Written by Yaneli Guajardo ’21, Staff Writer
It is a special time at Lake Forest College, when the weather starts to warm and students are reminded of the changes that come with the end of another academic year. As if to commemorate this special transition, the annual Spring Alumni Day will be hosted by the Athletic Department, where several sports teams get to host their alumni for a round of fun and tough competition.
This Saturday, women’s soccer, men’s soccer, volleyball, and handball will host their respective Alumni Games at various times and places around campus. Women’s soccer will kick off their game at noon on Farwell Field followed by men’s soccer at 1:00 p.m. Volleyball will play at noon in the Sports and Recreation Center and handball at 1:15 p.m.
Current Foresters seem excited about competing against opponents they once called their teammates, Tate Rosenhagen ’21 of men’s soccer said, “It’s really great to see all my old teammates during the Alumni Day. During our alumni game, it’s fun to relive the seasons and experiences we shared during their time on the team, but also it’s great to be able to catch up on what’s happening in our lives.
Speaking to the competitive nature of Forester athletes, Rosenhagen does not seem nervous for the match. “Of course, we all want to win the game as well so there’s a good competition, but after the game it’s just as fun to hangout with them all again,” he said.
However, the newly minted alumni of the women’s volleyball team offered a different perspective about their Alumni Game. Graduating senior Emily Witz ’19 said, “It’s going to be weird playing against my friends that I’ve played with for two seasons, but I am excited to play again and just have fun with them. I personally enjoy getting to see all the alumni that come back for the game and getting to catch up with them while also being with my friends that are on the team still and playing for fun.”
It is not only the athletes that get to participate in the celebrations, but coaches, too. Head Women’s Soccer Coach T.R. Bell ’96 shared his experience: “It’s always special to have alumni back on campus and to see how Lake Forest has helped mold them into the thriving adults that they have become,” he said. “The stories and memories they share from their past are especially fun for me as it takes me and them back, just for a minute, to when they were in College playing the sport they love.”
The Athletic Department hosts Alumni Day to send a message to Lake Forest athletes—current and alumni—to let them know that they are always welcome back to campus with open arms. In some ways, however, Alumni Day goes beyond the athletes they celebrate. It is a commitment that the College wishes to share with all who have called themselves a Forester at one time or another.
Come and support your fellow Foresters for a day of fun competition and a celebration of proud alumni!
Yaneli Guajardo can be reached at guajardoym@lfc.edu.
