Senior Night a Unique Occasion for Jacobson Family

Senior night has always been an emotional tradition. For players, it's the night that their team will honor them and say thank you for the many hours they've put towards the team. For parents, it's another benchmark that shows their child is ending high school soon. For coaches, they are saying thank you to players who've played hard for them.

Tomorrow night, the Tuscarora girls soccer senior night will have an added twist for attacking midfielder Holly Jacobson, and her father David. David Jacobson coaches the girls soccer team at Walkersville, who are Tuscarora's opponent for their senior night. This means that Coach Jacobson will be with Walkersville for their warm-ups, be a part of Tuscarora's senior night ceremony, and then coach against his daughter on her special night.

"It's my senior night and nobody wants to lose on their senior night, no matter if it's against their dad or not," Holly Jacobson said. "I think him honoring me and then coaching against me is going to be hilarious and exciting. It's definitely something I will never forget."

This is nothing new for the Jacobson family. David Jacobson started coaching at Walkersville in 2012, Holly's freshman year. That year's game was a 5-0 victory for Tuscarora, with Holly scoring two goals. In 2013 the game was much closer, but Tuscarora still won 1-0. Last year it was a scoreless draw.

Although they are used to competing against each other, David Jacobson acknowledges that Thursday night will be very different.

"I've thought about this game for almost three or four years but have no idea what it will be like. I'm sure there will be tears, smiles and then all business," David Jacobson said. "It will be very weird changing from royal blue, to gold and green, then changing back again."

There was a time when the two Jacobson's were on the same team. Holly first started playing at the age of five, and her dad was her coach. She thinks he's a great coach, and credits his positivity as one of the initial reasons why she loved soccer.

The family does their best to leave what happened on the field at the field, but the intense nature of these games obviously makes it difficult, especially when you consider how competitive both Jacobson's are.

"We've tended to not talk too much about them because as most opposing parents or players, they each see only one side of the game," David Jacobson said. "I will miss playing her. It's the only game of the year I am sure to watch my daughter play, and I get the best seat in the house."

While the matches themselves have been difficult to manage, the toughest thing for the Jacobson family has been the schedule. On most of Holly's game nights Walkersville has played as well, meaning her dad hasn't been able to make many of her games. Of the 50 or so games that Holly has played in high school, David Jacobson estimates that he's only been able to see 15-20.

That will soon change. Holly plans to play soccer at the collegiate level. She has already received a couple offers from colleges to play for them. While Holly has enjoyed competing against her dad, she is excited for what the future holds.

"It will be bittersweet when the game is over. It's been something we've both looked forward to each year," Holly Jacobson said. "At the same time, now he'll be able to watch me play in college, which he wasn't able to do very much of in high school. I'm looking forward to seeing my dad in the bleachers next year."