Springfield Football
- Thread starter MizzouMan96
- Start date
Why would you say that about somebody else's school? Does it make you feel better? I'm sure the schools nearest you are impeccable models of success and achievement in the educational world. The envy of all. Do you just happen to live near good schools, or do they pop up automatically wherever you choose to live? Either way, the lesson to young people should be to choose good schools next time they decide where they are going to live.
Or just be a good enough athlete to get sold to the highest bidding private school.
Oh wait, this is the ozarks
Oh wait, this is the ozarks
Hancock, 2 6 n 4 seasons , other 7 were 8 plus wins, Erickson, and Smith. That is from 1974 to 2001.
According to Missouri Sports Hall of Fame, Steve Hancock was 76-26 at Stockton.
Then went 198-108 in 28 seasons at Branson for a total record of 274-134 in 37 seasons as the head man at both schools.
Then @ Springfield Catholic he went 35-30 from what I can gather which would bring him to somewhere around 309-164 in 43 seasons as a head coach before leaving head coaching duties.
Someone I know said he had 310 wins though. He very well could of.
Either way, it’s a 65% winning percentage over the course of 43 years as a head coach.
Then went 198-108 in 28 seasons at Branson for a total record of 274-134 in 37 seasons as the head man at both schools.
Then @ Springfield Catholic he went 35-30 from what I can gather which would bring him to somewhere around 309-164 in 43 seasons as a head coach before leaving head coaching duties.
Someone I know said he had 310 wins though. He very well could of.
Either way, it’s a 65% winning percentage over the course of 43 years as a head coach.
So since the KC & STL schools use their suburbs(some of which are 40 miles from the city) when they talk about state titles & appearances, etc…
Here we go…
Last 40 years, state championships for Springfield/Springfield area in boy & girls basketball:
Boys are in bold
I’m limiting it 20 miles from city limits maximum that way KC & STL can claim superiority as they always seem to do.
1942: Greenwood Blue Jays Class B State Champs
1950: Ozark Tigers Class B State Champs (city borders 3 miles apart)
1959: Springfield St. Agnes Class M Champs
1963: Republic Tigers Class M Champs(5-6 miles from Spfd border)
1965: Parkview Vikings Class L Champs
1978: Nixa Eagles Class 2 Champs (border is 1 mile from Springfield border or less)
1982: Logan-Rogersville Wildcats Class 3 Champs (school is 5 miles from Springfield city limits)
1983: Spfd Catholic Lady Irish Class 1 Champs
1984: Spfd Catholic Fightin Irish Class 1 Champs
1984: Hillcrest Hornets Class 4 Champs
1984: Spfd Central Lady Bulldogs Class 4 Champs
1985: Kickapoo Lady Chiefs Class 4 Champs
1987: Kickapoo Lady Chiefs Class 4 Champs
1988: Marshfield Lady Jays Class 3 Champs (19 miles from Springfield limits)
1989: Marshfield Lady Jays Class 3 Champs
1990: Spfd Catholic Lady Irish Class 2 Champs
1990: Marshfield Lady Jays Class 3 Champs
1991: Marshfield Lady Jays Class 3 Champs
1992: Spfd Catholic Lady Irish Class 2 Champs
1993: Spfd Catholic Lady Irish Class 2 Champs
1994: Republic Lady Tigers Class 3 Champs
1996: Marshfield Lady Jays Class 3 Champs
1996: Glendale Lady Falcons Class 4 Champs
1997: Marshfield Lady Jays Class 3 Champs
1998: Fordland Eagles Class 1 Champs (17 miles outside of city limits)
1999: Nixa Eagles Class 3 Champs
1999: Marshfield Lady Jays Class 3 Champs
2000: Nixa Lady Eagles Class 3 Champs
2001: Kickapoo Lady Chiefs Class 4 Champs
2003: Ozark Tigers Class 4 Champs
2003: Kickapoo Chiefs Class 5 Champs
2003: Kickapoo Lady Chiefs Class 5 Champs
2005: Ozark Lady Tigers Class 4 Champs
2005: Kickapoo Lady Chiefs Class 5 Champs
2006: Ozark Lady Tigers Class 4 Champs
2007: Walnut Grove Lady Tigers Class 1 Champs(16 miles from Springfield border)
2009: Nixa Lady Eagles Class 5 Champs
2010: Hillcrest Hornets Class 5 Champs
2012: Billings Wildcats Class 2 Champs (13 miles from Springfield border)
2012: Republic Lady Tigers Class 4 Champs
2013: Republic Tigers Class 4 Champs
2013: Walnut Grove Lady Tigers Class 1 Champs
2014: Republic Tigers Class 4 Champs
2014: Walnut Grove Lady Tigers Class 1 Champs
2015: Walnut Grove Lady Tigers Class 1 Champs
2016: Strafford Lady Indians Class 3 State Champs
2017: Walnut Grove Tigers Class 1 Champs
2017: Strafford Lady Indians Class 3 Champs
2018: Strafford Lady Indians Class 3 Champs
2019: Greenwood Blue Jays Class 2 Champs
2019: Walnut Grove Lady Tigers Class 1 Champs
2019: Strafford Lady Indians Class 3 Champs
2020: Walnut Grove Lady Tigers Class 1 Champs
2020: Strafford Lady Indians Class 3 Champs
2021: Kickapoo Chiefs Class 6 State Champs
This is from a much smaller number of schools and much smaller population size than the KC/STL area.
The Springfield area has always been a basketball hotbed.
I’d be very interested to know the number of final fours represented by this area.
Here we go…
Last 40 years, state championships for Springfield/Springfield area in boy & girls basketball:
Boys are in bold
I’m limiting it 20 miles from city limits maximum that way KC & STL can claim superiority as they always seem to do.
1942: Greenwood Blue Jays Class B State Champs
1950: Ozark Tigers Class B State Champs (city borders 3 miles apart)
1959: Springfield St. Agnes Class M Champs
1963: Republic Tigers Class M Champs(5-6 miles from Spfd border)
1965: Parkview Vikings Class L Champs
1978: Nixa Eagles Class 2 Champs (border is 1 mile from Springfield border or less)
1982: Logan-Rogersville Wildcats Class 3 Champs (school is 5 miles from Springfield city limits)
1983: Spfd Catholic Lady Irish Class 1 Champs
1984: Spfd Catholic Fightin Irish Class 1 Champs
1984: Hillcrest Hornets Class 4 Champs
1984: Spfd Central Lady Bulldogs Class 4 Champs
1985: Kickapoo Lady Chiefs Class 4 Champs
1987: Kickapoo Lady Chiefs Class 4 Champs
1988: Marshfield Lady Jays Class 3 Champs (19 miles from Springfield limits)
1989: Marshfield Lady Jays Class 3 Champs
1990: Spfd Catholic Lady Irish Class 2 Champs
1990: Marshfield Lady Jays Class 3 Champs
1991: Marshfield Lady Jays Class 3 Champs
1992: Spfd Catholic Lady Irish Class 2 Champs
1993: Spfd Catholic Lady Irish Class 2 Champs
1994: Republic Lady Tigers Class 3 Champs
1996: Marshfield Lady Jays Class 3 Champs
1996: Glendale Lady Falcons Class 4 Champs
1997: Marshfield Lady Jays Class 3 Champs
1998: Fordland Eagles Class 1 Champs (17 miles outside of city limits)
1999: Nixa Eagles Class 3 Champs
1999: Marshfield Lady Jays Class 3 Champs
2000: Nixa Lady Eagles Class 3 Champs
2001: Kickapoo Lady Chiefs Class 4 Champs
2003: Ozark Tigers Class 4 Champs
2003: Kickapoo Chiefs Class 5 Champs
2003: Kickapoo Lady Chiefs Class 5 Champs
2005: Ozark Lady Tigers Class 4 Champs
2005: Kickapoo Lady Chiefs Class 5 Champs
2006: Ozark Lady Tigers Class 4 Champs
2007: Walnut Grove Lady Tigers Class 1 Champs(16 miles from Springfield border)
2009: Nixa Lady Eagles Class 5 Champs
2010: Hillcrest Hornets Class 5 Champs
2012: Billings Wildcats Class 2 Champs (13 miles from Springfield border)
2012: Republic Lady Tigers Class 4 Champs
2013: Republic Tigers Class 4 Champs
2013: Walnut Grove Lady Tigers Class 1 Champs
2014: Republic Tigers Class 4 Champs
2014: Walnut Grove Lady Tigers Class 1 Champs
2015: Walnut Grove Lady Tigers Class 1 Champs
2016: Strafford Lady Indians Class 3 State Champs
2017: Walnut Grove Tigers Class 1 Champs
2017: Strafford Lady Indians Class 3 Champs
2018: Strafford Lady Indians Class 3 Champs
2019: Greenwood Blue Jays Class 2 Champs
2019: Walnut Grove Lady Tigers Class 1 Champs
2019: Strafford Lady Indians Class 3 Champs
2020: Walnut Grove Lady Tigers Class 1 Champs
2020: Strafford Lady Indians Class 3 Champs
2021: Kickapoo Chiefs Class 6 State Champs
This is from a much smaller number of schools and much smaller population size than the KC/STL area.
The Springfield area has always been a basketball hotbed.
I’d be very interested to know the number of final fours represented by this area.
Good research. Springfield definitely the envy of the basketball world.
I honestly thought the topic of conversation was Springfield schools and why they don’t compete in football 🤷🏻♂️
Bradleyville is about 35 miles from Springfield limits, if I extended the radius out to that, it would probably double the amount of state titles.
I was limiting it to 20 miles max.
So the first question was (paraphrasing):
“Why aren’t Springfield area schools more competitive in football?”
The leading answer:
“Springfield’s a Basketball town”
I think that’s a bad answer (9 state titles in boys basketball in the last 20 years between all the schools within 20 miles of Springfield doesn’t do much to change my mind)
“Why aren’t Springfield area schools more competitive in football?”
The leading answer:
“Springfield’s a Basketball town”
I think that’s a bad answer (9 state titles in boys basketball in the last 20 years between all the schools within 20 miles of Springfield doesn’t do much to change my mind)
That’s the culture of the entire area of Springfield.
The amount of good athletes in Springfield schools that don’t play football for the simple fact that the teams haven’t been good.
They’re not going to be good if the majority of the athletes aren’t playing football.
And just so you know, just because a school doesn’t win a state title in basketball every 2-3 years,‘doesn’t mean they aren’t a basketball school. I think you can wrap your head around that.
I think SPS is a joke in football just like most people do, but to say that basketball doesn’t take a 100% priority over football at these schools in legit ignorant.
Basketball, baseball. PERIOD. Only state fb champions in Spfd are the private schools. Don't think a public has made it to finals.
1981 Greenwood Class 1 Champs
1997 Springfield Catholic Class 2 Champs
2011 Logan-Rogersville Class 3 Champs
Compare this to the list of State Champs in basketball and tell me that it doesn’t take priority
1997 Springfield Catholic Class 2 Champs
2011 Logan-Rogersville Class 3 Champs
Compare this to the list of State Champs in basketball and tell me that it doesn’t take priority
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Greenwood also won in early 70s, 71 I think. Second in 1980 and 1986. Catholic a second also.
Midway beat Rock Port for the title in 70
Tarkio beat Greenwood for the title in 71
HardinCentral beat Greenwood for title in 80
Marceline beat Greenwood for the title in 86
Greenwood has 1 title and 3 runner-up finishes from 1971-1986
Catholic may have finished second one year but I didn’t see another title. This all came off the MSHSAA site
Oh don’t get me wrong; I agree that Basketball takes priority over football in Springfield (even though nearly every school that has football makes more money from that sport than basketball)…
…I just think that’s a bad reason to use for Springfield not being competitive in another sport 🤷🏻♂️
Not sure I get the point. Replied to a comment about the factors in SPS that make it undesirable. Those factors are dead on accurate. If it weren’t for Kickapoo, SPS would be borderline STL/KC city schools rough. It’s just a fact. The people that made SPS tolerable are leaving in droves for Strafford, Willard, Republic, Nixa, and Ozark. If they choose to stay in Springfield it’s Poo, Greenwood, or Catholic. The only SPS school that’s really all that competitive in even basketball anymore is Poo. I think all of this plays a huge part in why they (Springfield area) aren’t competitive in football. Maybe cesspool is too strong of a word, but make no mistake, SPS is a pretty rough place overall.
Football requires a lot of investment. You got to work your tail off most of the year in the off season. It is an investment most kids don't see especially ones that live in the city where the parenuts may not be as involved. Baseball and basketball requires less participants so if you can get a dozen quality athletes out of a student body of 1200 to 2000 you can compete. I coached in Springfield. Loved it but you were always struggling to get kids out for the other sports. I think a lot has changed in the education part from when I was there. Maybe not for the better.
The question you inquired about was answered- even though you may not accept it. 🛑 already.
Cesspool is an appropriate description. In my past life, I witnessed the lack of cohesion, selfishness, and myopia among coaching staffs / administrators and communities within that cesspool - and at the end of the day - basketball is a top priority compared to all other sports activities. I don’t miss that isht show. The culture of SPS athletics on all levels needs to radically change to improve. Just my .02.
🦶🏾
When I lived there in the late 90s and very early 2000s most of my friends were SPS grads, the Ozarks and Nixas weren't really that sought after unless you were from there. My perception was there were SOME schools within SPS that many people avoided but these days it seems like it's ANY of them. I'm not really sure why or how much of that is reality or just assumptions and shifting perceptions of a larger district. I have a colleague who is really high on Kickapoo and I guess he and his wife are currently sparring on the matter because she REALLY wants to transfer the kids to Nixa but can't really articulate a solid reason other than her perception is Nixa is better. I think to some degree there is kind of a social aspect to it, you think you're being silently judged when mentioning your kids are at a Springfield school when everyone you know has jumped on the suburban bandwagon.
You see the same thing in this area with Joplin which at least in that case I believe is mostly grounded in false perceptions from people who have never had any kids in that school system. They just know it's large and envision a lot of poor and rough kids roaming the halls with drugs and weapons and disruptive behavior.
I’m not sure the issues are unique. Many underperforming urban districts suffer from the same type issues. I’m going to guess your school is in the Glendale or Poo attendance zone?
Really you should increase the area to represent the same populations as those metro area's.... Hartville and others would be in the mix.
Oh I know. Go out another 20-25 in radius and you’re looking at Hartville Boys, Stockton Girls, Bolivar, Branson, Blue Eye, Mount Vernon.
Whether it be in the past or present, some definite solid programs.
My school is actually split between Parkview and Kickapoo. Large variety of kids from a lot of different socioeconomic backgrounds.
From the latest census you might be onto something Springfield is listed as the poorest community in Missouri.
Based on household income and home values, Springfield is poorest city in Missouri
National data showing average household income and home values for Missouri cities of 25,000 or greater population place Springfield as the "poorest city in Missouri."
I don't think that it's either. There are other schools that are considered good in this district and there are ones that are considered bad as well. I think that it's a symptom of having a district that big.
I have buddies who work and coach at other schools and say that they really hate it. Though I will say that usually their biggest complaints have been geared towards administration. Which is pretty much the exact opposite of my situation, as I would say that my admin supports everyone in our building really well.
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