#412 I Am The Warrior

I loved high school.  I wasn’t particularly popular.  However, at 6’6”, everyone knew who I was.  Playing on the volleyball and basketball teams helped too.  I never went to parties, instead heading to someone’s house to watch movies or to Noble Roman’s for pizza and breadsticks on the weekends (they have the BEST breadsticks). 

Despite my affinity for high school, I have moved on and don’t live there.  We all know people who are like that.  They have the same hair, dress the same way, or all they talk about is their high school days.  It’s fun to visit now and then, and I do still hang out with high school friends.  Ultimately, we all have moved on. 

I go to the occasional football game each fall.  (Ok, this year I went to four.  A high school friend’s son was a senior on the team so I went to more games than usual).  I also go to maybe one girls basketball game (I have not been to one in a couple years).  I got wind of a 6’5” freshman on the girls team so Melissa (said high school friend) and I went to a game a few weeks ago.  It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a girls team at Warren play that well.  They have a new coach and he’s doing a great job.  Their freshman “big girl” (as I like to call tall basketball players) did well also. She's 6'5".  

Last weekend Melissa and I were at Warren again, and to recognize another former Lady Warrior who is on the 2016 Indiana High School Basketball Silver Anniversary Team.  Shannon played at Warren after I left (1988-1991) and then went on to Purdue.  They introduced her before the varsity girls’ game.  Several of her teammates and friends were there to support her, along with her family. What a fun night!  As is always the case at a reunion game like that, we were too busy catching up with each other to pay a lot of attention to the game (they won by about 30 points). 

After the game we all met at a local pizza place to continue the fun.  We had to get our breadsticks!  (Alas, there is no longer a Noble Romans on our side of town.)  Shannon is a fellow “big girl” at 6’4” so we chatted a bit about clothes and men.  Two hot topics!  Even though the graduation years spanned a few years within our group (‘85 through ‘91) we all had a blast.  Why wouldn’t we?  We are the Warriors!