D
id you hear about the $60 million foot-
ball stadium being built in Texas? Oh,
it’s not for the Dallas Cowboys or the
Texas Longhorns. It is an 18,000-seat stadium for
a Dallas suburban high school.
So there are obviously some fans of high
school sports that are more fanatical than those
in central Illinois. But around here, there are
an awful lot of people who believe their high
school sports trumps anything else from the end
of August to the end of May.
For many, summer is just a rest period until
football season starts the cycle all over again.
On any given Friday night from the end of
August to the end of May, one can usually find
some kind of high school sporting event to see.
And by the sizes of the crowds, particularly in
football and basketball seasons, it is evident that
is what people want to do.
“
One of the things about Illinois high school
sports is tradition. That is a big part of it,” said
Matt Troha, assistant executive director of the
Illinois High School Association, the governing
body of high school sports in the state.
“
For years it was the main form of entertain-
ment on weekends, especially Friday nights in
small towns. It has stayed very popular and we
think it continues to grow in popularity. People
love to get behind their kids and their schools
and the players love performing in front of their
families and friends. High school sports are
big,” said Troha, who played football at Joliet
Catholic, one of the most successful high school
football programs in the state.
Another alumnus of a successful program
is Derrick Booth, the head basketball coach at
Peoria Manual High School. He played there,
was an assistant coach there and now is entering
his sixth season as head coach.
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PHOTO BY MITCH INSKEEP
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THEPEORIAN.COM
