Last weekend, my wife and I had a wonderful night celebrating Sequoia athletics at the annual Booster Crab Dinner. We ate too much and laughed a lot. Our ears were ringing from the live auction bidding and I was again overwhelmed by the support and dedication of our families and community. Athletics matter deeply. The programs that big high schools like Sequoia are able to offer provide students learning opportunities they'd never have in the classroom: the value of team, the importance of playing your role, picking yourself up off the ground and being ready for the next play, pushing yourself beyond your comfort zone, and so many more. Many of you know I was a student-athlete in high school and college and the lessons learned on the field are often the ones that carry me through life's most challenging moments.

With this in mind, here's a run-down of spring sports:

• Badminton, under second year coach Samir Bisteni, is competing in the challenging Bay division of the PAL. Though they have yet to notch a league win, several standout performances from younger players offer hope moving forward. Badminton is an inclusive sport where, much like track, team wins-losses don't tell the story of individual valiance and growth.
• Personal bests every week keep Track and Field exciting for students regardless of experience or innate athleticism. Though our team remains winless in league dual meets as of this writing, it is clear at this juncture that several individuals will likely qualify for CCS based on performances. It is also clear from the practices and meets I've observed that the team is having fun and learning mental toughness and focus.
• Our softball team this year is also competing in the highest PAL division. After a slow start, both the varsity and JV teams have come together as of late, including varisty notching its first league win. I'm a sucker for a good softball game, especially when the players are at the fence cheering their teammates on through thick and thin (as our players almost always are).
• Boys' tennis is 7-1 under coach Phil McKinney. Ms. Olliver and I had a great time when the team hosted a BBQ after their first match against Oceana High School. Seeing sportsmanship and class emphasized is as impressive to me as the wins, though it's great to see our team performing so strongly.
• The swim teams are bringing an energy and excitement to campus each afternoon whether they're practicing or hosting a meet. It's loud, it smells like summer, and it sounds like fun! Girls' JV shocked perennial league powers Burlingame and Menlo-Atherton early in the season, boding well for the future of Coach Knockenhauer's program.
• The Golf team continues to grow in popularity and the results of more kids learning how to compete means more victories. Coach Sauer's group is 3-1 head-to-head against league opponents.  
• Our Boys' and Girls' Lacrosse programs, relatively new at Sequoia, are making a strong statement this year. As lacrosse grows in popularity, it has been an education for me to watch practices and learn the game. The boys are 1-2-1 and the girls are an impressive 4-2.
• Coach Uhalde's baseball team, young but skilled, continues to compete at the top of the PAL's most difficult division. They are 11-5, took 2nd place in a recent tournament in Selma, and impress me with their discipline and sound fundamentals on the field.
• Finally, though it's not a spring sport officially, the Cheer team recently placed second in their division in a National competition in Anaheim. Great memories for the kids who mastered a new routine two weeks before the competition.  

I can't emphasize enough how proud I am of the athletes in purple when I watch practices and games. They play with intensity and class. They don't bark at referees, they cheer on their teammates, and they help their opponents off the ground. I am grateful for the efforts of Judy Sloan, Sabrina Carroll, Donna Genardini, Lisa Leib and all the other boosters who make amazing things happen for kids. I urge parents of younger athletes to get involved now with Sequoia Boosters so this tradition can continue.

Have a great week.

Sean

...to the slate of PTSA officers for next year:

President - Lisa Hane

Exc. Vice President - Béatrice Carrot

1st Vice President - Jayne Sungail

Recording Secretary - Rachel Krueger

VP Communications/Historian - Grace Schulz

Treasurer - Sian Davies

Auditor - Gayle Hoch

Corresponding Secretary - Lauren Pachkowski

Please join us at tomorrow night's PTSA meeting to vote!

Last Chance to Buy $80 Grad Night Tickets!

As you've all heard by now, our seniors will celebrate their high school graduation with their Sequoia classmates aboard the HORNBLOWER YACHT on the San Francisco Bay on Friday night, June 5!

The Sequoia Class of 2015 Safe & Sober Grad Night Cruise is a fun night packed with food, music, dancing, games, friends, and more is a special way to say goodbye to Sequoia High.  (To allow the graduates to spend time with each other, Grad Night is SOLELY for SHS graduating seniors ...NO outside guests are allowed.)

Until April 15, tickets are $80/person. (Prices go up to $100 on April 16, so get yours NOW. Also, a limited number of discounted tickets will be available for students in need. If you need a discounted ticket, please contact Mayela in the Parent Center ASAP.)

There are two ways to purchase tickets:

1. Order online from the Shopping Cart on the PTSA website. 

When you order your student's ticket, please consider making a donation of any amount to help a fellow SHS student who cannot afford her/his own ticket.

2. Students can bring $80 cash or a check (payable to "SHS PTSA") to the Grad Night Ticket Table at lunch in the MPR this Friday, April 10.

To see a list of attendees, click here.

Questions? Please email Nancy Melmon or Julie Grossman.