“Oh ole ole; ole tiki tonga; a wasa wasa wasa; oh aliyah aliyah aliyah!” The traditional  Algonquin Tomahawk chant echoed throughout the dark school bus. Individual faces could not be made out in the darkness but the chant was rather a collection of distinct voices from my team. Excitement leapt across the seats as the faint glow of the red flashing lights and the sirens echoed in front of us.

Coming in to town, my high school soccer team and I, now division one state champions for the first time in history of our school, were getting a police and fire truck escort into the center of neighboring Northborough where our regional school is located.

As we got closer to the center, we realized that everyone from Southborough and Northborough were waiting for us, united as one community. The people, a sea of maroon and gold, lined the streets, standing in the dark with only the streetlights casting light upon their faces; filled with pride, joy and excitement. These people, old, middle-aged, and the young spotted our bus and began to cheer and shout; proud of their offspring, and dying to catch a glimpse of their role models.

As we rounded a corner, we caught a glimpse of a line of cars fifty-deep following us back from the game; community support. Each of us strained to poke our heads out of the bus into the cool, crisp, New England air to savor this moment, this chance of stardom. We were the talk of the town, the pride and joy; uplifting the community.

Southborough may seem like your average tiny suburb, but it is the sense of community and pride within it that propels it to seem just as important as any major city around. Although, it may seem like common upscale Suburbia conformity with it’s fair share of sprawling, chemical-induced green lawns, houses with heated title floors, and Mercedes, it’s what is below the surface that truly separates it from any other town. The sense of community and pride is the upmost important part of my hometown forever influencing me.