Avery Gallup is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Higley for AZPreps365.com

GILBERT, Ariz. — Bedazzled sashes, sparkling crowns and bouquets of flowers marked a night of celebration for the Higley High School pom team as it honored its senior dancers Thursday night. 

Surrounded by teammates, family members and friends, the seniors were recognized during a special halftime ceremony that celebrated their contributions to the program and the relationships they built throughout their high school careers. 

Each senior wore a white and blue decorated sash and a shiny crown, adding a personal touch to the evening. As they walked alongside their parents during the ceremony, they received flowers from their underclassmen teammates.

Thursday marked an opportunity to share a moment with the people who supported them through their journey. 

For the dancers, the night represented more than the end of a season. It was a chance to reflect on years of dedication, friendship and growth while celebrating the people who helped shape them into leaders. 

“Senior night is always super special,” head coach Taylor Nielson said. “Watching them finish out their high school career with all of their friends on that track is just a really good memory for me, for the girls and for their team.”

Although senior night already brought a different atmosphere to an ordinary game, Nielson said the team and its  supporters worked behind the scenes to ensure the girls felt appreciated on their big night, one that was bookended by a 49-0 win over Shadow Ridge. 

The team’s boosters helped prepare the celebration, while the coaches put together gifts for the graduating dancers. The goal was to make the evening feel special while allowing the team to keep its usual game-day routine. 

“It’s just a normal game, but we want our seniors to feel extra celebrated and supported,” Nielson said. 

Athletic director Aaron Dille said the importance of senior night extends beyond recognizing athletes for reaching graduation. For him, the ceremony reflects the family atmosphere Higley works to build within its athletic programs. 

“We take it seriously as a chance to honor our family, and the four years of having them as part of our family,” Dille said. “It’s a time to celebrate.”

After spending three years learning the program’s expectations and traditions, graduating athletes become the leaders responsible for passing those standards to younger teammates, making their role particularly significant in maintaining the team’s culture.. 

That responsibility creates a connection between graduating classes, allowing each group to leave a legacy and an impact on their team as they move on. 

“The seniors here are doing things that the previous seniors did, and then we always ask them to find a new way to add to it,” Dille said. “So take what was there, put your own spin on it.”

Dille pointed to the decorated sashes as an example of how traditions grow. The idea began with previous teams  before spreading to additional groups and adding extra flare to the usual pom uniforms. 

For senior pom captain Ellie Smith, the opportunity to be recognized alongside her teammates made the evening especially meaningful. 

“It feels so great because I get to be surrounded by everyone that I love and everyone is so supportive,” Smith said. “It’s just really cool to see our hard work be recognized.”

After watching previous senior classes experience their own celebrations, Smith said stepping into that role felt rewarding. She now has the opportunity to help younger teammates understand what it means to become a leader and eventually take on that responsibility themselves. 

One of the most meaningful parts of her pom experience has been the relationship she has built with those teammates. 

“I think just having all of my friends with me and just being together every second of the day is going to be so hard to adjust from,” Smith said. 

While the seniors were honored for their accomplishments, the celebration also highlighted the leadership transition taking place within the program. 

Nielson said she appoints two captains, one senior and one junior, so younger leaders can learn directly from experienced teammates. The arrangement allows junior captains to develop their leadership skills before potentially stepping into the senior captain role the following year. 

She also emphasized the importance of listening to athletes and ensuring they feel involved in decisions affecting their program as leaders. 

“I feel like in the last few years of coaching, the senior classes that I’ve had want to be heard and want their opinion to be heard,” Nielson said. “This is their program just as much as it is mine.”

Although coaches ultimately make the decisions, she wanted her dancers to know their perspectives matter. 

As the evening continued, the team returned to the floor between the third and fourth quarters, shifting the focus from reflection to performance. Dancing to Kendrick Lamar’s “Squabble Up,” the pom team delivered an energetic routine designed to get the crowd excited for the final stretch of the game. 

That performance gave the seniors another opportunity to showcase their skills and share the energy they have brought to Higley’s athletic events throughout their time on the team. 

For the graduating dancers, senior night marked a moment to appreciate the people who helped shape their experience while preparing to pass their traditions on to the next class. 

And as the dancers took their place among the teammates, families and supporters who celebrated them, the night served as a reminder that their legacy would continue through the dancers following in their footsteps.