Christmas gift idea for sports people:
In 1980, my high school won its first Virginia State Football Championship, beating Park View Sterling, led by future Notre Dame and Houston Oilers RB Allen Pinkett. I was four years old.
The Spartans were a bunch of farm boys, with one exceptional running back talent, coached by a 28-year old coach’s son who taught math and never played football himself, but had a penchant for demanding adult accountability and sacrifice from 16-year olds. (I lived it)
The Giles High program had never won anything. Nothing.
At the time that ‘80 title was the biggest thing that ever happened in my hometown. Might still be.
Author Jeremy Haymore spent years researching the 1980 GHS season to pen Bandana Express.
It’s an awesome (and true) tale of a town, a team, a time that inspired an entire Appalachian region.
amazon.com/dp/B0F8LJH44H?ref…