Superintendent’s Chat

Richard McClements, Shonto Preparatory School

I am so proud of the Shonto Middle School football team. This team has tremendous potential, and I believe that they can compete with just about any district and be highly competitive. They played last week against Page, a district five times our size, and lost a heartbreaker 16-14. Shonto was driving on them late in the game and had a fumble that stopped our momentum. This week they played against Tuba City, another district many times our size, and dominated them, winning 28-6.

It is fun to go to the games. I go home and get Blackster, my dog, and off we go to the football field. This week, on the way to the stadium, the high school football team was on the practice football field and was getting ready to execute a play. Just as the center snapped the ball, Blackster ran into the formation barking at the guys. Of course, it totally ruined everyone’s concentration, and the play was a disaster. The kids started laughing, and even the coaches saw the humor in it.

When we got up to middle school game, I put Blackster on a leash and stood along the sidelines with the team. I listen to the coaches calling the plays and to the kids not out on the field talking about what is going on. Many of the kids on the sidelines pet Blackster, and he loves the atmosphere of all that is going on. On occasion there have been other dogs for him to socialize with. When the game is over and the teams are shaking hands, I remove his leash and he mingles, barking at all of the commotion.

I sometimes smile in pure amazement, thinking here I am in the middle of the Navajo Reservation watching Navajo students playing football. I had already noted in a column last winter that Navajos are fantastic basketball players. I have learned they are superior at rodeo. Well I think they are awfully good at football as well. Even though they are only in middle school, let me tell you, they hit and tackle hard. And they are tough.

This Saturday, October 2^nd, our middle school team is playing Window Rock here. That district is also many times our size, but I think they are in for a rude awakening from little Shonto. The coach tells me that he wants to organize a big tail gate party, the way they do in college and pro football, where people let down their pick up truck tailgates and cook up some delicious barbeques. It sounds like fun. I hope that there is a huge turnout from parents and students cheering the team on.

Our high school team is talented as well. They have a small squad and most of the team has to play both offense and defense. It is particularly hard in the 3^rd and fourth quarters as fatigue becomes an issue. I would think that every athlete on the team would agree that being on the squad is very fulfilling. I hope that just about every student who is eligible for a sport will go out for a team and stay with it through thick and thin.

Go Shonto Bears!!!!!