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The first ZHS football team was started in 1941 and coached by ZHS Princi-
pal. Burch Cornelius. In the midst of World War II,the team was discontinued to make
way for the all encompassing war effort. The football team was reinstituted under
Coach Gerald Hatch in 1944. Fred Gore graduated in 1948 after being part of �1
this newly reinstated team.
In the 1940s, the team did not have a modern stadium with
lights and locker rooms. Now, senior Duke Morrison and the rest of
the team have the luxury of practicing on school property in a modern u'
stadium.
Times were very different for Gore compared to Morrison.
"On game days we road on the back of a flat bed truck to and from �� � 's
games, and games started at 3 or 4 o'clock in the afternoon since y
we didn't have any overhead lights," stated Mr. Gore. Today, our
team takes a bus to and from games, and they are played at night
with 400 to 1500 watts shining down on the players.
In addition, uniforms and equipment was vastly different.
Gore played with minimal pads and protection because high tech
uniform material had not been created yet.According to Gore, "The
team had one set of uniforms which consisted of canvas pants, long
sleeve shirts, leather helmets, and high top shoes. Players were not
allowed to have water during practice and there were no real training
exercises."
One thing that hasn't changed is the reason why our players
play the game. For both Fred Gore and Duke Morrison, it is all about
gaining self-confidence and loving the sport. Duke Morrison says, "Foot-
ball is pretty much my life; it doesn't feel right not playing football." Gore
agreed saying if he could he would be out there on the field now playing the
game he loves.
By Haley Freeland
1≥oUv 'Mello Ck ,of 19 8`1 Crc,Couvitry viv'e.r
, ___ Witt'i Nicole SoLv,v wvi avwl Jacob Davpc,ov urr+evlt ruv ter'
A 1989 graduate who participated all four years in cross country, and the cur-
rent coach, Robin Wilks can attest to the runner's high associated with this sport. Un-
like track,cross country provides for a more scenic running experience. Coach Wilks
and two of her runners,Jacob Davison and Nicole Solmonson enjoy the relationship
building opportunities of the sport as well as the ability to work as a team in addi-
tion to achieving personal goals. As a former member of the top 10 ranking cross
S ' :. I country team in the state, Coach Wilks enjoys sharing her passion for running
with current Bulldogs.
Since cross country is a fall sport, they must compete with popular
sports such as football for players. Many cross country runners participate in
track in the spring. Regardless, they had no problems finding 30 plus stu-
dents wanting to stretch their endurance skills for the 2-3 mile runs. Par-
ticipation has dwindled in recent years to a mere 10-20. This could relate to
teens having a harder time waking up at 5:30AM on a Saturday morning for
a long run. In addition to numbers,gender divisions have changed over the
years. Today,girls run the same distance as the boys-3.1 miles;however,
30 years ago they only ran 2 miles. In addition,female coaches are now the
norm instead of the exception.
While Jacob enjoys the personal sense of accomplishment he feels
while running, Nicole thrives on the competitive edge. As a current junior,
Nicole also participates in track during the spring; however, she finds track re-
petitive like she is,"...a hamster in a cage." Jacob,a freshman,is contemplating
participating in track this year but enjoys the small group atmosphere cross country
provides. Both athletes would like to see the sport gain more popularity. On an
average Saturday meet, Jacob shares, "...we are lucky if a few parents show up to
watch us run."
By Rachel Brown
Sport