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Becky Hyder,1948 graduate,attended a much different Zephyrhills High School
than the one we know today.Her class had to deal with the dark time America entered
after WWII,causing our school to rebuild all of the athletic programs previously in ef-
fect.In 1947 girls basketball entered the school(or the first time.Becky then joined
the team because there wasn't really anything else offered for girls to participate in
at the time.
The team isn't anything like today's basketball.They didn't have an
experienced coach;a faculty member simply stayed after school to chaperone /
them.In addition to those circumstances,JV teams weren't in existence and
all four grade levels played on one team;Ms.Hyder's graduating class con-
sisted
of 17 students total.
"In the 60s it was all about basketball,"expressed 1965 gradu-
ate
Ron Cherry.The greatest benefit to participating was the fact that they �.;
gained support from a great majority of the community,and were considered
hometown heroes,people even traveled to see them.Mr Cherry shared that, j
"...when arriving to Zephyrhills around one'o'clock in the morning with a po-
lice escort after winning the State Championship Game,a crowd of cheering -
people awaited them.They hopped up on one of the older downtown build-
ings,
and listened to Zephyrhills citizens chanting for them." Despite the ex-
tremely start shorts as part of his uniform,he had a fantastic experience playing t
as a bulldog basketball member. Ef
Current seniors Devin McLeod and Lindsay Warner have a very
different experience than former players Becky Hyder and Ron Cherry. Lind-
say Warner stated that she plays basketball when everything else in life starts to
become difficult,or she's going through a rough time. It helps her escape from all I
of her worries and stress. Devin's expressed his greatest satisfaction when playing
basketball,"When you work hard at something,getting to see it pay off in a game."
By Megan Gray
k Wood Cl of I 18(0 6occer Yer wilt,Sornl1 Devivie'
s f.itk Bete.& C�.rr•rev tr6yer ,
Rick Wood played soccer at ZHS just a few years after soccer was established at
our school;there wasn't even a girls'team yet.The lack of students to play the sport was
so intense that they accepted any kid even if he didn't know anything about soccer. He
9said that since he played the sport here,the competition is stronger and the skill level
has gone up. His son,Dylan,is currently on the team.
1 Senior Nick Belles is a prime example of how interest and ability has
improved since soccer's conception in the 80s. Nick has been playing on com-
munity teams since he was very young. Considered one of the best on the var-
"� , sity team,he is unsure about his plans to play at the college level.
Mr. Wood broke his leg playing Because indoor soccer after the season was
\ over his senior year. of this,St.Leo and USE both rejected him.The
injury killed his dreams of becoming a professional, but like anyone with a
dead dream,he was persistent.There would be no more competition for him,
but with practice he would gel back into the game. He shares his passion for
the sport through coaching.
LCurrent junior,Sarah Denney,has similar aspirations.She is trying to
get a scholarship for soccer at any and every school in Florida.When asked if
she world be willing to go out of state,she said that she would if she didn't get
in anywhere in Florida. She would also like to come back here to coach and
referee when she can't play anymore. That is exactly what Rick Wood did and
how he got back into the game.
By Josh Meltzer
Marc Avadilrian,Ashley Puller&Tabytha Silverman