SPIRIT AND SPORTS
MOUNTIE DAY AT SHADES VALLEY WAS OUR HOMECOMING. CAN YOU BELIEVE THEY CALLED US REDNECKS?(Click to enlarge.)
BE TRUE TO YOUR SCHOOL!
NOT ONLY DID TEAMS HAVE TO FACE THE MOUNTIES IN THE ATHLETIC ARENA, BUT THEY ALSO HAD TO FACE THE STUDENT BODY AND ALL THE FANS WHO STOOD WITH OUR TEAMS.
HERE ARE A FEW PICTURES FROM SHADES VALLEY IN 1969.
THE BAND MEMBERS ALWAYS WORKED SO HARD, AND WHENEVER THEY STEPPED ONTO THE FIELD, THEY MADE US ALL PROUD.(Click to enlarge.)
I think some of us never realized how hard the Band Members had to work on their skills. I am certain many of them had started taking lessons and practicing on their instruments years before they ever entered into High School, much the same as the athletes who competed in sports.
Not only did they have to master their skills on their musical instruments, but they also had to spend countless hours marching in the blazing hot sun of Alabama in order to perfect their Halftime Shows.
THANK YOU BAND MEMBERS FOR ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK. YOU WERE THE BEST!!!(Click to enlarge.)
Sometimes during a football game, you would hear more cheering and encouragement coming from the Band Section, than from anywhere else in Mountie Stadium. As hard as they worked and as much as they contributed to Shades Valley, it is likely they may have been one of the most under appreciated groups in our school, much to our shame.
I know it has been over 40 years since the Band Members performed together, but as I look back to the days of our youth, I am made more aware of the contribution the Shades Valley High School Band made to each and every student in our school.
IT WAS DIFFICULT TO WATCH ANYTHING ELSE WHENEVER THE MAJORETTES STEPPED ONTO THE FIELD. (Click to enlarge.)
Our Band was led by Drum Major Gary Parker. Our four Majorettes were,(Left to Right,) Gail Blanpied, Betsy Marchich, Betty Smith, and Kit Brewster. The Moutie Majorettes were not only beautiful, but the were also talented and I NEVER overlooked the Mountie Majorettes!
THE PEP CLUB MEMBERS WORKED HARD AT THEIR JOB TOO,
THEY KNEW WHAT IT TOOK TO PULL THE MOUNTIES THROUGH.
THE SHADES VALLEY MOUNTIES PEP CLUB. (Click to enlarge.)
THE VALLEY CHEERLEADERS, LIKE THE BAND MEMBERS, HAD TO WORK ON THEIR SKILLS FOR YEARS BEFORE THEY COULD BECOME MEMBERS OF THE SQUAD.
VALLEY CHEERLEADERS ON MOUNTIE DAY FLOAT.(Click to enlarge.)
Mountie Day at Valley meant Homecoming for our school, and we all took it very seriously. We had a Parade on Mountie Day, and all the Clubs in our school would be represented with their own floats. Many people dressed in Hillbilly fashion, and the school would rock all day long. Mountie Day was a test-free day, because all the Teachers realized all the pumped up Teenagers had other things on their minds.
THE BEST OF THE BEST!(Click to enlarge.)
It takes a special person to be a Cheerleader, and at Valley, we had the Best of the Best. Their dedication and School Spirit was an inspiration to us all. Their upbeat attitudes and "Never Give Up" character would make us feel as if there was no such thing as failure.
Like all the other athletes in our school, they put in many hours of hard training until they worked their Routines to near perfection.
Thank you Valley Cheerleaders for all your hard work and for your inspiration!
THE 1969 SHADES VALLEY MOUNTIE CHEERLEADERS. (Click to enlarge.)
"NEVER GIVE UP" (Click to enlarge.)
Our Cheerleaders were a constant source of strength and encouragement to all the Athletes and the entire Student Body.
Defeat was an option they would never consider. I think all of us at Shades Valley could have benefitted from the "Don't Stop Trying" mentality our Cheerleaders seemed to possess.
FOOTBALL
HERE COME THE MOUNTIES!(Click to enlarge.)
AIN'T SKEERED!(Click to enlarge.)
SHADES VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL 1968 JEFFERSON COUNTY FOOTBALL CHAMPS.
7-WINS 2-LOSSES
OFFENSE!
DRIVING TOWARD VICTORY.(Click to enlarge.)
The Mighty Mountie Offense generated 146 points in only nine games, and we played in the toughest division in the State of Alabama. John Pratt, Andy Coats, Hal Bissel and Jim Corley were the leaders of our high-powered offense that took us all the way to the "Dental Clinic Game."
ANDY COATS FOR 10 YARDS WITH KENT DAVIS BLOCKING FOR HIM.(Click to enlarge.)
ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST!
HAL BISSEL RUNNING OVER A MOUNTAIN BROOK SPARTAN.(Click to enlarge.)
JIM CORLEY AND JOEY TINSLEY LEADING HAL BISSEL DOWN THE FIELD.(Click to enlarge.)
JOHN PRATT LOOKING DOWN FIELD FOR A RECEIVER.(Click to enlarge.)
STRATEGY!
COACH BISHOP AND ANDY COATS LOOKING AT ALL THE OPTIONS.(Click to enlarge.)
MITCHELL KELLY PUNTING AGAINST GARDENDALE.(Click to enlarge.)
WHEN THE MOUNTIES TOOK THE FIELD, THERE WERE MORE THAN FOOTBALLS KICKED!
GIVE THAT SHORT GUY A UNIFORM.(Click to enlarge.)
DEFENSE!
MITCHELL KELLY MAKING A TACKLE.(Click to enlarge.)
CHARLIE INGRAHAM COMING UP WITH A BIG INTERCEPTION.(Click to enlarge.)
Defense really does win games and in nine regular season games the Mountie Defense only allowed an average of one touchdown per game. The Defense was instrumental in our 7-2 season and the Jefferson County Championship.
1969 SHADES VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS.(Click to enlarge.)
BASKETBALL
SHADES VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL MOUNTIES BASKETBALL TEAM.(Click to enlarge.)
VALLEY BASKETBALL TEAM DOES IT AGAIN!
LARRY WORD SCREENS SO LUTHER STRANGE CAN TAKE THE SHOT.(Click to enlarge.)
SHADES VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL 1969 JEFFERSON COUNTY BASKETBALL CHAMPIONS
18-WINS 7-LOSSES
THE 1969 SHADES VALLEY BASKETBALL TEAM WAS VIRTUALLY UNSTOPPABLE IN OUR COUNTY. EVEN TEAMS FROM OUTSIDE OUR COUNTY HAD A DIFFICULT TIME WITH THE POWERFUL OFFENSE AND DEFENSE THE MOUNTIES ALWAYS BROUGHT TO THE COURT. CARL ROBERTS WAS IN HIS FIRST YEAR OF COACHING AT VALLEY AND HE DID AN AMAZING JOB. BECAUSE HE HAD SO MUCH TALENT ON THE TEAM, OUR BASKETBALL TEAM HAD GUYS SITTING ON THE BENCH WHO COULD HAVE STARTED AT ALMOST ANY SCHOOL IN OUR STATE. THE BASKETBALL TEAM MADE US VERY PROUD OF THEM AND ALL THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
JEFF OWENS MAKING 2 MORE FOR THE MOUNTIES.(Click to enlarge.)
WE HAD THE GRACE!
LARRY WORD AND LUTHER STRANGE WORK FOR THE REBOUND.(Click to enlarge.)
WE HAD THE STRENGTH!
TIP OFF AGAINST ERWIN.(Click to enlarge.)
WE HAD THE HEIGHT!
LUTHER STRANGE SINKS ANOTHER 2 FOR VALLEY.(Click to enlarge.)
WE HAD THE SKILL!
JEFF OWEN MANEUVERS HIS WAY THROUGH THE GARDENDALE DEFENSE.
(Click to enlarge.)
WE HAD THE SPEED!
STARTING LINE-UP FOR THE SHADES VALLEY MOUNTIES.
(Click to enlarge.)
WE HAD THE TEAM!
THE TRACK TEAM
SHADES VALLEY MOUNTIES TRACK TEAM.(Click to enlarge.)
JACK ANDREWS THREW THE SHOT PUT FOR VALLEY. (Click to enlarge.)
The Mounties Track Team always was one of the best in the State. We had great Sprinters, great Long Distance Runners, and we were unbeatable in the "Pit." Our guys in the "Pit" always excelled in all the Throwing and the Jumpimg events. We were fortunate to have some of the fastest and strongest guys in the State, who practiced until they became Champions.
JOEY TINSLEY DEMONSTRATES PERFECT FORM THROWING THE DISCUS.
(Click to enlarge.)
HERE ARE SOME OF OUR "DISTANCE" GUYS DOING WHAT THEY DID THE BEST!(Click to enlarge.)
MARK MERITT AND BILL MONTGOMERY WERE TWO OF OUR FINE SPRINTERS.(Click to enlarge.)
WRESTLING TEAM
SHADES VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL MOUNTIES WRESTLING TEAM.(Click to enlarge.)
From the Light Weights to the Heavy Weights, and everyone in between, the Mountie Wrestling Team was always a force to be reckoned with. Whether at home or on the road, the competition always knew when they faced off with the Mounties, they would have the fight of their lives.
TENNIS
SHADES VALLEY TENNIS TEAM.(Click to enlarge.)
GOLF
SHADES VALLEY GOLF TEAM.(Click to enlarge.)
