Opinion: Supporting Our Martlets

By Margee Mahoney ‘24

I recently had the pleasure of watching Varsity Girls’ Hockey win their first game on Wednesday, November 30th. For those who were not in attendance, it was a tight game throughout, remaining 1-1 until the third period, when Olivia Gordon ‘24 scored a hat trick, and Hailey Tullo ‘23 tacked on another goal in addition to her original break-away. It was an immensely entertaining game to watch, and I am even more excited that I experienced it with many other fans. In Westy history, it has been common to have a lack of fans at certain games, especially on Wednesdays, and especially girls' teams; however, seeing the support for our girls' hockey team this Wednesday was amazing. I'm sure they could feel the overwhelming encouragement on the ice as the cheers, thanks to Mari Camara ‘23 and Maya Tavares ‘24 (our primary cheerleaders that game), were deafening. I know the team greatly appreciated the support, and I urge our community to keep showing up for each other, supporting and pushing our athletics to new heights. Though our athletes can play under any conditions, seeing a community that truly wants the best for their friends, peers, and teams makes a difference. All the love to Mr. Joncas, but our sports announcements do nothing to compare to being able to watch the real thing and feel the excitement rolling off the fans and the team as we get to see or participate in the talent we have at this school.