to Senior Chief Petty Officer Keith Jermyn, USN (Retired), Director of the Hingham Department of
Veterans’ Services (Photo courtesy of Mark and Stacy Lemieux)
November 27, 2023 by Karen Oravitz
At Hingham High School, athletics is about more than the scoreboard. It is about teamwork and support for each other and the community. During the fall season, the Hingham High Boys Soccer Program embodied this philosophy. Whether watching the Varsity, JV, or Freshman team, it was clear that the boys were playing for each other. There was no ego and no greed, only a confidence in each other and a love of the game. This selfless style of play led the Varsity team to a 19 – 2 record and a trip to the Elite 8, while developing confidence and skill in the JV and Freshman teams that will continue the success of the program over the next few years.
The boys’ generous nature extended well beyond the field. If you were at Hingham High School on Homecoming Saturday, watching soccer in the cold and rain, you may have wondered why the boys were not wearing their traditional red home jerseys. Instead, the team was proud to wear custom camouflage jerseys to recognize and support the Hingham Department of Veterans’ Services. Following the annual tradition of the boys soccer program, the captains chose this local cause as their focus for fundraising.
Senior captain Mason Lemieux comments, “The idea was to bring awareness for the people who often get overlooked, the men and women who fought for our country.”
In partnership with Senior Chief Petty Officer Keith Jermyn, USN (Retired), department director, this fundraising focused specifically on local Hingham veterans and their families who are experiencing food insecurity. With the generosity of family, friends, and classmates, the teams together collected more than $1,500 in grocery gift cards to aid our local veterans.
(Photo courtesy of Kellie Monroe)
Lemieux adds, “We did more than just bring awareness. We raised over $1,500 for those who needed it. It was a fun experience, and I would do it again any day.”
It wasn’t just our local veterans who benefited from the boys’ commitment to Hingham. While most high school sports teams use pasta parties to fuel up for games and build camaraderie among teammates, the boys soccer program used their pasta parties as another way to give back to the local community. Led by the program’s nine seniors, boxes of pasta and jars of sauce were collected for donation to the Hingham Food Pantry. More than 150 pounds of groceries were added to the food pantry inventory just in time for a busy holiday season.
“Three years ago, our first fundraiser as a freshman team was to collect for the food pantry, so it was nice to finish our senior year with another collection for the same great cause,” says senior Will Monroe.
Beyond fundraising and donations, several players spent hours on a Saturday afternoon working at the Hingham Department of Recreation barn. They cleaned up debris and weeded gardens, beautifying the area for our local residents. Throughout the season, while the Hingham High boys soccer teams stayed focused on winning on the field, they also kept an eye towards improving their local community while off the field. The time that the boys spent with these causes enlightened them on the difference that they can make and provided yet one more way for them to grow together as a team.
Teamwork was certainly the theme of the fall season, giving to each other and to the community. The boys supported and inspired each other on the field, and it was a joy to watch. With every win, no matter who scored, there was a team celebration. With every loss, while there were not many, the boys held their heads high, picked each other up, and increased their determination for the next game.
Senior captain Nick Oravitz reflects, “This team had some of the best chemistry I have ever seen, always pushing and supporting each other every practice and game to improve as one. I am lucky to end my high school career with such a great group of teammates.”
At the beginning of the season, every player on the three boys soccer teams was given a practice jersey printed with the words “Stronger Together.” At the end of the season, it was clear that all 69 boys truly lived this motto both on and off the field. Thank you to all the players, coaches, and families for a great season.
More information on the Hingham Department of Veterans’ Services can be found at https://www.hingham-ma.gov/366/Veterans-Services.
More information on the Hingham Food Pantry can be found at https://www.facebook.com/HinghamFoodPantry/