Someone recently asked me

To look around and see

What you all mean to me

 

“Who do you run for?” they asked

So I began to question

All the effort that I’ve put in

 

I saw the somber faces

And searched the unknown places

Deep within my mind

 

I compiled a list of names

Of how I think in games

And how you all represent

How my life has been spent

 

Who do you run for?

 

Claire, Meg, Maddie, Dork

Kidd, Katie, and Bailey Wort

Lizzie J and Ellie Metz

both captains of your souls

 

Who do you run for?

 

Shlee and Nug, such a pair

of other flankers could not compare

Kelsey, Niina, rookie Grace,

any front row could not replace

 

Who do you run for?

 

Angela Feider and Meaghan Schmitt

Oh good lord you give me fits

of laughter and of pain,

But for no one else would I run

Through days of mud and pain and sun

 

Who do you run for?

 

Oh, all my freshmen friends

So fast and strong until the end

Tatum, Chappie, Puffy too,

Zettel, Gull, Hot Fudge, and Alison

 

Who do you run for?

 

And to my wonderful coaches

You make it all less hopeless

 

Wally, what can I say?

You convinced my parents to let me play

You helped me learn and grow

And taught me much of what I know

 

Who do you run for?

 

Alex, where to begin?

You’re the life, heart, and soul of our team

You call Wally’s grammar a sin

You taught me how to see the seam

In the defense of another team

God I don’t know what to say

You’re a sister, mother, mentor, coach

Being all on any given day

Thank you thank you thank you

Alex Glorioso, for just being you

 

Who do you run for?

 

Kenna, Kenna, Kenna, Kenna…

At least you’re pretty…

And smart and kind and strong

Without you I’d be a wreck

And all the hills more a trek

I thought of you that hopeless night

And so, soon I saw a morning’s light

You were there through thick and thin

And make the hills easy to begin

 

Who do you run for?