Nobody ever prepares you for what it feels like to step off your high school field for the last time and leave everything you know behind. It's scary to leave the comfort and memories behind, but thankfully, I'm here to not only prepare you for the next four years, but promise you that what's about to come next is going to be your best adventure yet. 

You have chosen to do something incredible with your college experience by becoming a student-athlete. You have the talent, the drive, the passion, and the capability to step up and represent another school for another four years. That is an incredible honor. You may feel nervous at first, like you don't know if it's the right decision, but I'm here to reassure you that this decision will pay off. You will have moments that push you to points you have never been too, and may even find some difficulty in this experience, however, the most challenging times will only take you on a journey to a whole new world of accomplishments.

To put on a Suffolk uniform and represent this amazing community is nothing short of a privilege. By wearing that jersey, you are committing to four more years of dedication, family, achievement, leadership, growth, and it's an honor to be a part of that. By becoming a Suffolk Ram, you are gaining so much more than just a few more years in a sport. You will leave this program with confidence, skill, leadership, and most importantly, an entirely new family of teammates and athletes that will change your life forever. 

To the next athlete walking through those Ridgeway doors, DO NOT take a second of this experience for granted. Even during the toughest of workouts, or the earliest and coldest Boston mornings, ALWAYS remember how lucky you are to be a part of this community. Give everything you have in every moment, because before you know it, it's going to be your very last game. After the past two years, you never know when your sports season could be taken away from you, so take each day as it comes, and always focus on why you love to do this. These four years are going to go by quicker than you can comprehend, so make the most of every opportunity. 

Today, you're a freshman walking around the city, most likely getting lost on your way to Ridge, but before you know it, you're walking out of the building for the last time. Go make those relationships and memories with your teammates. Celebrate your victories. Learn from your losses, and more importantly, never forget why you chose to do this. Don't let anyone or anything take away the accomplishment you achieved by becoming a collegiate athlete, and always make yourself proud. 

To the next #10, put that jersey on with pride, and know me and every athlete who wore it before you would give everything to wear it one more time.