Senior Series - Spencer Fisher

Participating in Hawken Athletics has taught me lessons that I would never have learned in a classroom. Sports have the ability, like nothing else, to bring together a group of diverse people. Throughout my time at Hawken, I have had the honor to play alongside some of the hardest-working, most dedicated, and best leaders that I have met in my life. These teammates have truly changed my life, and I have worked to emulate these characteristics myself. 

My soccer career has given me some of the most memorable experiences of my life. During my junior year, our team was able to clinch our coach's first CVC title with a 2-1 comeback win at Walton Stadium. We were down 1-0 at halftime due to a questionable passback call. I'll never forget the words of our captain in our huddle. I was awestruck at how he was able to turn eleven tired, defeated players into a cohesive team, once again ready for battle. Our passion was reignited, and it showed. We scored two quick goals and were able to hold onto our lead, granting us the title of CVC Champions. 

Another memory that sticks out to me was our game against US this past year. We look forward to this game every year, and this year was no different. As soon as warmups started, our team was locked in. US always takes our team lightly, as we are D2, and they're D1. Their team was joking around during warmups, and the sight of this fueled our intensity. They started with the ball first, passing it back to their center backs. Our offense came out flying and was able to win the ball, string together several passes, and find the net, all in the first several seconds. I've never felt so exuberant in my entire life. We sprinted to celebrate with Moshi Tang, but the best feeling was watching the smiles wiped off of every Prepper. We ultimately tied the game 2-2. While we felt like we could have won the game, we were proud of our performance as a team, and we knew we had left everything out on the field.

Throughout my time at Hawken, I have also had the opportunity to be a part of the lacrosse team. My favorite memory as a part of this team is our trip down to Myrtle Beach. Our trip was supposed to be yearly but was canceled twice due to COVID, so my junior year was the first year we were able to finally make the trip down to South Carolina. While we were there, we had two practices each day and two games. It was amazing to be in 70-degree weather when back at home, it was freezing out, so we all knew we had to make the most of every practice. While practices were extremely fun, the best part of the trip was the activities we got to do as a team outside of practice. We were able to go go-karting, play on the beach, and play paintball. I felt that we truly bonded as a team, and I was able to grow so much closer with my teammates due to this opportunity. No matter where we were, I was constantly laughing and always had a smile on my face. I am so thankful that our team was able to make this amazing trip, and I can't wait to return to Myrtle Beach this year. 

I am extremely grateful for the memories that I have made throughout my athletic career at Hawken. I have grown as a person through playing alongside my peers. Four years have flown by in a flash. I finally understand when my coaches tell me how much they would give up to playjust one more game. While the final whistle is nearing on my high school career, I have gained life lessons that I will take with me throughout the rest of my life.