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| Our Voice - December 8 |
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| Written by PI Editorial Staff | |
| Saturday, 08 December 2007 | |
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Sports successes another sign of community ties Ahh, what a difference four years can make. It’s amazing to think Patterson High School’s varsity football team finished 3-7 overall in 2003 and 2004. That the team made the section championship this year is a testimony to the hard work and dedication coach Rob Cozart has contributed to the program. It’s also testament to the work of the players themselves — and to the local community that has supported them. Early in the 2007 football season, a stadium packed with fans celebrated the revamping of Patterson Community Stadium, complete with all-new field turf and a scoreboard, thanks in part to community support. The Tigers’ storied season ended with an estimated 2,500 Patterson fans showing up at University of the Pacific in Stockton to support them last weekend. That’s more than a tenth of the city’s population. Longtime and newcomer residents alike have rallied around the team, making the football squad a unifying force in town. The large turnout is just another example of the time-honored tradition of Patterson residents getting behind their sports programs. That tradition was evident once again this week as Patterson High wrestling parents and other community members made some noise about the wrestling room still being under construction, after students were forced to practice at other campuses. Though the team still will not have access to its renovated wrestling room until January, high school administrators and staff worked out a solution that will allow the team to practice in the high school’s main gymnasium starting next week. Like the football team, the wrestling program has seen a dramatic resurgence during the past couple of years, with close to 70 grapplers in this year’s program. Those wrestlers have embraced the community, running around town and greeting local businesses. Hopefully, the relationship between the community and local sports programs will grow in the coming years, even as the town grows. It also would be great to see a similar partnership form with Patterson High’s music and arts programs. Such bonds create a feeling of community, even in the face of intense growth, and help forge a sense of belonging for students. As that happens, everyone benefits.
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