Senior night is something that is looked forward to and celebrated every year. It’s a rite of passage that many, including myself, have looked forward to since we were freshmen. This year, Montevallo High School will be recognizing 21 seniors that are either football players, cheerleaders, members of the marching band, or members of the auxiliary. I have interviewed four seniors about how their sport has helped them grow through high school.

The first senior I interviewed was Alexis Langley. She is a majorette with the Montevallo Marching Band. Alexis has twirled for eight years and she has participated in Marching Band for four years. She began twirling when her mom convinced her to try it out. She fell in love with the sport and has continued twirling since. Alexis plans to continue being a majorette at University of North Alabama. She says, “You can’t get the feeling of twirling under the lights anywhere else”. 

Kial Cottingham has been playing football for 15 years. He started playing when he was three years old. Kial told me how football has helped him grow. He talked about overcoming challenges and dealing with the pressure of playing. He said, “You let the moment take over you or just quit”. Kial also talked about how football helped him grow through high school. He said, “I wasn’t really a speaker. I was a different person on the field. But now I have conversations with people about the games”.

I also interviewed our MHS cheer captain, Anna Kate Deerman. Anna Kate has cheered for five years. She started cheering because of its connection to dance and her love for dance. She plans to cheer in college because, “I love the sport, and I have the opportunity to continue. I don’t want to give it up yet”. Anna Kate’s favorite thing about cheer is stunting and meeting new people. When asked about how cheer has helped her grow, she says, “I learned how to handle challenges with grace”. 

The last senior I talked to was Drum Major Luke Emiliano. This is Luke’s first year as Drum Major, but he has been in the Marching Band for five years and played the clarinet for eight. Luke says that band is his favorite thing about school. He joined the Marching Band because of his love for music. Luke plans to go to Troy University and continue in their band, hopefully becoming a Drum Major. Luke said, “It feels nice to watch us grow and get better all the time. Specifically this last year, it helped me be more outgoing. It’s my first leadership position and I get to know more people”.

I am sure that Alexis, Kial, Anna Kate, Luke, and all of our other seniors will go on to be successful. A large part of that is due to their commitments to their various sports which have taught them responsibility, dedication, and social skills. I am excited to see where our paths will take us next, and we will look back at this year fondly. Congratulations Class of 2022!