Red Oak High School - Hawk Yearbook (Red Oak, TX)

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W HOBBLING TO CLASS are Jerry Connell, Mark James, Mike Tinsley, all sophomores and Rhonda Lester, junior. Halls were filled daily with all assortments of injuries. JUST SITTING AROUND is Bill Miller, sophomore, waiting for the final touches. Coach Larry Hawkins, athletic trainer, puts on the final ankle wrap. 'W ,H WI Wa,.,,,m ,if w, A W4 'Qu ,, My n , ,V 9

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. . ..'. :'3..,g'iz' tl ly, ft 1 cf' ' '-i li .gel . -x ' E w--Tis. , , ,igffg.y,gL. 59 J UR112 s uf at pirit Injuries this year reached a real peak. At one point in the year over 20 people were on crutches and about 5 percent were taped, strapped or braced. They learned to manuever carefully through the hazardous halls to reach classes. Ankles were fractured, knees were destroyed and legs were broken. Some students even suffered injuries bad enough to stay in a hospital for a few days. Lives changed drastically. Students couldn't walk for months. They pooled their resources to readjust to a new world. The following are a few accounts from people who suffered, but managed to readjust. Deanna Krupinski I fractured my ankle which resulted in chronic ligament and tendon damage. I was on crutches for a short while but then I had to wear a brace or have my ankle taped for the rest of the year. It was a big pain and a constant problem that I really got tired of. l also had a chronic sprain. The doctor said he would put an X-ray needle in my tendon and put steroids in there. I really became upset with the doctors because they couldn't pinpoint my problem. I might have surgery still, though, some day. Roy Rogers I was in football practice and we were on team offense. I was on scout defense. The offense ran the ball up the middle and right about the time I was about to make the tackle, Mark Westbrook, junior, spearcd me in the knee. I saw what was about to happen but I was frozen. BLIND LEADING THE BLIND Here Kathy Seattergood, journalism sponsor, helps Wayne Marinik, sopllmore, catch up on missed work. Students who missed days while injured were able to receive tutoring. It scared me that I couldn't move my leg and I thought it was broken. I went to Dr. John Tcnney and he confirmed I had a chipped knee cap and torn cartilage. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to play baseball again but I only had to miss our last three football games. Pat Kirby It seems like I am always injuring myself, especially in football. Just this season I broke two fingers and kind of chipped a vertebrae disk, I dislocated and fractured my two fingers at the JV Midlothian game. I was making a tackle against the ball carrier and in the process jammed my index and middle finger on the side of his helmet. I chipped my vertebrae here at the Northwest game when I got speared. It was a painful experience that was more time conssning than anything. It was real troublesome to rap my fingers before every practice. My injuries still get in the way of a normal life and it still hurts to do certain exercises. Joseph Parr I really bit the dust on my motorcycle accident. It wasn't the most serious injury I had ever had but it came close. I did it trying to go around a corner too fast on my motorcycle. I really slipped up on my steering and crashed. I laid there for a moment not quite sure what had happened. I was down at my grandparents in East Texas. I had to wait for about 30 minutes at my cousin's house until I was rushed to the local hospital. At this point, I felt really embarrassed. I was there for two hours and they gave me pain killers for the two hour drive back to Dallas. Here, I was treated for my unusual leg break. I didn't really worry about the accident because I felt l could face up to it. I can't wait to ride my motorcyle again! Wayne Marinik I don't remember much about the play except that I was blocking for the runner and I started getting tackled. A guy weighing 250 pounds from Corsicana really did me in. I tried to get up and walk when my entire left leg went numb. I knew something was wrong. l was rushed to Midway Park Hospital where I sat for an hour and a half without pain killers. While I was waiting, I started hallucinating and thought I saw Mark James, a fellow sophomore classmate! The doctor finally got to me and they rushed me in for an Artieogram to check the artery or I could lose my leg. It was all right, but I had dislocated my knee over six inches, damaged three of my four ligaments, destroyed my cartilage and broken some bone. I went through surgery and was on crutches for three months. Before, I was in a wheelchair for two weeks. I never realized how difficult it was for people on crutches and in wheelchairs to get around. I feel a new respect for people who spend long periods in wheelchairs or on crutches. 1 il Jet

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ESV? Y Q, rirt if .,-.ai E Q' W Q: ' M1' .QQ. i ' ' E. reigns at homecomin g Homecoming. It is the time of year when laughter mingles with the sounds of clanking bells and rustling ribbons. It is a time of spirit and unity that even the rain could not dampen. The week before Homecoming was an extraordinary one with competitions, which included everthing from spirit links to floats. Also, there were fun filled days that involved dressing Hawaiian, wearing special class colors, wearing maroon and white and showing off hats and formals. Each class also challenged each other in the spirit link competition, racing for proof of who had more spirit. The juniors came out on top. The float competition was entered by every class and a few organizations. This year's theme was Legends In Our Time. The parade also had a procession of classic cars in which the Homecoming nominees rode, winning the hearts of the crowd as they passed by with friendly smiles and waves. After the parade came the bonfire which acted as a city-wide pep rally. The floats were parked on the track to be admired and judged for originality and appearance. The juniors, once again, took first placeg second place went to the sophomores and third place went to the seniors. All the classes were very proud of their work. All the next day tension hung in the air mixed with hope and anticipation. Everyone was busy thinking of the game and the possible outcome. At the start of the game, SPINNING THE WHEEL of victory are the freshman Sean Fitzpatrick, Kelly Klinke, Stephen Williams, Joseph Parr and Amy McClure. They built axfloat according to the themexx cyifgfogt Www l BRAVING THE RAIN is Dixie Smith, sophomore, dressed in her Hawkette uniform. Dixie waits to perform at halftime. REACHING FOR THE SKY are Doug Hinton, Stefan Hayner, Neal Brown and Clete Dodson as they decorate the junior float. It depicted the seven astronauts and space shuttle. Www' Mlm rairifa f l the crowd settled into the bleachers to see the nominees again and wait for the action. Some time in the second quarter a light mist of rain fell and the crowd thinned out a little. By halftime the mist had stopped long enough to crown the new queen, Kara Deal, senior and the princesses, Felicia Hitt, senior, Jennifer Logan, junior, April Leazure, sophomore and Marla Shue, freshman. Though the Hawks did not win, the feelings were not all of sorrow. There was a different prevailing mood. It was the great show of spirit and support that lifted the wings of every Red Oak Hawk. W!