Town… or Team… who makes who better?

Does the town make the team or does the team make the town? A simple question with a more complicated answer. Although there is always someone with a different belief. You could say that a team with an entire town behind them is dangerous. Some people also say that a great team brings people to a town, and the people in the town together. Others could believe neither have involvement with each other. Well, I am here to give you facts that could prove both correct and let you decide what you believe. Does a town make a team or does a team make a town?  

The Town Makes the Team

The town makes the team. A town could make a team in many ways, from fundraisers to simply sitting in the crowd. My example of this is Moapa Valley as their football team is very successful. Their entire town bleeds blue and yellow. They have restaurants named after their school such as Pirates Landing. When you are welcomed to Moapa Valley they let you know immediately who they are with their  spirit by posting on their town welcome sign, “Celebrating 100 years of Pirate pride”. They all love their high school and they have a ton of tradition.

Also another example is Boulder City. They have a population growth cap of 15,000, so they are obviously a tight-knit community and they also love their high school. They have had generations of families that have run through their school and athletics, just like Moapa, giving them a lot of pride in their town and their team.

For an even smaller example, you can go to Indian Springs and the many many traditions they have and have had for years. Although they only have 66 students from 9th to 12th grade they have a 99 percent graduation rate. Even though they are a smaller school they run as a normal high school with a HOCO parade and a big HOCO game. The town is very, very behind their 8 man football team. Do those towns make their teams?

The Team Makes The Town 

Teams make a town in a lot of ways. Teams give a town something to believe in, something to be proud of. For example, in Moapa, since 2000 they have played in 12 state championship football games winning 3 of those championship games. In a quote from their head football coach Brent Lewis on what it felt like in the town when they didn’t make the playoffs or lost the state game, “Well yeah, (laughs) it felt like your dog died. I know everyone was torn up by it.” This is a successful case of getting a town rallied around them and their football team basically controlling their town’s mood. Locally we have this same effect although since 2000 we have never made a state championship game. Our town went in 2019 and our PVHS Trojans made it to the state playoff semi-final game. Although we lost to the state champs of that season to Truckee, we felt the sadness through the valley. Do the teams make the town?

Teams can make a town in many ways. But a town is also able to make a team. In my opinion, it can go both ways. But I hope you found an answer to this question through my article.