Toms Brook High School Girl's Basketball Team
Files
Dublin Core
Title
Toms Brook High School Girl's Basketball Team
Subject
Toms Brook School (Va)
Description
The 1946 Toms Brook High School girls’ basketball team had an extremely successful season. Their yearbook reports they played a total 21 games and losing only four. 14 of those were played against teams from Shenandoah County’s six other high schools. The girls only lost two of those and were able to win the County Basketball League’s inaugural championship.
At the time society felt women’s sports teams were unable to perform at the same level as men’s teams. Separate rules were developed for almost all events as part of this stereotype. Girls’ basketball teams in the county played six-on-six or “basquette” basketball. This meant they usually only played on half a court, had much stricter rules about contact, and utilized three guards and three forwards instead of the typical five person teams.
Despite these restrictions, the girls of Toms Brook’s 1946 team were able to gain praise from all corners. Having a team win a county championship boosted the pride of the community. Toms Brook would have certainly cheered the girls and would have celebrated their ability to beat other local communities.
As part of these celebrations a banquet was held to welcome the girls back after their final game. At this dinner Mark Roller, their principal/coach, presented them with gold basketballs. Based on their comments in the yearbook the players, Lucy Richards, Vilma Smith, Betty Reger, Louise Kronk, Jean Slager, and Nancy Radger, felt this was one of the greatest rewards they could receive.
At the time society felt women’s sports teams were unable to perform at the same level as men’s teams. Separate rules were developed for almost all events as part of this stereotype. Girls’ basketball teams in the county played six-on-six or “basquette” basketball. This meant they usually only played on half a court, had much stricter rules about contact, and utilized three guards and three forwards instead of the typical five person teams.
Despite these restrictions, the girls of Toms Brook’s 1946 team were able to gain praise from all corners. Having a team win a county championship boosted the pride of the community. Toms Brook would have certainly cheered the girls and would have celebrated their ability to beat other local communities.
As part of these celebrations a banquet was held to welcome the girls back after their final game. At this dinner Mark Roller, their principal/coach, presented them with gold basketballs. Based on their comments in the yearbook the players, Lucy Richards, Vilma Smith, Betty Reger, Louise Kronk, Jean Slager, and Nancy Radger, felt this was one of the greatest rewards they could receive.
Source
Shenandoah County Historical Society Collection
Publisher
Shenandoah County Library
Date
1946
Citation
“Toms Brook High School Girl's Basketball Team,” Shenandoah County Library Archives, accessed April 26, 2024, http://archives.countylib.org/items/show/5930.
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