Connor Martin ’14: Alumni games have become increasingly popular all over the country at many high schools and colleges, but Episcopal Academy’s unique and prestigious athletic program makes their annual events much more special. The trend is sticking, and more EA programs than ever are installing an annual Alumni competition. Just this fall alone, the boys’ soccer, water polo, lacrosse, and girls’ field hockey all held their respective festivities and did so with great success and participation
The Episcopal community has always demonstrated a sense of family and lifelong loyalty. Because EA is such a tight knit school, special bonds created on campus are often built to last a lifetime. The most obvious relationships include the ones with respective classmates, teachers, and coaches, but perhaps the most unique bonds formed throughout students’ times at EA are those with their teammates. The adversity and struggle endured by athletic teams on a different platform outside of the classroom lead to even deeper and more meaningful friendships.
Photo courtesy of Dr. Locke
Alumni participants ranged over classes from the past four or five decades, including one special father-son combination of William Keffer ‘84 and Jack Keffer ‘14. Jack, a member of this year’s soccer team, commented “It was a great, competitive game. It’s great to see that the alumni still care about the school and the program. The game brings past and present EA classes together and you meet a lot of good people.” Interestingly enough, some of EA’s alumni games include a few current students, typically only seniors, something that is unique from other traditions. The boys’ water polo, boys’ lacrosse, and field hockey events all took place over Thanksgiving break, a time when many older alumni have a break from work and the younger alumni are home from college. The lacrosse game featured more recent graduates, particularly from the classes of 2012 and 2013, two of the most successful teams in program history. Sam Lawlor ‘12, a midfielder continuing his career at Amherst College, declared, “It was a fun event and a great opportunity to get back in touch with some old teammates as well as connecting with some current players. Everyone was definitely in high spirits to be back as a part of the EA lacrosse family. I can’t wait to see even more guys at the game next year.”
The enthusiasm and support surrounding the already existing events are encouraging more EA programs to reach out to their alumni and get them back on campus. More than ever before, EA graduates are showing great loyalty to the athletic department.