Illinois Valley High School - Trailblazer Yearbook (Cave Junction, OR)

Page 17 text:

 ■sv S % Senior Greg Saffer has proven to be one of the greatest assets to the Illinois Valley High School football team this year. His outstanding play as linebacker and also as guard helped tremendously in their strug- gle. Greg was chosen All-Conference line- backer and received praise from many different sources during and also after the football season. Greg also helped to increase the spirit and the energy of the players as a team cap- tain. His great enthusiasm effected the en- tire football program and helped to make it the success it was. It is safe to say that without Greg Saffer, our school and team would be weaker.

Page 16 text:

Winning Season Eludes Cougars The IVHS football season began with burst of en- thusiasm that unfortunate- ly did not carry into the rest of the season. About 26 people showed up for the summer practices, but the crowd slacked off as the season progressed. Some of this fallout was due to injuries, prior obligations and failing interest. The football team finally ended up with one of the smallest teams IV has seen for a long time. It was certainly the smallest team in the skyline conference. Coach Don Goodman set to work with the small group of dedicated players and put them to work with tasks that tested their en- durance. Daily doubles, conditioning and the for- mation of the the club filled the daylight prac- tices and midnight night- mares of the players. Sore muscles and flying complaints were the order of the day. It was a trying time for coaches, man- agers, and especially, the players. However, when it was time for the first game to begin, the team was ready for the strenuous endur- ance and bone-crushing tackles to come. With only 15 men on the team at times, many players played entire games with- out rest. 12 Football The hated conditioning payed off. The team had iron-willed discipline (Goodman's will) and the composure to deal with the problems to come. No matter what happened during the rest of the season, the team lived, breathed, and functioned as a team. Shown above is a shot of those dreaded practices and a glimpse of the team dressed in their uniforms, relaxing in the locker room before another game, listening to Coach Goodman speak to them again, stomachs in knots, spirits high and enthusiasm built up once again. What else is football about?

Page 18 text:

Success: a favorable end of a venture, fame, attain- ment of wealth, etc. You might have to stretch the wealth and fame part, how- ever Cross-Country 1977 was a great success. We did manage to make a few bucks on the Spaghetti Feed, some runners earned District and State Team Honors. Most im- portant we, meaning all the runners and myself, had a close relationship that was built upon con- cern for one another as runners and people. When people start talking about gaining confidence, know- ing themselves better, making new friends and learning then there is nothing more that could be asked for. The facts and figures show some degree of success by in- dividuals and yet they can never demonstrate the personal growth that all of us gained. I. V. cross country is respected for fine running by excellent people. Cross-country is a mellow sport. It is best to keep it that way. To compli- cate things bring about confusion and frustration. The runners were willing to go along with the coach- es idea on this and fol- lowed the dictum of Long Slow Distance as a guide. This method of training necessarily requires pa- tience and the runners can be proud of themselves for learning and develop- ing such a fine characteris- tic. For all them, it paid off. 14 Cross Country C R 0 S S C 0 (I N T R Y