Browse archives: 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | 1998 | 1997 | 1996 | 1995

Published on 07/28/1999 All articles from this issue

Athletic director bids farewell to Erin Maruyama

printer friendly version

By Monica Lodge

Shoup Park represents a sunny, happy and fun place to take children, family and friends. It is a place to have family picnics, watch our children play on the swings and wade in the creek. It is a fitting place to say a final good-bye to Erin Maruyama. Erin was my daughter Erika's soccer buddy and friend for the last 11 years - a friend of mine and the rest of my family's as well. Erika tells me this final good-bye is for kids only. But I am here as a friend, athletic director, former coach and a person whose conscience will not let her stay away. I fear losing the chance to speak one last time to a person I had seen grow up.

We assemble. Somber parents, dressed-up teenagers, a beautiful display of flowers, candles and pictures. I put blankets out for them to sit on, needing to feel useful. The kids talk. Oh, do they talk! Wonderful and sometimes silly memories of Erin come to life as they speak.

Although a few parents speak, I find myself silent - against my will. I want to say all the things I remember about Erin, all those silly encounters and athletic endeavors; her strong personality will always be with me, with us. I want to make her mother, Candace, and Dave and Sean laugh and allow them for a moment to feel Erin is still with us. Instead, I sit in the background and silently grieve.

Driving home, I counted again all those memories of Erin. I could not sleep that night, the desire to speak up weighing heavily on my mind.

The terrible news that Jenica Hong did not make it came to me the next day. Jenica, a Los Altos High School varsity field hockey player, may not have been as close to my family as Erin, but she was one of ours - a four-year teammate of my daughter and one of those rare outstanding and special athletes. How is it that we have lost two beautiful and talented individuals?

My mind goes back to others we have lost over the years: center fielder Brennan McMills; soccer goalie and golfer Josh Freeman; and tennis player and Egan Intermediate School class president Doug Bassett. They were all talented young athletes, full of life and hopes for the future, teammates and friends of my children. They were part of our Los Altos High School community. I think of them often, grieve for the seemingly unnecessary loss of their young lives.

It makes me realize we all have made small mistakes, and chance lets us get away with them. Why must people leave us at such a young age, before they had the opportunity to show the world how wonderful their young generation can be? At the same time, we must remember that they did indeed have an impact on the world in their short time - all of them made the most of their lives and made the world that much more special for each one of us.

I will remember Erin as the six-year-old girl on the Banana Slugs, an AYSO soccer team I coached with Candace. Our Slugs never won a game that season, but that didn't mean the stars didn't shine. Erin was one of those stars.

I will miss you and will suffer the pain of your loss with your parents, brother and friends. You were very special to me and I will never forget you. May God be with you.

Monica Lodge is the athletic director of Los Altos High School.