A Decade of High School Sports

It was about ten years ago. A good time for high school sports. I was about to finish up middle school and enjoy the summer just before high school football. I even remember the top ten videos on TRL which consisted of Aerosmith's "Don't Wanna Miss A Thing" and some lame Will Smith video about his kid. I remember hot summers of football camp and weight rooms, stuff I never took as seriously as I wish I had. Ten years ago was then. Now, I find myself trying to be as involved in high school sports as I possibly can. I didn't seek a high school teaching career or a coaching career, aspects of which I might one day regret, but for now all I have to contribute is this website.

What about those last ten years of high school sports beckoned me to devote so much time and energy to the website? To me, back then, while not so long ago, was different.

As a scared freshman claiming his football locker, his "home base" from the trenches of the practice field, the scorn of angry coaches, and the mockery of massive upperclassmen, I remember thinking... "..so this is it."

Lets take a step back first.

Prior to high school or even middle school, I cared much more about video games and even major league sports more so than high school sports. Although my older sister was in the band and my Dad would drag me out to football games as a kid, I don't remember anything about them other than playing touch football elsewhere in the stadium. As I got older, that somehow transformed into macking on girls behind or on the bleachers as a middle schooler. But every glance toward the field or toward the court made me wish I were out there. Everyone in the community looks up to and praises high school athletes in small town, Virginia. Who wouldn't want to be those guys?

In my freshman football locker, I remember thinking, "So this is it? This is what its like to be one of the big boys?" At the time, I guess finally getting there made it seem like less of a deal. But that would soon change. Rigorous practices, hot sun, water breaks with not so tastey-warm water, and dusty mouthpieces was enough to re-convince me that high school football is an honor. High school sports are an honor. And I remember thinking of those upperclassmen and how ginormous and unforgiving they were, that to this day when I see high school football players, I think back and say, "Nah, they were definitely bigger in my day."

Maybe we all do that? There is really no way of comparing but I think every player will think back on his successes of high school sports and truly believe his playing days were the best playing days. And maybe they're right.

Thinking back on the last ten years that I've been a player and observer of high school sports, I can't help but remember the big stories over the years. I remember seeing Brad Nuckles at the Virginia High Tip Off Classic. I remember watching him play and mull up and down the court like a bewildered neanderthal. I actually mumbled to myself, "This is Brad Nuckles? He might be the most awkward human being I've ever seen, and not to mention slow" but before I finished that thought, he took a step into the lane and teammate Benji Jackson dished a behind the back pass to Nuckles who slammed it effortlessly over two defenders with such ferocity it jolted the nearly sellout audience. Sorry Brad, the rumors were true. I meant no disrespect.

Plus, when was the last time you've seen nearly all the seats of the Bearcat Den with butts in them? Ten years ago?

I remember seeing Heath Miller play quarterback. Quite possibly the most broad man I've seen line up behind center in all of my days. Heath Miller didn't become an adolescent at 13, he went straight to man.

I remember hearing of schools like Whitewood and Garden. I remember seeing Johnny Wood and PJ Brown talk about Whitewood and Garden on the news and showing me feeds from their gyms and shots of their crowds and fans; only for those schools to be consolidated shortly thereafter into what we now know as Twin Valley.

I remember Radford had a tandem of brothers named Nichols who dominated the Three Rivers and most of the Region C with what seemed to be minimal effort.

I remember John Battle making it to the state finals in boys basketball.

I remember Chilhowie's older bleachers. The scary ones that ate small children and creaked loudly over the passing train.

I remember when Rural Retreat didn't have a Shillig.

I remember athletes with memorable names like Lance Goff, Matt Williams, Jesse "Smoke" Blevins, Jimmy Gobble, Jason Matlock, Bo Buchanan, Tommy Bishop, Todd Morris, Timmy King, and Grizzly Parks (plus plenty others).

I remember after 30 years of being an AA powerhouse, Gate City dropped down to single A to wreck the hopes and dreams of every little school within the LPD and the state of Virginia for that matter.

I remember when Northwood had a quarterback.

The days back then were good. Not to say the ones now are bad. In fact, they may very well be better. The Hogoheegee is still bringing home regional championships, state championships, producing collegiate athletes, reaching career milestones, and now it even has its own website. But in a way, the ever evolving Hogoheegee was much different 10 years ago. And if you're a freshman or a senior now in high school, in six-to-ten years, you'll probably say the same thing. "Ten years ago, the players were bigger, the games were bigger, the schools were bigger." That's because to you, it was, and always will be.