While pro athletes often celebrate championship wins by going to Disney World, the Chaska Hawks celebrated with a post-game pep rally at Chaska High School. For the fourth time in 12 years (volleyball ’14, football ’19, girls basketball ’21), CHS hosted a championship team following a state victory.
Following tradition, the team bus was escorted safely to CHS by Chaska Fire and Police, where fans, family and community members welcomed them around 11 p.m. and applauded their accomplishment.
Students, parents, community members (including current and former city officials) and school staff filled the west bleachers of the Chaska Main Gym.
Chaska High Assistant Principal/Athletic Director Anita Woodrow emceed the event. She opened with a brief recap of the season, highlighting the team’s turnaround from a 3–4 start to 25 consecutive wins.
She also noted how fitting it was to return to their home gym — where many great wins have taken place — and how it has become known as “one tough, loud place to play.” Woodrow will now have the enviable task of determining where a championship banner can be hung in the gym.
Woodrow then invited Coach Hayes to share his post-game thoughts.
He summarized, “This is a team accomplishment. This championship is a credit to the hard work these guys put in. To bring it back to CHS and share it with the community embodies Chaska and how we work hard for each other. Thanks to our fans, we do it for you. Your support throughout the year and faith in us was amazing. I want to call out our seniors for their efforts over their entire Chaska careers, we’re glad to send you off like this.”
While the team took command of the game at The Barn, their energy for expression late at night, after an intense game and week, had waned.
Tyler Forrest said, “Thanks for staying out late with us. It’s great to see our hard work pay off and to get this win for Chaska.”
Senior Matthew Welter reflected on his playing career, saying, “It’s been great to be a part of this program. We had a couple of ‘learning’ seasons, but this year it paid off. I’m so proud to have been a part of it and to share this with all of you.”
