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From: Dick Huddleston
Date: 3/6/2004
Time: 6:56:43 AM
Remote Name: 24.238.242.200
The local highschool here (Katy High School, one of 4 highschools, soon to be 5 in the school district) won the Texas state football championship this year, 2004. I found it interesting to think about the memories of AHS football back then compared to now. Then, there were NO facemasks on any helmet. In 1950 we replace the older Rawlings helmets with new Riddell, and I for one thought that was great. We could watch heros like Army's Doc Blanchard wearing them and relate. Now, every helmet is a Riddell and has a face mask. That's a good thing: I was a lineman and had a broken nose every year for 4 years. The pads were adequate. With the watchful eye of coach Elvan George and Leland Newton, the team trained relentlessly, and therefore injuries were minimized by being in shape. However only the Quarterback wore rib pads. Shoes were a wonder. We wondered if we would get a pair that fit. Hand-me-downs from literally years-before teams, my first pair in 9th grade had a cracked sole. Cleats screwed on and could be changed to smaller for grass and bigger for mud. Seems like every time I got stepped on, and I got it lots in the line, they were wearing mud cleats. Nowadays, Nike or such have built in cleats. The dressing room was a 20' X 20' space in the basement under the gym, with a separate cage for pads and equipment at the side. I can remember the manager Foster, a little guy, always cheerfully handing out the best he had to the first-come, first served. Today, the dressing room and facilities in Katy HS would put a Gold's Gym to shame. There is a huge weight room; several whirlpools (how my aches would have loved that!) and private lockers. I don't know for sure how many suited up for the championship game but I suspect about 100. Coaches? about 15. One I know was not just a lineman coach: he was a linebacker coach. And not just linebacker, he was the OUTSIDE linebacker coach. Talk about specialists. And, a player back then could play both offense and defense. I did. Now, there are separate teams for offense, defense, "special teams" for kicking, and receiving. All-state teams back then had 11 on the first team roster. Today, there are maybe 25; one tackle for offense, another one for defense, many backs, wide receivers, safeties, you name it. We had great times on the buses to games, leaving after school, just in time to get there. Now, it isn't unusual to have the teams put up in a motel the night before for at least championship games. And I admit it's farther. What do some of you other players have memories about for AHS? Or even if you didn't play?