hsfootballfan
10-08-2009, 10:24 AM
From mysa.com:
Sam Houston bringing pride back to the East Side
By Lorne Chan - Express-News
Sam Houston lineman Devontae Gray stood before one of the biggest crowds he'd seen at a Hurricanes event. They were loud, passionate and clad in orange and green. But this wasn't at a game. This was in the high school auditorium.
It was a Sept. 2 meeting regarding three San Antonio Independent School District proposals calling for the closure of Sam Houston High School. Around 1,000 showed up to protest.
Inspired by this East Side community response, the football team responded, racing off to a 4-1 start entering Friday's game against Luling at SAISD Sports Complex.
Using the possible closure as a rallying cry, the Hurricanes already have surpassed their victory total from the 2008 season, when they finished with a 3-7 record. “It meant everything to see people actually cared about us,” Gray said.
The East Side school has since been removed from the proposed closure list. And it appears unlikely that any revisions to the list would adversely affect Sam Houston. That hasn't stopped the football team from using that closure scare earlier in the year as a spark. Defensive tackle Quincy Russell said the team is still playing “like the next loss might mean losing our school.”
“The school district gave me a bigger motivational tool than any speech I could have made,” said Sam Houston coach Gary Green, a 1973 graduate.
The football team has taken on a role as one of the most visible representatives of this community pride. A slew of changes followed: Practices have been pushed back to 5:30 p.m. every day so players can take a mandatory hour of tutoring after school. The team instituted a players council, made up of 10 of the team's leaders, to monitor team discipline. Pep rallies were moved indoors to make for a louder atmosphere.
Green said these off-field changes have made the biggest difference for the Hurricanes.
Facing economic challenges in the East Side, coaches often spend an extra hour driving players home after practice. There's also bread and large jars of peanut butter and jelly kept in the coaches' office for the players who don't have a meal.
“Everything's changed around here,” Russell said. “I knew we were ‘The Pride of the East Side.' I didn't know what that meant until now.”
After averaging 22.3 points per game last season, the Hurricanes' scoring has jumped to 36.6 points. A group of eight starting sophomores has energized the team, including running back JeQuan McBride. “I didn't expect this,” said McBride, who rushed for 173 yards in a 42-6 victory against Lytle last week. “A lot of strangers are asking us when our next home game is. People are excited again.”
Players said they've also noticed increased attendance at games.
“We had a crowd in Luling last year, but that was because everybody drove out to get the (barbecue) sausage,” Russell said. “This season, they're coming to see us.”
The Hurricanes are one of the season's early successes in the area, but Sam Houston players said they're not done. At the beginning of the season, all the players talked about saving their school. Now they're talking about making a playoff run.
Hurricanes players also said they want their East Side community to reflect the changes the team has made. Gray stood up to speak at that Sept. 2 meeting, with his team behind him. He looked at the audience of other students, East Side community members and SAISD officials.
What he said was simple:
“Give us a chance.”
Sam Houston bringing pride back to the East Side
By Lorne Chan - Express-News
Sam Houston lineman Devontae Gray stood before one of the biggest crowds he'd seen at a Hurricanes event. They were loud, passionate and clad in orange and green. But this wasn't at a game. This was in the high school auditorium.
It was a Sept. 2 meeting regarding three San Antonio Independent School District proposals calling for the closure of Sam Houston High School. Around 1,000 showed up to protest.
Inspired by this East Side community response, the football team responded, racing off to a 4-1 start entering Friday's game against Luling at SAISD Sports Complex.
Using the possible closure as a rallying cry, the Hurricanes already have surpassed their victory total from the 2008 season, when they finished with a 3-7 record. “It meant everything to see people actually cared about us,” Gray said.
The East Side school has since been removed from the proposed closure list. And it appears unlikely that any revisions to the list would adversely affect Sam Houston. That hasn't stopped the football team from using that closure scare earlier in the year as a spark. Defensive tackle Quincy Russell said the team is still playing “like the next loss might mean losing our school.”
“The school district gave me a bigger motivational tool than any speech I could have made,” said Sam Houston coach Gary Green, a 1973 graduate.
The football team has taken on a role as one of the most visible representatives of this community pride. A slew of changes followed: Practices have been pushed back to 5:30 p.m. every day so players can take a mandatory hour of tutoring after school. The team instituted a players council, made up of 10 of the team's leaders, to monitor team discipline. Pep rallies were moved indoors to make for a louder atmosphere.
Green said these off-field changes have made the biggest difference for the Hurricanes.
Facing economic challenges in the East Side, coaches often spend an extra hour driving players home after practice. There's also bread and large jars of peanut butter and jelly kept in the coaches' office for the players who don't have a meal.
“Everything's changed around here,” Russell said. “I knew we were ‘The Pride of the East Side.' I didn't know what that meant until now.”
After averaging 22.3 points per game last season, the Hurricanes' scoring has jumped to 36.6 points. A group of eight starting sophomores has energized the team, including running back JeQuan McBride. “I didn't expect this,” said McBride, who rushed for 173 yards in a 42-6 victory against Lytle last week. “A lot of strangers are asking us when our next home game is. People are excited again.”
Players said they've also noticed increased attendance at games.
“We had a crowd in Luling last year, but that was because everybody drove out to get the (barbecue) sausage,” Russell said. “This season, they're coming to see us.”
The Hurricanes are one of the season's early successes in the area, but Sam Houston players said they're not done. At the beginning of the season, all the players talked about saving their school. Now they're talking about making a playoff run.
Hurricanes players also said they want their East Side community to reflect the changes the team has made. Gray stood up to speak at that Sept. 2 meeting, with his team behind him. He looked at the audience of other students, East Side community members and SAISD officials.
What he said was simple:
“Give us a chance.”