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West Morris Central celebrated Senior Night for the girls basketball team, along with Youth Night on January 24, 2025. This was the first year Senior Night and Youth Night were combined.
Although there are only two seniors, Brooke Cubbage and Lia Nowak, the celebration was still very special because it recognized their hard work and dedication they put towards the team. Many friends and family came out to watch and celebrate Cubbage and Nowak.
The parents club organized a very nice ceremony for Cubbage and Nowak. Danielle Wehmeyer, the president of the parents club said, “This year an emphasis was on Brooke and Lia’s lifelong friendship. The Senior table included so many pictures of them beginning in preschool and spanning all the way up to now.”
“They had little brochures for anyone coming to the game as well as little facts about us on posters.” Nowak says.
To start off the night, Cubbage and Nowak gifted flowers to the opposing team’s seniors to acknowledge them as well. Then, the seniors on the winter cheerleading team were given flowers too to recognize their hard work and to thank them for cheering the team on.
While facts about their futures were announced, Cubbage walked with her parents through the blue balloon arch in the middle of the court. Nowak and her parents followed shortly after. They each took pictures with their family and then all together.
Holding the position of a senior on a team is very significant. “Being a senior on the team means that I need to be a role model for all the younger players.” Cubbage says. That made this night even more meaningful for Cubbage and Nowak and all the young basketball players that came to watch. “I have seen these ceremonies before and they were so nice and finally being a part of it was amazing.” Nowak says.
To celebrate the younger girls basketball teams for Youth Night, at half time, each grade, one by one, came on the court to get a picture with the WMC girls basketball team. Then everybody got together for a big group picture.
To make the night even more entertaining, “new and fun elements [were added] this year, including the crowns, hand clappers and the team signing event after the game.” Wehmeyer says. There were crowns, hand clappers, and more fun giveaways for anybody to take. Towards the end of the game, the younger girls were given posters with a picture of the high school team. They were able to go up to each player and ask for their signature. This was a nice way to inspire and encourage young girls to continue to play basketball through high school.
Cubbage’s favorite part about being on the team is “definitely the team dynamic and relationship, since this is a smaller group of girls everyone is especially close. This makes everyone feel more like a team.” Nowak’s favorite memory is “our pasta parties as a team. They’re a great bonding experience and a great way to hang out with the team outside of practice and games.” This night was an enjoyable way to honor the commitment of the four-year seniors and to celebrate young basketball players.