Bracewell swells with purple pride as alumni come home.
By Anikka Cook for The Burlington Bark
As crowds of spectators entered Bracewell Stadium on Friday, Sept. 20, dressed in matching purple “BHS Alumni” shirts, one thing became abundantly clear: this year’s Homecoming game was a true homecoming.
Alumni from graduating classes spanning seven decades returned to Bracewell Friday evening not only to watch but to participate in Homecoming festivities. Former cheerleaders, football players, choir members, and band members joined current Burlington High School students to perform and be recognized at the game — a new tradition BHS hopes to continue in the future.
“It was so nostalgic,” former cheerleader Samara Knotts, class of 2016, said of reuniting with old friends and cheering on the field again. “It’s like I never left.”
Samara and her sister, Dionna Knotts, class of 2018, were among the 30 or so alumni cheerleaders who performed throughout the first half of the game. The squad stunted, jumped and cheered the fight song alongside current BHS cheerleaders.
As the alumni cheerleaders took the field, alumni football players were asked to rise and be recognized in the stands. Donald Hunt, class of 1979, described the experience:
“It’s been fantastic. The food is great. The weather’s great,” Hunt said. “It’s great to see the old friends and everybody like this.” He joked, “Some of us stayed young; some of us are a little older.”
Student Council Advisor and coordinator of the evening Sara Parris hopes to do more than just recognize alumni football players in the future and find a way to get even more alumni involved.
It was Parris who had the idea to invite alumni back for the Homecoming game.
“I wanted to try to make home games a thing for the community,” Parris said.
With the help of the current football and cheerleading coaches and band and choir directors – all of whom happen to be BHS alumni – she was able to pull it off.
As a 2013 graduate of BHS herself, Parris participated in the alumni choir. After just one rehearsal, more than 40 choir members gathered around the iconic victory bell and sang the national anthem.
Parris described the rehearsal process. “(We) attempted to separate ourselves based off our sections, and everyone had a good laugh because most people aren’t sopranos anymore.”
The alumni band had its moment in the spotlight when they took the field with the current marching band for the pre-game show. More than 30 alumni members performed the fight song and other classic Burlington Marching Band cadences. As both the director of the band and a BHS band alum, the evening felt extra special to Derrick Murphy, class of 1986.
“It’s still kind of a surreal experience even though I’ve been here for, like, 27 years. Sometimes, I pinch myself to believe I’m actually doing it. It’s so cool,” Murphy said.
With this year’s large turnout and overwhelming success, Parris intends to keep the event running in years to come. She estimates a similar reunion will occur every three to four years.
Despite graduating decades apart, the Grayhound spirit of the alumni on that Friday night remained similar and unchanged.
“I feel like being a Grayhound, it brings so many people together,” said Dionna Knotts. “We’re all spread out. A lot of people have moved. They’ve gone and done different things with their lives. But as you can see, just with the alumni game, everyone’s come back here and it’s like, it’s almost like a reunion. So many different generations, we all just come together as one and spend time together. I think that’s what really it means to be a Grayhound.”
Parris agreed.
“To be a Grayhound is to leave a legacy,” said Parris. “You’re a part of something.”
That legacy was evident Friday evening as the Varsity Burlington Grayhounds defeated the Mount Pleasant Panthers 42-7. Students and alumni alike celebrated the victory.
Parris described the energy well. “Once a Grayhound, always a Grayhound.”
