With my final football season coming to an end, I am hit with the realization that I will never put on a helmet again for the Sequoits, or possibly for any other team.

Football is a sport I played my whole life, dreaming of the one day when I would be playing under the lights every Friday night, just like the people I watched and looked up to growing up. It’s a sport that has brought me together with people that I would not have without it, building bonds that will last forever. It’s a sport that I have learned so many life lessons from and a sport that has essentially made me who I am today.

I owe so much to this sport.

My teammates and I played nearly every down side by side, under any circumstances: rain or shine, hot or cold, thick or thin, win or loss. No matter what was on the line, we’ve had each other’s backs; through blood, sweat and tears we have been there for one another. When someone falls, we’re there for one another, helping each other to finish what we started. It’s an experience that no one would understand unless they were a part of it, and it’s frightening to think that this experience is coming to end.

But I’m just one of many athletes who are are staring down the end to their careers as Sequoits.

We grew up igniting a passion in ourselves for our sports: watching and learning. These moments are ones we have dreamed of our entire lives, and now we watch as our flames slowly burn out and our varsity seasons draw to a close. But now it’s time for us to pass the torch to the next group of Sequoits and watch as the new flames burn even brighter.

It may feel like a significant part of your life is coming to an end, but with that an ever greater journey is just beginning.

Antioch is a place where sports are an important part of the community. Our athletes and their passion for their sports are representations of that. From this passion we developed the newest additions to the Tom Tom: the sports magazines.

In this issue, the “Fall Sports Issue,” the Tom Tom staff tackled gender in sports. We learned about Sandra’s experience on the football team, Julia’s opportunity as a manager, and how coaches Polakow and D’Andrea face discrimination head on in their sports. We also captured the top moments of the fall season, focused on the meaning of being a captain, and gave the hockey team the spotlight they fight to deserve. And that’s not all.

To our fall athletes, thank you for inspiring us every day and showing your passion and dedication in your sports and in the classroom. To our readers, enjoy.

NICHOLAS G. DOROSAN

Editor-in-Chief