A letter from senior Noah Greif
The following is a letter to Wakefield Memorial High School’s Class of 2020 from senior tennis captain Noah Greif.
I screamed my usual “Let’s go!” to pump myself up as I put away a forehand volley at the net.
Unfortunately, this wasn’t on my home court of Dobbins Courts: it was at my own home as I played my brother in the driveway using the mini tennis net we had recently bought.
With the spring season washed away before our eyes, every single athlete, especially us seniors, has a right to feel lost or unsure how to feel. While I completely agree with the decision by the MIAA to follow along with the decision of Governor Baker, it doesn’t take away from the pain we are feeling.
To the Class of 2020, I have one message: Thank you for making our four years together really special, both in and out of the classroom. While our spring sports season may be over, our unity as a class can never be broken. Simply put, we must adapt.
When your team was losing or in a struggle, what did your coach tell you to do? Do the same thing and hope for a different outcome? Or make an adjustment? In a way, overcoming this virus and finding ways to rekindle the joy we found with that specific sport is almost like our new sport.
When you lost a heartbreaking game, you may have been sulking directly afterwards. But, the beauty of sports is you get right back up, put on your uniform, and get right back to the grind. While we can’t play our respective sports together, we can use the values we learned from the sport itself as well as from fellow teammates and coaches to get us through this difficult, confusing time.
When we can begin to return to normal life safely, I plan on making sure my fellow seniors and I on the tennis team get the closure and recognition they deserve. I would love to hold several team practices with head coach Cheryl Connors, that would culminate with a senior practice with all parents for a celebration of our accomplishments. I have even considered, when deemed safe, to start a small tennis league for Wakefield high school players and for surrounding Middlesex League towns.
I feel so fortunate that my last official tennis season was the most special.
We were the first Wakefield team in 15 years to reach the MIAA State tournament, and we knocked off No. 1 seed Somerville in the first round before falling to North Andover. To this day, I remember I lost my individual match in Somerville on a double fault. If it weren’t for the later heroics of Johnny Stumpf (along with wins from Lucas Smith, Jack Palmer and Josh Cieniewicz), that would have been the last ever shot I hit as a Warrior. Because our team had such a fighting underdog spirit, we got the chance to play North Andover, where I was unable to win, but it was one of the best matches I ever played.
Until we can play our sports again in person, I strongly encourage all athletes to continue to exercise, play your sport in a safe way, or try connecting with your teammates. Whether that means going on a Zoom call with the team or teaching your sibling the sport you play, like athletics in general, it is better to do things together as a team.
I am so lucky to have played on the tennis team as well as being a part of a much larger team: the Class of 2020.
Thank you,
Noah G.