Student athletes express appreciation for sports banquets
Members of the football team stand in line for pictures at their banquet.
Approximately 17 end-of-the-season banquets are put on every school year in honor of student athletes, a tradition that Sunrise Mountain continues to uphold without fail for its athletic programs.
“It shows that they value the sports [participation] and [the] athleticism of their students,” freshman and freshmen girls basketball team member Natalynn Masters said.
The function of a sports banquet is purposeful and can be counted on to include certain activities.
“[A sports banquet is] basically an end-of-season celebration and they give awards to student athletes and they talk about their successes,” Assistant Principal and Athletic Director Christine Gutierrez said. “There’s typically food involved.”
The banquets benefit student athletes in multiple ways.
“It’s a bonding time,” Masters said. “It ends our season on a high note. We don’t think about the games won or lost, just the good times. [We are given] awards and food. We just have fun and enjoy.”
Freshman Jesse Rojas, who played freshman football this year, agrees.
“[The banquet gave us all] confidence for the next season,” Rojas said.
Much preparation goes into making these banquets a reality for student athletes so that they can be given recognition and closure.
Student athletes like Masters are grateful for the thought put into the sports banquets.
“I want to thank you all for putting on these banquets at the end of the seasons, all the time and effort put into it,” Masters said. “[It is very] caring.”
