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High School Sports

Started by ozarkman417, August 31, 2019, 01:00:18 PM

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ozarkman417

After seeing my School's Football team get crushed by our rival yesterday, I figured I would make a thread about high school sports teams, past or present.

My high school is probably the worst in the district (of five high schools) overall when it comes to sports. We are decent at sports no one cares about (like cross-country and golf), but when it comes to sports people do care about (Football and Basketball) then... Yeah, you get the point.

I run on my school's Cross Country team, on JV. I won't be on Varsity until at least junior year.


Max Rockatansky

My high school made it to the state finals several years in a row but always ended up losing to the same charter school.  The basketball team won the girls state title one year but the boys team was terrible.  I hardly payed attention since I played a little bit of club hockey. 

tolbs17

I like to watch basketball games and play basketball. It's been a while since I did that, I'm a senior now, I wish i can!

english si

We really didn't care. Never saw a match and I don't think parents of those playing were too bothered with school sports. It's a cultural thing - we Brits care somewhat about school sports, but we don't spectate.

And it's not like we didn't have talent or success at my school - we had loads of people/teams who won stuff while representing the school (and more so representing themselves or a club) - it's just that it got no more recognition than an announcement in one assembly, a mention in newsletters and brochures, and that's about it. Oh, in the last two years, they could get colours (also for music/debating/etc) and wear a different tie.

And losing a national tennis quarter/semi final to Andy Murray as two of my yeargroup did wasn't even worth that - it was only as my classmates and I had the conversation with the one in our class: "oh your back from your 4 day tennis tournament - how did it go?" "OK, I got to the quarter finals and lost to a 12 year old. Spoons lost to him in the semi. The kid's amazing, and won the whole thing easy - he should have been playing another year group older, not just one, and he would have won" "Oh, OK, we were going to laugh at you for losing to a kid a year younger than us. Well done. Here's all the homework you have to catch up on!"

They did, a few years ago, take the whole school to Twickenham to see the Rugby team win the national schools title - but that's one game in 20 years actually watched by more than single figures (including countless county/regional* league and cup titles). Holding the match in a massive stadium and giving free tickets (I doubt any school-level stuff would charge) for the whole school helped a lot, otherwise only the team would have gone - perhaps watched by their parents given that it's actually a national final even though it's only a school's match (they'd watch club matches, as they are paying for their kid to be there).

The only time we watched by anything other than our fellow participants in the activity and a member of the PE staff was the annual Sports Day (an afternoon). We had nominal teams based on our homeroom classes (which we had all our classes in while still the US-equivalent of Middle School, even though it was High School in the UK), but we didn't care much for them. The main reason why we watched events we weren't taking part in (which might be all of them) was to cheer our friends, and to stem the boredom of the whole thing. It was all athletics. I did the 1500m, having drawn the short straw and being picked on - everyone knew I was terrible, but I was at least going to try and wouldn't put up a fight to avoid doing it. I didn't get lapped by the national Cross Country champion, and I beat someone a year older than me - that counts as exceeding expectations. Sports Day was much more competitive and fun at Elementary school when it was all stuff like sack races, egg and spoon and the like, and teams were just as arbitrary, but we knew the other teams' members well.

*which is more populous than Wyoming/New Jersey respectively, so both not dissimilar to state trophies.

Beltway

My high school was the one that had a very "Hollywoodized" movie made about its 1972 football team, which was the year after I graduated, that is how I know how much the movie was fictionalized.
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jp the roadgeek

My high school's football team hasn't lost a game in about 4 years.  When I played there 25+ years ago, we were decent, but we lost a few games.  We did win a regional championship in my senior year.  A couple of alumni have played in the NFL and CFL, but no major superstars.
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amroad17

Quote from: Beltway on August 31, 2019, 08:45:48 PM
My high school was the one that had a very "Hollywoodized" movie made about its 1972 football team, which was the year after I graduated, that is how I know how much the movie was fictionalized.
Did you go to T. C. Williams?  :D
I don't need a GPS.  I AM the GPS! (for family and friends)

Beltway

#7
Quote from: amroad17 on August 31, 2019, 09:49:37 PM
Quote from: Beltway on August 31, 2019, 08:45:48 PM
My high school was the one that had a very "Hollywoodized" movie made about its 1972 [late 1971] football team, which was the year after I graduated, that is how I know how much the movie was fictionalized.
Did you go to T. C. Williams?  :D
Yes, and this cite about the movie is nonsense --
"In 1971, the Alexandria City School Board's decision to swiftly integrate the two upper grades of the two all-white high schools with the one all-black T. C. Williams happened amid racial unrest, riots and more subtle discomfort."

The city had 3 high schools, and the African-American percentages in the June 1971 graduation was, Hammond about 5%, George Washington about 35%, and T. C. Williams about 15%.

The movie building was cast somewhere in rural Georgia and the people had deep southern accents.

If fact all three high schools were very "preppy" as could be expected in suburban Washington, D.C. even in the 1970s, and large, about 2,000 students each.

One of the local nicknames for T. C. Williams then was "the county club on King Street".

This quote is true --
"That year, ACPS consolidated its three four-year high schools into a single two-year school, teaching solely juniors and seniors.  As a result, the best of the varsity football squads at George Washington High School (converted to a middle school), Hammond High School (converted to a middle school) and T. C. Williams High School united in what amounted to an all-city, all-star team at T. C. Williams. "

Why they won the state high school football championship in 1971 is no more complicated than that.  All 11th and 12th graders of 3 high schools in a city of 110 thousand population consolidated into one school, that being T. C. Williams.

As far as what -really- happened that year?  I wasn't there and with all the hearsay, who knows what really happened?  But I do know the movie was a bunch of baloney.

FYI, my schooling grades 1 thru 10 was in Brevard County, Fla.  Just the last 2 years in Alexandria.
http://www.roadstothefuture.com
http://www.capital-beltway.com

Baloney is a reserved word on the Internet
    (Robert Coté, 2002)

ozarkman417

Quote from: jp the roadgeek on August 31, 2019, 09:31:40 PM
My high school's football team hasn't lost a game in about 4 years.  When I played there 25+ years ago, we were decent, but we lost a few games.  We did win a regional championship in my senior year.  A couple of alumni have played in the NFL and CFL, but no major superstars.

Meanwhile we have a thirty game losing streak.

amroad17

Quote from: Beltway on August 31, 2019, 10:17:20 PM
Quote from: amroad17 on August 31, 2019, 09:49:37 PM
Quote from: Beltway on August 31, 2019, 08:45:48 PM
My high school was the one that had a very "Hollywoodized" movie made about its 1972 [late 1971] football team, which was the year after I graduated, that is how I know how much the movie was fictionalized.
Did you go to T. C. Williams?  :D
Yes, and this cite about the movie is nonsense --
"In 1971, the Alexandria City School Board's decision to swiftly integrate the two upper grades of the two all-white high schools with the one all-black T. C. Williams happened amid racial unrest, riots and more subtle discomfort."

The city had 3 high schools, and the African-American percentages in the June 1971 graduation was, Hammond about 5%, George Washington about 35%, and T. C. Williams about 15%.

The movie building was cast somewhere in rural Georgia and the people had deep southern accents.

If fact all three high schools were very "preppy" as could be expected in suburban Washington, D.C. even in the 1970s, and large, about 2,000 students each.

One of the local nicknames for T. C. Williams then was "the county club on King Street".

This quote is true --
"That year, ACPS consolidated its three four-year high schools into a single two-year school, teaching solely juniors and seniors.  As a result, the best of the varsity football squads at George Washington High School (converted to a middle school), Hammond High School (converted to a middle school) and T. C. Williams High School united in what amounted to an all-city, all-star team at T. C. Williams. "

Why they won the state high school football championship in 1971 is no more complicated than that.  All 11th and 12th graders of 3 high schools in a city of 110 thousand population consolidated into one school, that being T. C. Williams.

As far as what -really- happened that year?  I wasn't there and with all the hearsay, who knows what really happened?  But I do know the movie was a bunch of baloney.

FYI, my schooling grades 1 thru 10 was in Brevard County, Fla.  Just the last 2 years in Alexandria.
I see you are using your favorite word--BALONEY!!!  :-D

Anyway, the movie made it seem as if T.C. Williams was a "deep south" school instead of one fairly close to Washington, DC.  The schools in Alexandria were somewhat segregated in the 1960's.  I also read where the progression of games in the movie did not match the actual schedule--especially the Virginia State Championship Game which T.C. Williams won handily, 27-0.  The movie had T.C. Williams play Marshall in the championship game, when, in fact, they played sometime in the middle of the season--which T.C. Williams won on a last second 4th down play, just like in the movie.

Of course, if most movies were made exactly to real life, a large majority would be a boring 100-130 minutes of our lives we would not get back.  According to movie makers, we have to have "poetic license", we have to have conflict!

So, are you a native Floridian?
I don't need a GPS.  I AM the GPS! (for family and friends)

Beltway

Quote from: amroad17 on August 31, 2019, 11:01:09 PM
Anyway, the movie made it seem as if T.C. Williams was a "deep south" school instead of one fairly close to Washington, DC.  The schools in Alexandria were somewhat segregated in the 1960's.  I also read where the progression of games in the movie did not match the actual schedule--especially the Virginia State Championship Game which T.C. Williams won handily, 27-0.  The movie had T.C. Williams play Marshall in the championship game, when, in fact, they played sometime in the middle of the season--which T.C. Williams won on a last second 4th down play, just like in the movie.
Of course, if most movies were made exactly to real life, a large majority would be a boring 100-130 minutes of our lives we would not get back.  According to movie makers, we have to have "poetic license", we have to have conflict!
So, are you a native Floridian?
No, Illinois, Chicago.  I think that "poetic license" is fine, many movies about historical events may "jazz things up" somewhat, but they shouldn't make them out of whole cloth.  I was there in the school, and knew enough about the other 2 schools that I would not call them "somewhat segregated" in the 1969-71 that I was there, maybe Hammond at only 5% African-American but the movie wasn't about that school, and that percentage about matched the western part of Alexandria where that school is located.

I thought it was rather artificial to move all the 11th and 12th graders from 3 schools into one school for the sake of demographic balances.  That school happened to geographically be in the central part of the city.

FYI, today the demographics are very different --

Two campuses comprise T.C. Williams.  The Minnie Howard Campus is home to ninth grade students, who participate in daily classes, sports, and extracurricular activities on the King Street Campus.  The King Street Campus is home to students in grades 10 through 12.

T. C. Williams Data
Demographics
Enrollment (as of 11/2018):
2,803 students (grades 10-12)
1,156 students (grade 9)
African American: 28.2%
Asian: 4.5%
Hispanic: 40.8%
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0.2%
White: 24.1%
Multi-racial: 1.9%
Amer. Indian/Alaskan Native: 0.3%
School Faculty
Number of Licensed Staff: 199
With post-graduate degrees: 76%

https://www.acps.k12.va.us/domain/1150
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Baloney is a reserved word on the Internet
    (Robert Coté, 2002)

amroad17

^ The largest traditional High School in Virginia now.
I don't need a GPS.  I AM the GPS! (for family and friends)

Alps

Quote from: ozarkman417 on August 31, 2019, 10:23:18 PM
Quote from: jp the roadgeek on August 31, 2019, 09:31:40 PM
My high school's football team hasn't lost a game in about 4 years.  When I played there 25+ years ago, we were decent, but we lost a few games.  We did win a regional championship in my senior year.  A couple of alumni have played in the NFL and CFL, but no major superstars.

Meanwhile we have a thirty game losing streak.
I wouldn't have thought you were from my hometown with that username :-D

Rothman

My high school's ultimate frisbee team won the UPA National Championship.

Of course, this was in the early 1990s... :D
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position(s) of NYSDOT.

tolbs17

Quote from: thspfc on September 01, 2019, 08:04:34 AM
I do play a high school soccer. We had three matches last week, won one and lost two.
I always hated soccer. I can't use my hands just in case I want to move the ball, it's too complicated. Not my sport for me.

english si

Quote from: mrhappy1261 on September 01, 2019, 12:54:48 PMI always hated soccer. I can't use my hands just in case I want to move the ball, it's too complicated. Not my sport for me.
granted, toddlers struggle with "no hands", but seriously "complicated"? Sure the finer points might be difficult, but there's a reason it's played by young children all over the world unlike most other sports - it's pretty simple to get the basics!

hotdogPi

Quote from: english si on September 01, 2019, 03:49:24 PM
Quote from: mrhappy1261 on September 01, 2019, 12:54:48 PMI always hated soccer. I can't use my hands just in case I want to move the ball, it's too complicated. Not my sport for me.
granted, toddlers struggle with "no hands", but seriously "complicated"? Sure the finer points might be difficult, but there's a reason it's played by young children all over the world unlike most other sports - it's pretty simple to get the basics!

The official rules for association football also take quite a lot fewer pages than baseball, basketball, American football, and hockey.
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thspfc

Quote from: mrhappy1261 on September 01, 2019, 12:54:48 PM
Quote from: thspfc on September 01, 2019, 08:04:34 AM
I do play a high school soccer. We had three matches last week, won one and lost two.
I always hated soccer. I can't use my hands just in case I want to move the ball, it's too complicated. Not my sport for me.
I am sorry to hear that . . . ?

ftballfan

I was on the quiz bowl team in high school. We made it to the state tournament all three years I was on varsity.

Last year, the football team won its first conference title since 1972 and went undefeated in the regular season for the first time since 1961 (although they lost in their first playoff game). It's a far cry from the 33 game losing streak they had when my older sister was in high school. This year, they won their first game and should likely make the playoffs again.

Boys basketball is a joke. They haven't had a winning record since 2006-07 (when they made a run to the state quarterfinals only to lose to a public school that had been caught recruiting athletes) and have struggled with numbers in recent years (barely having enough for two teams [JV and varsity] in some years). Last season, they won two games, but both wins were before Christmas break and a starter was kicked off the team over break for academic reasons.

Girls basketball was dominant in the 1980s and 1990s, but have been average since, with some good years as recent as 2013-16 (that three season stretch included three 20+ win seasons, three district titles, and two regional titles)

ozarkman417

If non-physical competitions count, my High School is second in the nation in Speech & Debate. That being said I am not on the S&D team.

ET21

My high school has been dominant during the regular season the past few years, but they can't seem to finish. 2 years ago we made the super-sectionals but lost, and last year we lost the state final. Maybe 3rd times the charm? They're 1-0 so far
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Rothman

Quote from: ozarkman417 on September 02, 2019, 06:05:26 PM
If non-physical competitions count, my High School is second in the nation in Speech & Debate. That being said I am not on the S&D team.
Where can you find the ranking for that?
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position(s) of NYSDOT.

ozarkman417

Quote from: Rothman on September 04, 2019, 03:58:35 PM
Quote from: ozarkman417 on September 02, 2019, 06:05:26 PM
If non-physical competitions count, my High School is second in the nation in Speech & Debate. That being said I am not on the S&D team.
Where can you find the ranking for that?
https://www.speechanddebate.org/rankings/

amroad17

Quote from: thspfc on September 02, 2019, 07:43:52 AM
Quote from: mrhappy1261 on September 01, 2019, 12:54:48 PM
Quote from: thspfc on September 01, 2019, 08:04:34 AM
I do play a high school soccer. We had three matches last week, won one and lost two.
I always hated soccer. I can't use my hands just in case I want to move the ball, it's too complicated. Not my sport for me.
I am sorry to hear that . . . ?
Could play goalkeeper--I did my senior year in high school (1980).  First year we had soccer in the Southeastern District in the Hampton Roads, VA area.
I don't need a GPS.  I AM the GPS! (for family and friends)

ozarkman417

HS Bands in a Quad state area (MO, KS, OK, & AR) participate in a marching band festival in October, but my HS is one of the only schools that don't participate. All performances revolve around a theme, so it's cool to see their unique ideas & coordination.



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