Last Hurrahs and Fresh Starts

 Senior year of high school is quite a journey where you are looking to the future with all the college applications even as each day, week, and month, seems to be wrapping something from the past. In the fall, soccer took center stage in that department for Callie.

Who knew fourteen years ago when we had to convince this little girl that her legs weren't too tired to go on the field that she would fall in love with the sport and pour her full self into it. From the Sting in LYSA to her senior year at Henry Clay was quite a journey. Both Callie and her parents had no clue back then how much she would be rewarded for staying with this beautiful game. 

 

Yes, this is the same girl holding a soccer ball all these years later. The field is bigger and so is the goal, but that is the same kid. This year marks her fourth year on varsity and her second year as captain, and we all were looking forward to see what the season would bring for her and for the team. But each game played was going to be one step closer to the final match in a Blue Devils uniform.

 

But Callie was not alone in this venture. In fact, some of her senior teammates had been on this journey with her since elementary school. This picture here captures Callie, Lydia, Addie, and Maddie from a tournament during the epic season with the LFC Gray team, when the girls were only 12 years old and endured a season of challenges and lessons to last a lifetime.

 

But they all grew up and six years later they were still together playing soccer and enjoying their senior year. Each one took a different path to get there but when all was said and done they recognized how special it was to have been a part of it together.

 

And they were just four members of a large senior class that had eleven girls overall. One of these girls, Janie, was on the Sting with Callie so their soccer journey goes all the way back to the very beginning. Others she got to play with only in high school but has a lot of good memories with all of them. It was quite a crew that gathered for a dinner hosted by the Stones and we are going to miss many of the parents as this season marks their last with Henry Clay.

 

For four years we witnessed, helped organize, and announced the senior night activities for the girls soccer team. It was a little surreal that it was now Callie's turn. The night was a bit rainy, but thankfully it held off for pre-game pictures. And the game itself went well, with Henry Clay winning and Callie scoring a goal. 

 

Perhaps the best part of Callie's senior season has been the support she has gotten from her friends. They show up to all the home games rain or shine and this senior night definitely tested their commitment. Either the student section wasn't as large in previous years or it just seemed larger this year because we kept hearing them chant Callie's name. Regardless, it was great to see and we love to know that her friends support her in this way.

 

An extra surprise on senior night came in the form of some of Callie's friends from GSP, including her closest friend Kendra. They drove from over an hour away and sat in the pouring rain with this sweet sign and a care package just to show up for Callie. It made us weepy just to see it but it highlighted Callie's character that she has friends who are willing to make this effort just to be there for her.

 

This season, like any other, had its ups and downs and it didn't always go Callie's way. But we have always believed that sports are important because of the life lessons they teach and that is so true in Callie's case. It has not always been a smooth ride but she has learned so much about herself in the process and we are proud of her. She had a strong senior sesaon and has the stats to prove it. But more importantly, she was a great leader, especially when it came to the younger players trying to navigate the dynamics of a high school team. One of the best compliments Callie got was from Erin Oakley, who went out of her way to tell us how much of a role model Callie was for her daughter Mary, who was a freshman on the varsity team.

 

One of the biggest ups on the season was the district championship that Henry Clay won by defeating arch-rival Frederick Douglass, something that hadn't been done since Callie's freshman year. It was a nice victory and another feather in Henry Clay's cap as the team headed to regionals.

 

All good things must come to an end, however, and after a first round victory the Blue Devils lost in the Regional Semi-Finals to Dunbar. And so the journey came to an end with a lot of ugly crying and hugs among the girls and their parents. This hit Callie a little harder than she expected because it came with the realization that this was really it. She had decided not to play club soccer any more and had also put aside the possibility of playing in college. It was a great run while it lasted and she knows that her future will always include the love of the game.

 

Even as Callie's senior year was playing out over the fall Reese was making her mark on the JV team. We had hoped she would be on varsity with her sister but it was not in the cards. Instead, Reese captained the JV team for her second year in a row and made the most of every opportunity given. 

Her coaches quickly recognized her skill, versatility, and willingness to do whatever they asked. As a result, Reese played most of every game and at a variety of positions. She was a bit devastated by not making varsity but this was a character building year and she took advantage of it.

 

The JV team only lost one game during the season and Reese scored, assisted, defended, and led the team in positive affirmations. We are obviously biased in our assessment of her playing, but we had a lot of other folks share with us how impressed they were with Reese.

In the picture above Reese is on the move in a game against Lafayette, and you can see one of Lafayette's coaches in the background. That coach also happens to be one of Reese's biggest fans and our friend Ella Abraham. Ella repeatedly made it clear to Reese that she is a great player who deserved to be on varsity. Those things don't make everything better, but they certainly helped Reese maintain her confidence.

Not only did Reese not get to play with her sister, but she had to navigate the hardship that came with having her best friend Mary make varsity. Callie, Mary, and Reese did an excellent job of cheering each other on, understanding the sensitivity of the situation, and maintaining great friendships. It is a testament to all of them that the season went as well as it did for all of them. And at season's end, Reese was the well-deserved MVP of the JV team and Mary earned Rookie of the Year honors for Varsity. Callie wrapped up her career with the Blue Devil award for varsity. So proud of all of them and can't wait to see what Reese and Mary bring to the field next season.

A Great Kentucky Fall

There are a lot of great things about fall in general, but fall in Lexington brings with it a host of fun activities that we have gotten used to over the years. It's hard to imagine fall without college football, horse racing, and other fun autumn treats.

At least once each year we get the privilege of getting to use the Chrisman's season tickets for a UK football game. Sometimes it is all four of us but on special occasions two of us get to join the Leathermans. Chris's sister Cissy and her husband Kenny are phenomenal people and a blast to go to a game with. They definitely make the whole experience fun.

 

On this particular gameday Reese and Sarah got to see a thrilling game between UK and Texas. The Longhorns and their high profile QB Arch Manning came in as big favorites but the Cats almost pulled off a huge upset. That close game ended up being one of the few highlights of the season. Sarah and Reese were glad they got to witness it first hand. 

 

Keeneland's fall meet is another significant piece of the fall social schedule for young and old. Reese took in the horse racing with one of her long-time friends Ella. It wasn't the best weather day but the whole Hughes family was there so Reese was over the moon. She is essentially an honorary member of their family and they all had a great day.

 

Callie has made the leap from going to Keeneland with our family or another family and is heading there with her own group of friends. This picture captures six of the seven members of what has become known as Core, a solid group of great kids who have supported each other and taken on numerous social events together. They certainly have plans for making the most of their senior year of high school.

 

In a twist of fate, the very weekend after the Texas game we were offered the use of two groups of four season tickets for the UK-Tennesse football game. Both were atttached to the clubhouse which meant we didn't have to draw straws to see who would get the free food. We had an adult foursome and then a kid foursome. And before the game we also got to stop by a tailgate to hang out with our favorite first-year UK med school student, Ella Abraham. We are so happy for her but even happier that we get to have her back in Lexington.

 

The weather for this game was not so great and the final score was even worse, but the company was fantastic. We invited Bob and Tracy Fultz, who have been great friends for over fifteen years. Our normal interactions with them center around our wine group so it was nice to throw a different activity into the mix. 

 

And yes, the girls do actually go to school in the fall as well. In fact, this is the first time since elementary school that they are together and they are enjoying it. It is great to see how Callie and her friends support Reese and we are happy to see Reese following in her sister's footsteps while also making a path all her own. And while the construction of a new school is going to lead to these trees coming down, we can enjoy their fall colors for now. 

 

We are in the very final stages of childhood Halloween, which means that Reese and her friends dressed up to give out candy but still found a way to get some candy of their own and have fun together. Reese has a good group of girls here and they all play soccer at Henry Clay as well, which is fun.

 

And now that the girls are very much on their own for Halloween we get to figure out what we want to do. In past years we have walked around the neighborhood and enjoyed seeing all the festivities. But this year we saw that the UK women's volleyball team had a home match and couldn't pass up the opportunity to see a nationally ranked team in action. It was a lot of fun and right down the street. Glad we got to see them before they made their run to the national championship game. Although they fell just short of the championship they are still number one to us!