The Convent of the Sacred Heart Athletic Department hosted a Halloween party in the Bloom Garden Friday, October 31 to give athletes a break from their usual practice routines.
Director of Athletics Ms. Kelly Stone introduced the event for the first time this year as a way to celebrate the holiday and encourage bonding amongst the different teams. More than 100 Sacred Heart student-athletes attended the celebration.
“It is a great way to get all the teams together,” Ms. Stone said. “Usually, they’re never together on one given day besides the meet and greet and the sports awards.”
During the event, teams participated in a karaoke competition. Each team sang a song of their choice and a panel of judges, including Chair of Health and Physical Education Ms. Sarah Hill, Head of School Mrs. Pamela Juan Hayes, Head of Upper School Mrs. Jayne Collins, and Middle School Spanish teacher and assistant varsity soccer coach Mr. Silvio Ferraro, chose the winner. Athletes also sported creative team costumes ranging from Emojis and Brunswick School football players to nerds, goths, and gangsters.
The crew team won a prize at the costume competition for the most energy.
“We were the crew team, so we came up with the idea of being a crew of gangsters,” fall crew captain senior Mary O’Sullivan said. “It was an easy design and everyone was for it.”
By comparison, the varsity volleyball team donned the Brunswick Bruins football jerseys for the costume competition, where they won a prize for best presentation. Since the team unexpectedly spent most of the season practicing in the Brunswick School’s gym, they were inspired to dress as football players.
“We practiced at Brunswick and we were there a lot, and they were nice enough to let us borrow their jerseys for the party,” freshman varsity volleyball player Laura Holland said.
The varsity volleyball team also won a prize at the karaoke competition for being the best singers for their rendition of “I Want You Back” by Jackson 5, and the junior varsity volleyball team won a prize at the karaoke competition for audience awareness.
Sophomore cross country team member Mackenzie Jordan came up with the idea for the cross country team’s costume. The team won the prize at the costume competition for having the most creative costume.
“I came up with it from the name,” Mackenzie said. “We wore country girl outfits and carried paper crosses.”
The cross country team’s country-themed costume also corresponded with the team’s song choice for the karaoke competition. The athletes sang and danced to “Hoedown Throwdown” from Hannah Montana: The Movie.
Finally, the varsity field hockey team arrived in their team apparel and black clothes dressed as goths, complete with black lipstick, spiky chokers, and fake nose rings and piercings.
Some teams, such as the varsity field hockey team, sang newer pop songs such as “Rather Be” by Clean Bandit and Jess Plynne. During the karaoke competition, the team won the prize for the best presentation. Other teams, like the crew team and the varsity soccer team, performed Disney classics including “Fabulous” from High School Musical 2 and “What Dreams Are Made Of” from The Lizzie McGuire Movie respectively.
Ms. Stone hopes that the party brought the teams even closer as they head toward the post season.
“I thought it was a fun way to embrace goal four and reward the athletes for all their hard work,” Ms. Stone said.
Ms. Stone hopes that she can host another event like this in the future. Sacred Heart athletes are enthusiastic for another party and have enjoyed spending time with their friends from other teams and becoming closer as a community.
“It was really fun,” Laura said. “It was cool and a great opportunity to get to know the other teams.”
– Izzy Sio, Staff Writer