This past week, I had the pleasure of going home from school with my best friend for a whirlwind 24-hour trip to watch my younger sister play in her high school soccer senior night. I didn't want to miss it for the world, and luckily my schedule lined up perfectly for me to take the opportunity and head home to see her play. Being over an hour away and without a car, this would be my only chance to see her play for her senior season, and I'm so glad I got to be there for her special night.

It seems like just yesterday that I was playing in my own senior night; on the football field under the lights, with the stands filled and banners and balloons decorating the bleachers. It was a chance to remember the last four years of dedication to a sport you loved so much, and a way to get a 'thank you' from the younger players, and give a 'thank you' to your parents, family, and friends so helping you achieve what you did. Now that my own senior night was two years behind me, it was nice to come back to the same type of atmosphere to help cheer on my sister and her two fellow senior teammates on their own special day.

Now to my sister specifically, try to hold on to all of these memories as tight as you can. This night was a very special one, and you probably won't get anything quite like this again. Unfortunately, your time with your high school team is fleeting, and the regular season and playoffs will be wrapped up before you know it. I've told you before that time flies your senior year, but I'm sure you weren't expecting to be celebrating your senior night so soon. I hope that you felt the love and support from all of your family, friends, and teammates last week. You've given this team so much of your blood, sweat, tears, and love these last four years, and as an amazing captain you will definitely be missed next year.

You have a lot of great high school moments to go over the next 7-8 months, so don't worry that this is the end. It's really the start of the next chapter in your life. Between getting college acceptance letters and deciding where to go next year, attending prom and senior trip, and finally graduating next June, there's so many great senior moments to go. Hopefully, your big night last week was everything you hoped it would be, and know that there's many more big moments for you to come. Even if you may be nearing the end of such an exciting soccer journey and career, it's the start of other tremendous journeys as well.

Good luck on the rest of your season, and sending lots of love back home.