BonnerSprings.com

I would like to commend and thank Chieftain sportswriter Nick Bates for the very fine story he recently wrote about Bonner Springs High School’s 1980 state champion girls track team that was highlighted by the 1,600-meter relay team and won the state championship, establishing a meet record that still holds.

I know several parents that were probably also elated with Bates’ story because starting back as far as 1981, they have been asking me when they will get their state championship banner hung in the gym. I did my best, but it still is not there.

Two state championship teams of 1984, girls volleyball and boys basketball, have a board hung in the new gym honoring them. I don’t know what criteria was used in selecting these two state teams and not recognizing the seven other state championship teams. These two boards they have displayed are very attractive, but it would be much better if all nine teams were on the wall. A state championship is the goal of every coach and to win this honor is very difficult. I also believe more recognition is merited for individuals who have won state championships or were named on the All-State Team.

After we started wrestling back in the early 1960s, coach Dick Burns began the tradition of mounting a picture of a state champion in wrestling on the wall outside the gym. His son, Dan Burns, who is now the head wrestling coach, wanted to continue this tradition in the new gym, but was informed he could not hang the picture on the outside wall of the wrestling room, only on the inside. This means only the wrestlers would see the pictures and not the parents or patrons of the district. To date, Bonner Springs High School has had 14 state champions in wrestling and they should be recognized. This recognition should be for all sports and would not include too many pictures. In football there would be about six or less, and in boys basketball, to the best of my knowledge, there would be about four.

It also would be nice to recognize Kathy Bates, who was the only BSHS athlete to earn All-State honors in two sports. And, how about the Middletons? Levi Middleton, who was a state champion in wrestling and his son, Matt Middleton, who to the best of my knowledge, would be the only father/son state champions. Eddie Seaton deserves a spot on the wall as the only other grand state champion along with Levi, and he joins Frank Gonzales as the only wrestler with two state titles.

I know athletics is not the reason we have education, but I believe sports and academics go hand in hand. When we do have these outstanding athletes representing our school and city they should have extra recognition. Several years back when Cliff Brents and I were on the school board we requested recognition for All-American football player David Jaynes and Eddie Nealy who retired after 10 years in the NBA. The board gave approval to rename the high school football field, the David Jaynes Field, and a ceremony was held at a high school game. Jaynes and his family were present. We tried to contact Nealy and succeeded in getting a telephone number in San Antonio, but he never returned the call. One school administrator asked us why we should honor Nealy when he has never returned to Bonner Springs. I wonder why Eddie never came back? Could it be because we never appreciated what he had done for BSHS? In my estimation, David Jaynes and Eddie Nealy have been the best goodwill ambassadors Bonner Springs has ever had. I can remember when the Kansas City Kings, an NBA team, honored Eddie Nealy at a Kings game with Hall of Famer Dick Burns singing the National Anthem. I can recall a comment in Sports Illustrated magazine where world-class player Michael Jordan praised the play of Nealy.

How many high schools do you know that have produced an All-American quarterback or a basketball player with 10 years of service in the NBA? There can’t be too many. It’s an impressive accomplishment that the community should celebrate.

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