Girl's State Tourney Memories

Iowa Basketball star Denise Long of Union-Whitten - scored 32 field goals in a game

It was Iowa Girl's State Basketball Tournament week in Des Moines. Creston didn't make it, as usual. Creston girls haven't been good, well since I was in high school (I attended high school at conference foe Atlantic) and Eldon Gammell was the Creston coach. It was the era of Roxanne Sammons and Sue Tindle - in the Panther Pit.

That was back when six on six basketball ruled Iowa and there was only one class. The small schools dominated because they had been playing girl's ball for years (sometimes in uniforms that looked like skirts). The big schools were playing catch-up, as they had just figured out that we girls were "robust" enough to play such sports.

When I was in high school, girls basketball players at state were my rock stars! I wanted to be them. The Girl's State Tourney provided just the venue - the pageantry to a get the attention of a young athlete like me.

Atlantic didn't start girl's basketball until 1973/74. I was a sophomore, and had never had formal coaching on shooting technique - nothing. A real project. Just like most of the 60 or so girls who went out for basketball that year...I was in seventh heaven when I made the junior varsity squad. Of course our team was horrible - as was I. Still it was so much fun, playing at that level and cheering on the varsity. We had such fun, and won a game or two over other teams just starting up.

The Atlantic Trojanns (yes - a dumb team name - but it's better than Lady Trojans...or IS it?) were one and done when it came to playoffs of course. Mom offered to take a couple friends and me to watch state games during the week at Vet's Auditorium. Sally Rodgers and Jennifer Deter were the lucky two. Frosty Malt anyone?! Of course the traditional Girl's State blizzard slammed Des Moines so we secured a room at the Howard Johnson's on Merle Hay for the night - no luggage.

Later that week we headed back for the Championship game. Atlantic High School had an organization call the Girls Recreation Association (GRA). About the only thing the club really did was to transport us each year in school buses to the girl's state tourney. At least 40 girls headed to the big city for a day of shopping, and then the finals.

We'd arrive and park at Vets - then head east to the downtown Younkers and other area stores and restaurants. I remember seeing girls from other towns in their letter jackets. That was about the time the "petless"leashes were all the rage. People had these starchy leashes with a little collar at the end. The leash would stick out in front of them like they were really walking a dog - but here's the funny thing. There was only air there. haha. Glad I didn't invest in one of those! One year, some of the girls (not me) chose to attend the movie "The Exorcist" before the basketball game. Those chicks freaked out all the way home on the bus.

When it was time for the game, we were seated in the cheap seats - a number on plywood in the endzone. Under the Iowa map with the lights for the towns that were playing. You had to make sure to sit by your pals and be sure to get all the good stuff - frosty malts, peanuts, soda. They used to play a consolation game first. I remember spying Adel star Julie Goodrich in the crowd awaiting the final game - signing autographs. I worshipped her. I would read the program cover to cover - as if I could absorb basketball skills by reading about the girls on these teams.

The best part of girl's basketball were the friendships forged. Even today, many of the people I'm friends with on Facebook are the girls I played ball with. Pam Nelson Jepperson, Sally Rodgers, Marci Merrick, Chris Watson, Becky Nelson Case, Sandy Larsen Alleman, Mona Jones, Carrie Williams Wehrli, Sue Tyler Rawlins, Cathy Hjortshoj Larsen, Dawn Stangl, Jennifer Deter (and anybody I'm forgetting). There is a special bond that comes from practicing and competing with a group of young women.

Our team had a couple big victories. I recall one game in when Hjort made a shot in OT to win at Red Oak. And another when Sal banked one in against rival Carol Winter and Clarinda to win right at the end. The joy was fabulous! Our coaches were wonderful people (at least in hindsight) - I'll never forget the relationships with Dale Allen and Sharon Leslein. They put a great deal of effort into trying to make a group of raw athletes into a basketball team. When Dale Allen explained the Pick and Roll play to us the first time - I thought the guy was  freakin' genius. Who knew there were plays involved in basketball...that you didn't just, well - play?

You won't catch me wishing to go back to the days of six on six though. It was a sport that's time has passed. I was all for it when Creston went to 5-player ball fifteen or so years ago. The girl's state games today don't have near the pageantry of the olden days. Or the attendance. Who is to say the six-player game would have good attendance now either.

Times change. I haven't seen anyone with a petless leash lately either...