From Six-on-Six to Full Court Press: A Century of Iowa Girls' Basketball

6. State Tournament

124 State Tournament "STATE TOURNAMENT:' "MARCH MADNESS:' "BASKETBAll FEVER:' "Iowa's all girl circus:' "Les girls in Des Moines:' "The Iowa girl stands tall:' "Great event, great kids:' "He's covered Super Bowl and World Series but found Iowa girls basketball most exciting:' "Girls basketball, a gala affair in Iowa:' Reporters covering the state tournament headline their stories about Iowa's all-girl extravaganza, the state tournament , in a variety of ways. Those who come from out of state describe the tradition, the equality with boys' high school sports, the thousands who attend, and the pageantry. In-state journalists are more blase about such things and write about the teams, the skills, the strategies, and star players. The girls' tournament outdraws the boys'. As one worker at Vets said, "the boys just play basketball. The crowds come and go. The girls have a lot of pageantry. The fans at the girls' games tend to watch their own school play and then stay for the next game;' Tickets for the final tournament games are sold out long before the tourney begins. Fans, many from out of state, arrange their yearly vacation times so that they can attend the state tournament. Even high school principals of nonqualifying teams have been known to skip school along with the team to go to the tournament. The Sweet Sixteen, the Final Eight To play at the state tournament is a dream come true for high school basketball players. For years they have worked toward playing in Vets under the bright lights in front of the home crowd and thousands of others in the stands and television audiences. It is a once in a lifetime experience for those sixteen plus eight teams that qualify. Suiting up in one's school colors and playing in the tournament confers glory that lasts a lifetime. 125 STATE TOURNAMENT The tension and anticipation accelerates once a team has won its regional championship. Within days the first round pairings are announced. Teams that have not competed during the regular season will meet in the first round. Coaches view opponents' game films and map out their game plans. Players practice with a fresh intensity-coaches don't have to remind anyone to follow training rules. Hard workouts, getting schoolwork done, adoring fans' attention, special events at school, and radio, newspaper, and television interviews all add to long days and short nights for the players. It is next to impossible for them to concentrate. The cheerleaders plan special pep assemblies. The superintendent , principal, coach, athletic director, teachers, and student body president all give speeches praising and, hopefully, inspiring the players. The students get rowdy and plan special and crazy things to show their support for the team. The boys may decide to paint their upper torsos with the team's name, or the whole student body may plan to paint their faces in the school colors. Some schools' students and fans will wear shirts emblazoned with the team's name. Others will wear masks fashioned like their team's name-Tigers, Cyclones, Cubs, Vikings . The cheerleaders practice their routines and cheers; they'll be leading cheers in front of thousands of tournament goers and television viewers. They spend hours planning and organizing the painting of posters and plaster the players' lockers with banners. Posters are hung in the hallways. Banners are draped on the tourney bound school buses, and the players ' hotel rooms, hallways, and doors are "papered" with the school colors. In the small towns the elementary classes also show their 6.1. Veterans Memorial Auditorium , site of state tourneys. The final night is always sold out. The All-Iowa Drill team entertains between games. (AI Barcheski, IGHSAU) 6.2. Cedar Rapids Jefferson boys cheering the j'Hawks to the 1993 five-player championship over Solon. (Janice A. Beran) 126 FROM SIX-DN-SIX TO FUll COURT PRESS support and pride. They've been cheering for their team all year. It's probably only in Iowa that there are little boys who want to be able to shoot a basketball as well as one of their heroines on the school team. Many of the younger children will know at least someone on the team; it may be they have a sister or cousin playing. The teachers turn that support for the team into an English or art assignment. For example, when Oelwein first sent a team to state the players...