Senior Mike Nowak has played in 23 games for the football team. His parents, Kevin and Margie Nowak, have seen every one.

He has also played in 49 lacrosse games, and Kevin and Margie have seen almost every one of those too.

It’s a way of life in the Nowak family. For Kevin, who works for a hospital uniform supply company, and Margie, who runs a salon and works as a waitress in their native Ballston Spa, N.Y., the fall and spring were made for road trips.

“During the football season I get home from work on Fridays,” Margie said. “And Kevin says to me, ‘The truck is leaving at 6:30 tomorrow morning. You better be in it.’”

And she always is. The Nowaks have driven to Ithaca for every one of Mike’s football games and almost every lacrosse game in the past four years. From their home, it’s a three and a half hour drive. But that’s nothing compared to some of their other trips.

They’ve driven five and a half hours to Lycoming and crossed into Vermont to see the Bombers play at Norwich. They even flew down to West Palm, Fla., two years ago for the lacrosse team’s spring break tournament.  

They’ve been through car accidents and bee stings, lightning delays and sunshine. They’ve seen Mike play well, and they’ve seen him struggle. But no matter what, come the next Saturday, they’re always ready to go again.   

“We look forward to the 10 weeks in the fall as much as anything else all year,” Kevin said.

Think Cal Ripken meets Danny Tanner — one heck of a parenting streak. Or maybe something straight out of the 1950s. It’s not the kind of commitment that’s easy to make today, but the Nowaks couldn’t imagine it any other way.

“It’s never a struggle,” Kevin said. “There’s nothing else we’d rather be doing.”

The Nowaks were in Ithaca again last Saturday to watch Mike and the Bombers beat King’s College. Margie, always a bit superstitious, brought her four leaf clover among other good luck charms.

Following the game, they were in the parking lot tailgating and grilling just like they always do.

“Over the past four years, we’ve made so many friends,” Margie said. “By now, everyone that comes to the games is just one big family.”  

And for Mike, there’s a certain comfort that comes with knowing his parents will be in the stands.

“It would definitely just be weird if they weren’t there,” he said.

And if you’re wondering what the Nowaks might be doing with their free time come next fall, don’t worry. Mike’s younger brother Corey is a high school senior lacrosse player who hopes to play in college.