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RAFT - COLLIN ANDERSON

Page history last edited by Christian Willman 15 years, 7 months ago

R:     Gary Gaines, coach of the Permian High School football team

 

A:     Members of the media and fans

 

F:      Letter from Coach Gary Gaines to the media

 

T:     This is a letter from Coach Gary Gaines to the media about the Permian football team in 1988

 

 

February, 1989

 

 

Dear Odessa America:

 

     I am very pleased to be writing to you, the town newspaper, about our 1988 football team and the success we had as well as the struggles we went through. We had a handful of great players and many good coaches to lead us throughout the season. We ended up losing in the semi-finals to Dallas-Carter High School, which really hurt, but it was a good run. We were able to play at Ratliff Stadium with some key seniors that would be their last game, and I just wish we could've pulled off the victory; I am truly sorry.     

 

     Some people feel that racism was an issue throughout the season, but it never was, and I just wanted to briefly expand on this issue. I feel 100 percent confident that we always played the best players, regardless of color. When you play a kid just solely because of the color of his skin, that doesn't make any sense as a coach whose job is to win, whose job is on the line. I knew that Boobie Miles was upset about the playing time he got, but it didn't affect the remainder of the team, whether they were black or white or Hispanic. There was never a racial issue. We played the best players we thought gave us the best chance to win.     

 

     With the great team we had and the great support we had, I feel that this team was one of the toughest and most underrated teams we ever had, mostly due to our size. This is why I pushed the kids so hard. We ran our asses off every day in practice and did hitting drills that seriously injured some players. But I felt like I had to do this to get into our heads that we could play with the best of the best and the most elite, such as Dallas-Carter. We almost won, and I am very proud of every one of the players and coaches on that 1988 squad. It was a hell of a run, and I am glad I was the coach. Thanks again to everyone.

   

Sincerely, 

Coach Gaines

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