The winning team
By Keisha Williams, Outpost contributor
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Playing games |
It's a bone-chilling November night, just the kind of weather for a good football game. The McQueen Lancers are expecting a crowd of 10,000 people tonight when they play arch-rival Wooster High School for the zone championship. Yes, 10,000 people at a local high school game in Northern Nevada
 Coach Daulton has led the Lancers to another winning season. Photo by Keisha Williams. |
"Our community loves to support a winner, and our program emulates that tradition," McQueen head coach Ken Dalton says.
Throughout the year, the community and the football booster program work together to support and raise money for the team. The booster program, with 130 members, has been a formal club for 15 years. The club gets local businesses to place advertisements in the football programs sold at each game. The Lancers boosters also hold an annual luau for the community and student body.
These and other fundraising activities -- such as car washes, concession stands and raffles -- raising about $25,000 a year. The profits from these activities are used to purchase football equipment for the following year.
"The fundraisers bring the community together and help everyone meet new people," says Adam Torres, a senior running back for McQueen. "This increases fan support each year."
The community finds it easy to support McQueen because of its consistent winning record. Coach Dalton says the close-knit coaching staff places high expectations on the varsity players each year, which pushes the players to perform at their highest level. The expectations boost the team's confidence and are one of the primary reasons for its success, he says.
And when Dalton says high expectations, he means high. A winning record isn't good enough.
"If we don't make it to the division, zone and state championship games, we have not been successful as a team that particular year," he says.
Another key to the team's success is the new weight room, which sits under a sign proclaiming "Intensity Develops Pride." Year-around lifting is what many think sets this team apart from other programs in the area.
The McQueen Lancers have been weightlifting champs in the zone for the past 10 years. During the off-season, the coaching staff puts together a weightlifting program for all 180 football players. This program is developed for all levels of football at McQueen freshman, junior varsity and returning varsity members.
"The programs are not just there for window dressing," Dalton says.
These tactics have produced some of the best athletes in the nation. Moa Peaua, senior linebacker for McQueen, was named Reno's defensive player of the year as a junior and is now looking for a college to use his talents next year.
"Peaua is being recruited by everyone in the nation," Dalton says.
The Lancers' pride has not only filled the classrooms at McQueen, it has also filled the Reno northwest community. High school football is a family event here.
"McQueen football reminds me of when I was in high school," says Nancy Reeser, a northwest resident. "It is just basically good old-fashioned fun."
Clearly the fans love football, especially a team with a winning tradition. Make no mistake, winning is the major component that draws the vast community to the McQueen games. While no other team in the area has the same level of support, no other team has the same level of excellence.
"America loves to support a winner because it makes people feel good," says Dana Wagner, sports director at News Channel 8.
With the zone championship coming up, the Lancers don't have to worry about losing supporters. They have once again dominated northern Nevada for another successful year.
copyright 11/15/97 Nevada Outpost
http://www.jour.unr.edu/outpost
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