Passing the Baton

By Kate Lee

It was the Tuesday right after the Varsity Sports Awards when Senior Night for Varsity Track and Field was held (23rd April). Unlike other varsity sports, it was a historic night, because it was the first time in Dalat history with a senior night event for Varsity Track. Track and Field has always been categorized as an individual sport. But if it really was, why did this group of athletes feel more like a family, rather than merely a team? 

Senior Night started off with various relay events planned by their captains: DJ Yost (12), Kate Lee (12) and Isaac Beaman (12). But to make it more unpredictable and engaging for the parent audience to witness, a twist was placed on the races with the anything-but-a-baton relay. The first “baton” was a shot put, followed by a human chain, a water bowl, and lastly, the team’s personal favourite: passing the phone while recording. 

The night proceeded with tributes for the coaches and senior parents. Though the night was meant to honor the seniors, the team would not have been where they were that day without the adults’ involvement. Ending the season with silver in ACSC, numerous record-breaking races, and coming home with the sportsmanship award, the sacrifices, commitment, and discipline from Coach Keas, Peters, Guerrero, and Brooks will never be forgotten. 

The night ended with a feast prepared by the generous parents, which made up a three-course meal for everyone. It consisted of foods like sushi and kimbap to pork ragu to fruit tarts, filling out half the bar of the cafeteria. Lastly, the coaches said their tributes to each individual senior that touched everyone’s heart. Closing the night with a heartfelt speech from Coach Brooks with lessons and advice we can take on for the rest of our lives, the Varsity Track and Field 2024 season came to a bittersweet end. 

Hudson Brooks (11), one of the runners who contributed to a record-breaking 4x100m race, said, “This team has been so much fun to run on, and senior night was a very good way to end it. It was a great way to send off the seniors with whom we’ve had so much joy bonding with this past season.”