girl. I remembered her awesome coaches, the recreation and club teams she played on, the time we spent traveling to practices and games in Colorado Springs, bundling up to play games on fields with snow around the borders, the spray bottles and ice water we used to keep cool on sweltering days in sunny St. George, team photos, Makenzie’s nicknames, teammates and great friends, positions played, colored cleats, goals scored, goals defended, wins, losses, ties, trophies, medals, all-stars, soccer camps, team parties, school spirit, and all the incredible support Makenzie has received from her Deseret Hills team and coaches as they welcomed her home. And even though she could not play, they welcomed her with open arms, provided a special chair on the sidelines by the team for her and included her in team dinners. A dear friend of mine recently shared with me one of Ryan’s heartfelt wishes, which he told her husband soon after Makenzie’s accident. Knowing Makenzie would not be able to play soccer her senior year because of the accident, he said he hoped that she would at least be able to return home before the soccer season was finished and be wheeled out onto the high school field to hear the support of her friends and student body. My mind fast-forwarded through all these memories, and I got a lump in my throat during Senior Night at the team’s final game when Makenzie’s name was last to be announced as a graduating senior along with our names, as her parents. Not only did she get to hear the support of her friends and student body, but she walked out onto the field on her own two legs, slowly, but steady. She walked past two rows of her darling, cheering teammates and into the arms of her wonderful coaches who gave her hugs, a bouquet of yellow flowers, and a Deseret Hills High School Thunder medal which they placed around her neck. As we stood in the line of senior players and their parents, we felt blessed to be standing next to Makenzie and to be surrounded by so many wonderful people--players, coaches, referees, parents and student body. Just before each game begins, the starters for each team walk to the middle of the field with the referees and the name of each girl and their position is announced. Makenzie’s coaches asked her to lead the starters onto the field. When they were all lined up, each starter’s name and position was announced while the girl waved to the crowd. Makenzie’s name was last to be called. The announcer said, “And as honorary starter and team captain, Makenzie Lewis!” Makenzie stepped forward and gave a simple wave and stepped back into line--just like she did for every game as a varsity starter for her sophomore and junior years. It was an exciting night, full excitement and the unexpected. For example, as the team left the field, one of the referees joked with Makenzie and gave her a “red” card! She laughed and said that she had never been given a red card before! Also, Makenzie received a unique request from the center referee who asked her to sign his referee shirt. He said he has watched her play over the years and he will wear this shirt every time he referees for Deseret Hills in the future! The entire Senior Night was an experience we will never forget. The Thunder ladies played awesome and won their game! They are now preparing for state playoff games! GO THUNDER! A great big thank you to our awesome coaches and team, referees and supporters for making Makenzie’s Senior Night so memorable!
Posted on: Mon, 13 Oct 2014 00:49:58 +0000
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