Trojann no more?

I've heard from two classmates that Atlantic is talking about changing the Mascot name of the girls' teams from the Trojanns to Trojans - just like the boys. Both Ted and Roger acted like they thought I might be upset about this turn of events. Um, no. I'm thinking to myself, well, duh Atlantic, what took you so long?

From the school newspaper - The Needle:

Board to consider changing Trojanns to Trojans

Posted on 18 January 2013.

By: Bailey Walter
Student Council sent a survey to 9-11 grade students to determine whether they still want to have both masculine and feminine mascot names (Trojans and Trojanns). According to athletic director Josh Rasmussen, 70.5% of the student body voted in favor of the single name of Atlantic Trojans. Students and even people from other towns have wondered why we have two mascots.

Trojanns

Trojans

Rasmussen believes that if the board votes to change to the Trojan name for both girls’ and boys’ teams, it won’t be a costly situation. He explained that the school would make a gradual change. As our team uniforms age, we could order new ones with the new Trojan name. This issue came to attention this fall when new volleyball uniforms came in with the name Trojans. This brought up the topic, is it necessary to have two different names?
Another issue that brings the name-change to the spotlight is anticipation of a new gym floor. Most schools get a new gym floor every 15 years or so, and Atlantic has had theirs for 16 to 17 years. Rasmussen said discussing the name change before the floor is resurfaced makes sense. He said he would like the decision finalized before we re-do the gym floor.

I was one of the people that voted for that strange name in the first place. Yeah, I know the word Trojann is weird - but the other options were:

• Lady Trojans and
• Trojanettes.

And just ask my husband - I've never liked a word that ends in Ettes! (Except our cleaning lady Leona Wheatley's sister Ette - she used to help Leona sometimes).

Creston was way ahead of Atlantic on this one. It must have been the mid 90's when I noticed KSIB radio guy Gary Bucklin had dropped the Ettes on Pantherettes when he did girl's basketball games. And my college team, Iowa State never felt the need to use the word Cyclonettes to describe their fabulous women's basketball team. Why didn't we argue that in 1974? A different era. We were just happy to have hoops at long last!

I decided it was time to push the issue. We needed to call the girls teams the same as the boys. I wrote letters to the Creston school board and to the Creston News Advertiser (Letter to the Editor).

My big line in the letter, after laying out my request was - after all, a female panther is still a panther. Man - who could refuse an argument like that? Evidently not the Creston School Board. Ever since that time the Creston Panthers have described all teams representing Creston High School. As it should be! Yeah, I'm an activist!

Many people thanked me for my efforts for months after that. Aw shucks, it was nothing! I have a daughter - and I didn't want her to be an ette!

So more power to you Atlantic girls - you deserve to be Trojans, mighty, mighty Trojans as my buddy Robyn used to cheer. Everywhere you go, people will want to know. And you will never have to explain just what a Trojann is ever again!