rockdale80
06-05-2008, 03:27 PM
Thought this article might interest you. ;)
The graduation of Kortlin White last Friday, brings an end (at least for now) to one of the most influential families to ever grace a field, court or track at Rockdale High School.
Beginning in the mid-70s and stretching into the 1980s, the name of White has been as prevalent in Tigers sports as Converse, Adidas or Wilson.
Starting with Garry and finishing up with his son Kortlin, and with sisters Theresa, Angela and Wanda bridging the gap in between, this close-nit family has left its mark on Tiger athletics.
Their late beloved father M.C. was the booster club president for several years.
All three girls entered the coaching profession, two here in Rockdale.
In actuality, their success is steeped in mother Sallie Mae who’s athletic ability in high school led her all the way to the Prairie View Interscholastic League state track meet.
Garry was in the mix of the golden age of Rockdale athletics in the seventies and was a major cog in leading the Tigers to state championships in football (1976) and track (1977).
Along with Don Wesley and Robert Luetge, White gave the Tigers a triple-threat running attack that was hard to chase down in that state championship run.
Garry, along with Wesley, Don Miller and Sammy Ray Branch, raced to a state championship in the sprint relay in 42.1, still a school record 31 years later.
Their efforts spurred the Tigers to the state track championship.
Garry caught the eye of Big Ten school Minnesota and he was whisked off to the great white north.
Garry made an immediate impact and was second in the Big Ten in rushing his junior year.
He also saved his biggest games for the largest stage.
He had 201 against Michigan St., 221 yards versus Ohio St., 230 against Illinois.
It earned him first-team All-Big Ten accolades.
He still holds the school record for 200-yard rushing games in a career.
His efforts caught the eye of the San Francisco 49ers who snatched him up in the eighth round of the 1981 draft.
Next up was Theresa (RHS ‘78), who made left her mark on the Lady Tiger program as a hard nosed competitor—an attitude she would share with her sister Angela.
So versatile an athlete, Theresa would play both guard and forward in the days of 6-on-6 girls basketball which was unheard of.
When Theresa was a senior and Angela a sophomore, they once combined for 64 points in a 112-16 district ripping of Elgin.
Despite going 23-8 and 10-2 in district, the Tigerettes stayed home that year.
In track, she reached the regionals in the 220.
Theresa played basketball at Temple Junior College and then at Texas-Arlington.
When she got out of school, she returned home to coach at Rockdale, but left for Class 5A Deer Park in 1992 and is the head basketball coach there.
This year, Theresa was named Deer Park’s Teacher of the Year by her peers.
Angela (RHS ‘80) can make her case as one of the top female athletes in RHS history.
A bruiser in the paint, she is still the all-time leading scorer in basketball history with 1,724 points which includes a high of 47.
She still holds the school records in the shot put and the discus, which are the oldest on the books and have stood for almost 30 years. She was a state track meet participant.
Like her sister Theresa, Angela played basketball at Temple Junior College and then attended Sam Houston.
Angela also returned to Rockdale to coach after graduating. She was the head track coach, coached basketball and tennis and along with Jamie Boswell, was Rockdale’s first softball coach.
Five years ago, she earned her masters’s degree in educational leadership and is a counselor at Rockdale Junior High.
Wanda (RHS ‘81) competed strictly in track and was a regional qualifier in both the shot put and discus.
After graduating from Sam Houston, Wanda has been a coach in Cameron for the past 10 years, where she has guided several athletes to state.
http://www.rockdalereporter.com/Sports1.htm
The graduation of Kortlin White last Friday, brings an end (at least for now) to one of the most influential families to ever grace a field, court or track at Rockdale High School.
Beginning in the mid-70s and stretching into the 1980s, the name of White has been as prevalent in Tigers sports as Converse, Adidas or Wilson.
Starting with Garry and finishing up with his son Kortlin, and with sisters Theresa, Angela and Wanda bridging the gap in between, this close-nit family has left its mark on Tiger athletics.
Their late beloved father M.C. was the booster club president for several years.
All three girls entered the coaching profession, two here in Rockdale.
In actuality, their success is steeped in mother Sallie Mae who’s athletic ability in high school led her all the way to the Prairie View Interscholastic League state track meet.
Garry was in the mix of the golden age of Rockdale athletics in the seventies and was a major cog in leading the Tigers to state championships in football (1976) and track (1977).
Along with Don Wesley and Robert Luetge, White gave the Tigers a triple-threat running attack that was hard to chase down in that state championship run.
Garry, along with Wesley, Don Miller and Sammy Ray Branch, raced to a state championship in the sprint relay in 42.1, still a school record 31 years later.
Their efforts spurred the Tigers to the state track championship.
Garry caught the eye of Big Ten school Minnesota and he was whisked off to the great white north.
Garry made an immediate impact and was second in the Big Ten in rushing his junior year.
He also saved his biggest games for the largest stage.
He had 201 against Michigan St., 221 yards versus Ohio St., 230 against Illinois.
It earned him first-team All-Big Ten accolades.
He still holds the school record for 200-yard rushing games in a career.
His efforts caught the eye of the San Francisco 49ers who snatched him up in the eighth round of the 1981 draft.
Next up was Theresa (RHS ‘78), who made left her mark on the Lady Tiger program as a hard nosed competitor—an attitude she would share with her sister Angela.
So versatile an athlete, Theresa would play both guard and forward in the days of 6-on-6 girls basketball which was unheard of.
When Theresa was a senior and Angela a sophomore, they once combined for 64 points in a 112-16 district ripping of Elgin.
Despite going 23-8 and 10-2 in district, the Tigerettes stayed home that year.
In track, she reached the regionals in the 220.
Theresa played basketball at Temple Junior College and then at Texas-Arlington.
When she got out of school, she returned home to coach at Rockdale, but left for Class 5A Deer Park in 1992 and is the head basketball coach there.
This year, Theresa was named Deer Park’s Teacher of the Year by her peers.
Angela (RHS ‘80) can make her case as one of the top female athletes in RHS history.
A bruiser in the paint, she is still the all-time leading scorer in basketball history with 1,724 points which includes a high of 47.
She still holds the school records in the shot put and the discus, which are the oldest on the books and have stood for almost 30 years. She was a state track meet participant.
Like her sister Theresa, Angela played basketball at Temple Junior College and then attended Sam Houston.
Angela also returned to Rockdale to coach after graduating. She was the head track coach, coached basketball and tennis and along with Jamie Boswell, was Rockdale’s first softball coach.
Five years ago, she earned her masters’s degree in educational leadership and is a counselor at Rockdale Junior High.
Wanda (RHS ‘81) competed strictly in track and was a regional qualifier in both the shot put and discus.
After graduating from Sam Houston, Wanda has been a coach in Cameron for the past 10 years, where she has guided several athletes to state.
http://www.rockdalereporter.com/Sports1.htm