Today's Pep Rally Starts A Two-Month Celebration at Yates

Photo by Bryan Williams

​A pep rally at Yates High School this afternoon kicks off two months of events that are scheduled to celebrate the school's basketball team. 

The Yates team won a state championship a couple weeks ago, finishing the season undefeated at 34-0. The team was also named the best high school basketball team in the country in five national polls.

"The kids on our team, all of them live in our neighborhood, except for two, and they're in our school of communications," Principal Ronald Mumphery told Hair Balls. "When you're a part of Yates, you're a part of a family, and not just the family on this campus. The alumni and the community itself are part of your family."

He continued, "This school is great because of the family spirit. That's what it is."

There's a whole lot of people wanting to be in the family now.

Already, at a pep rally for the team before it left for the state tournament in Austin, City Council member Jolanda Jones made an appearance and spoke to the school. Mumphery held a microphone to a cell phone so Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee could talk to the crowd, too.

Jackson Lee also sat behind the Yates bench during the state championship game.

Governor Rick Perry's experience with Yates, however, didn't go so smoothly.

Perry attended the tournament in Austin, and he sat in the front row for most of the games. Some officials from the University Interscholastic League asked the governor to present medals and trophies to the kids and coaches after each game.

Perry did, and each time he was introduced, a chorus of boos rang out from the Yates fans. Another pep rally and "team recognition" is scheduled for Tuesday, March 30, at City Hall, so it will be interesting to see if any of the city pols get the same treatment from the Yates crowd.

Tomorrow, a noon rally is scheduled at the HEB store at 6102 Scott Street, and Roland Martin, who works for CNN and graduated from Yates in 1987, is supposed to attend. Other events include a church service for the team at Windsor Village United Methodist and a banquet at Brady's Landing. A parade through the Third Ward to honor the team is scheduled for April 10.

Check Hair Balls later this afternoon for pictures and coverage of today's pep rally.