Farewell to the class of 2006

Another school year has come and gone, and another year of Warren County school sports has been logged into the books.

Every year around this time I like to take this opportunity to congratulate all those who have participated in school sports during this school year, and especially those who graduated this past weekend.

Hopefully graduating athletes will take with them some good memories. A few will have some bad recollections, but this is a time to sit back and reflect on the greatest times of your life.

You may not realize it right now, but be for certain it won?t take you long to understand what I?m saying, you just experienced something special.

Regardless of how many games you won or lost during your high school playing days, the most important thing is that you went out there and did your best. Yes, as a senior you would like to finish your high school career with a winning record, but not everyone can.

Winning and losing is something that every program goes through. Some achieve longer and greater success than other, but just being a part of an athletic program helps that team each year to take a step forward.

As a senior you take on the responsibility of helping and teaching the younger players. Not only do you have to work hard to secure your place in the starting lineup, but you also have the responsibility of being a team leader. It?s a very difficult task to keep not only your spirit up during a losing season, but the rest of your teammates?, as well.

This year?s seniors helped the Pioneer football team to get back on the winning path. They went through three years of disappointments and heartaches, but they didn?t quit. Instead they worked harder than ever before, and took the Pioneer program to the playoffs for the first time in 22 years.

Led by four seniors, the volleyball program also saw tremendous succes, finishing with the most wins in a season in school history.

A few graduating athletes will have the opportunity to play at the next level. And if you?re lucky enough to get that chance, be very grateful for the opportunity, especially if you get a scholarship. In other words, don?t waste something very few get the chance to receive.

It?s not an easy road. Being a college athlete and trying to keep your grades up while playing a sport is very difficult. It takes a lot of hard work and responsibility, especially as a freshman. So many give up after one or two years and end up wasting the best years of their lives.

What you have accomplished in high school will take you a long way if you always remember how hard you had to work to get where you are now. As an athlete, commitment has always been a big part of your life, and it will continue to be. From here on out everything you do in life will be full of challenges. Hopefully you will realize your coaches have been preparing you for this day ever since you started playing ball.

For all of you seniors who have grown up playing ball in Warren County, we say thank you for giving us a chance to watch you grow not only into fine athletes, but outstanding young men and women.