WOODBURY — Four years go by fast. That might be what every senior at Nonnewaug High School is thinking right now, but it couldn’t be more true for athletes, students who have a different lens to view their tenure at Nonnewaug.
Athletes are at a unique juncture: a place where they have built memories at NHS, but also recognize that time for building these is quickly ending. NHS athletes get to participate in a special tradition to commemorate these experiences, painting “the rock.”
During the building’s first renovation in the late ’90s a boulder was preserved while excavating what is now the site of today’s agriculture building. In recent years, Nonnewaug senior athletes have come together to adopt this boulder, writing their initials and their jersey number on the same rock year after year.
Located above the steps down to the athletic fields, “the rock” hasn’t budged, much like the legacy NHS athletes built during their time on campus.
When asked about the painting tradition and its roots, longtime science teacher and soccer coach Toby Denman, noted that he is “usually in the loop about these things,” and was unaware as to how the annual process of painting the boulder even started.
“Nobody knows really,” Denman said, who has seen over two decades worth of student athletes inscribe their initials and numbers on the iconic site. “I don’t know.”
Regardless of the fog surrounding it’s origin, signing the rock is a momentous occasion for seniors.
“I feel like it allows me to leave a mark,” said Zayne Brewster, a senior track athlete. “I was there with all my other friends, and they signed it, so it’s just a good experience.”
Brewster conveys that it’s a fun tradition to take part in, but to others it means a lot more.
“For me it goes beyond just having my name on the rock,” said soccer and lacrosse captain Liam Sandor. “It’s been a tradition at our school for a long time that I’ve seen since my sister was here. Finally, getting to be a part of that tradition is special. It also signifies that I’m at the end of my high school career.”
Besides cementing legacy or signifying tradition, there are other incentives to signing the rock.
Emma Jackson, a senior thrower for the track team understands that signing the rock is more than just a signature, it’s a moment that cements a memory.
“It’s a good way to connect with the sports community, and it brings all the seniors together,” Jackson said. “It’s fun, and it’s an opportunity to leave our mark.”
