Cary Academy softball players surprise seniors with sweet tribute after COVID-19 shuts down season
CARY, N.C. (WTVD) -- The Cary Academy softball team was supposed to take the field at home for the last time against Saint Mary's. With the diamond closed the Chargers found a different way to celebrate their two seniors.
Claire Marshall woke up to quite a surprise this morning. The team's center fielder was off to get breakfast - or so she thought.
"A few of my teammates were here and I saw them at the edge of my yard and I walked over and there were tons of signs and balloons. Just really, really cool."
Across town, third baseman Amy Han was trying to sleep in.
"My mom woke me up. I was a little cranky but I got dressed and then I walked outside and then I saw my teammate's faces out here and I knew it was going to be something senior night related."
The senior surprise also included this very clever picture which spells out "We love you Amy and Claire." The emotional topper, handwritten notes which may leave these seniors reaching for a box of tissues.
"It just shows that our team is still a team even if we're stuck in quarantine. We're all still thinking of each other. It's just really nice," said Han.
Marshall is keeping everything in perspective.
"Obviously there's a lot bigger things going on in this world but the fact that they still want to make this day special for me and my fellow senior is really, really important."
Head Coach Kevin Jones could only attend via FaceTime and relied on another team mom, Shannon Flynn who has three underclassman on the team, to help pull it all off.
"These girls are missing out not only all of their senior activities, but this one event that they've been looking forward to. They're captains. They're leaders and they deserve everything."
The Chargers are fortunate to have played one official game before the season was shut down. Special signs and virtual hugs won't entirely make up for what was lost, but it helps.
"I was really looking forward to playing games with them but this is a really nice reminder of what I was missing."
"Our team is tight knit and I think that's really special."
The last surprise will be a virtual gathering to watch a senior video. More tissues required.
