Puget Sound students are counting down the days until break, and whether or not that break is Thanksgiving or the long-awaited winter break, they both represent the end the semester. As the semester draws to a quick conclusion, we make our transition from fall to winter and transition into a new Logger sports season.
The fall season ended in a series of highs and lows, with our women’s teams topping the charts. Women’s soccer won its 11th consecutive Northwest Conference championships, a crowning achievement and women’s volleyball fought their way and found their way into the regional championships.
On the men’s side, the soccer team unfortunately did not receive the bid to continue in post-season play in the Northwest Conference, finishing second in the conference behind Pacific Lutheran. However they did apply pressure when needed and never allowed their opponents an easy victory.
And, of course, the men’s football team finished the season 0-9 for the second year in a row. Although this is more of a lowlight for the program, it is notable nonetheless. Two winless seasons are not easy to forget and will unfortunately will forever be immortalized in not only in the record books but in our memory as well.
But why are there such great disparities in our Logger sports? One just has to look out at Lower Baker or walk down the hallway of the Memorial Fieldhouse to know that our athletes work long and hard hours to perfect their sport. Then why do we not see similar results on the field? Why isn’t every Logger team winning their 11th consecutive championship title?
Sadly, the answers are forever stowed away in the locker rooms or in the minds of the coaches and athletes. To get the truth of the matter would require one to find a way to read minds, which is highly unlikely at the present moment.
What we can note though is that the Puget Sound community can continue to look forward to star performances from our fall athletes. Although the seniors will be sorely missed, the remaining players along with the incoming freshmen, will develop new strategies and keep up the Logger traditions.
What can we expect to see in 2013? No one can really say. Perhaps women’s soccer will see its 12th consecutive NWC win. Maybe football will open the season with a victory. It is all speculation until then.
For now, we can set our sights to more importance matters and support our winter athletes as they embark on their own journey in the world of athletics.
