RHS girls track seniors reflect on lost season and what sports has meant to them
The senior season for any high school athlete always is highly-anticipated. The seniors typically are at the height of their physical and athletic abilities. In addition, as seniors, they will have the opportunity to be leaders for their younger teammates.
The Revere Journal invited the members of the Revere High girls track team from the Class of 2020, and their coach, Antonio LaBruna, to reflect on what would have been their final season in an RHS uniform — but which so abruptly was taken away from them by the coronavirus — as well as to discuss how their years as Patriot athletes shaped their high school experience.
Following, in their own words, are their comments:
Head Coach
Antonio Labruna
My heart certainly goes out to all of the senior athletes at RHS. This group of seniors has achieved so much success in athletics in the fall and winter seasons and there is no doubt in my mind that the spring sports teams would have followed in that success.
The seniors whom I have coached in spring track are truly a special group of kids. All of them have been on the track team since freshmen year and this spring season I know that they had specific goals and school records that they were striving for and in all likelihood would have achieved.
As a team, our girls spring track team had some unfinished business from last season. We lost a close meet to Malden at the end of last spring season which cost us the conference title and had most of our girls returning, so not being able to compete this season certainly hurts.
I miss coaching and I miss the competition, but most of all I miss the kids on the team and watching them achieve success.
To the class of 2020, thank you for everything you’ve given to Revere Athletics!
Nubya Filho
“Being part of this team taught me resilience and determination…â€
I have been an RHS track and field athlete for the past three years and it was the best decision I have made.
Joining this team during my freshman year and not having many relationships yet, it made me find some of the greatest people who would help me through any obstacle. Whether they were coaches or older teammates, I knew I could count on them.
My teammates and I had a goal for this upcoming season for which we have been training for the past seasons, but unfortunately we will not be able to reach that goal. The outdoor season was always my favorite. Everyone was happier and goals always seemed to be achieved. It’s a whole different energy and if I had known that last year was my last outdoor season, I would have appreciated it more.
Being part of this team taught me determination and resilience because there were moments when I wanted to quit, but knowing the end goal always made me push harder in the end — which is something I hope to carry with me after high school.
Chloe Giordano
“I would give anything to have one more meetâ€
Being an athlete at RHS was an incredible experience and I was happy I got to be a part of it. I found a second family each season, and made so many friendships and memories I’ll be able to tell my kids someday.
At Revere High, there was a big sense of pride that came with being an athlete. For field hockey, it was going to the tournament for the first time in 31 years; for basketball it was battling some of the top teams in the state; and for track, it was breaking the school record in triple jump.
Of course, I was upset when my senior year ended and I wouldn’t have my last outdoor season. It definitely was hard to think about all of the things I was going to be leaving behind.
I would give anything to be able to have one more meet and one more game, but all good things end, so better things can take their place. I’m excited to be able to continue my athletic career at Anna Maria College where I was given the opportunity to play field hockey and basketball.
Erika Cheever
“I was looking forward to my last season of trackâ€
Being an RHS athlete was a great learning experience that shaped me into the person who I am today. During my four year of athletics, I was lucky to make varsity every season for cross country, basketball, and track.
While playing for RHS, I have achieved Northeastern and/or GBL All Star four times, in addition to NEC All-Conference for basketball. My senior year I had faced much adversity on top of a serious health condition, which made me miss out on my last season of cross country and half of my basketball season.
I was looking forward to a fresh start for my last season of track, which has now been canceled due to the pandemic. Despite this, I will continue to work hard as I will be attending Salem State University to continue my basketball career and with hopes of becoming a nurse.
