Over time, certain states have become synonymous with specific sports. The tradition of Indiana basketball, the allure of Texas football, and the dominance of Pennsylvania wrestling are just a few examples that leave little room for debate. Here is a list of our favorite recent projects from states that have become known for the sports they love.
Indiana Basketball
Oak Hill High School – Converse, IN
From Indiana’s midwestern cities, we have gotten Jimmy Chitwood, The General, and the Hick from French Lick. Indiana is basketball country and being fans of the sport, it’s always fun to produce basketball championship banners for schools in The Hoosier State. While Indiana teams might not always be ranked top in the country, being a basketball state champion in Indiana is one coolest titles around.
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Recently, Oak Hill High School has had a very strong girls basketball team. In addition to earning three state runner-up titles, they are home to the 2010 Indiana Miss Basketball, Courtney Moses.
When it came time to honor these accomplishments, Oak Hill was looking for great looking banners to hang on the walls of their gym. Their state champion banners measure 4’ x 8’, while the state runner-up and Miss Indiana banners were designed at 4’x6’.
Texas Football
Jack Yates High School – Houston, TX
On Friday nights, there is nothing bigger than high school football in Texas. This perception has sustained through the years with Texas high schools regularly building stadiums and facilities nicer than many colleges. In recent years, Texas high school football lore was added to with the book and tv series, Friday Night Lights.
On a Friday night in 1985, John Yates High School took the field against the famed Odessa Permian Panthers. This was three years before the season the famous book was written about, and the Panthers were defending state champions. In a game where Permian were heavy favorites, Yates came out and took care of business rolling to 37 – 0 victory. This 1985 Yates team is known as the “Team of the Decade”. We were honored to produce this championship banner for possibly the greatest team in the greatest football state in the country.
Florida Baseball
Calvary Christian Academy – Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Florida has been the home for baseball nearly as long as baseball has been around. In 1888, the Washington Capitals held a four-day training in Jacksonville seeking better weather. By 1900, every professional ball club had locations in Florida to train during the off-season. Ref.
Today, high schools, summer teams, colleges, and professional organizations flood Florida tournaments seeking better baseball weather to extend their seasons. For high school ball players who live in Florida, they have the opportunity for a year-round season and access to the best competition visiting their state. It’s no surprise that many of today’s professionals hail from Florida.
Calvary Christian Academy is a premier private school in Ft, Lauderdale. Opening in 2000, they have already created a name for themselves in the baseball World. In their short existence, they already have four major league players and two state champions.
We worked with them on custom die-cut aluminum championship signs to be displayed outdoors at their stadium. Each of these signs is easily installed directly on the fence and will withstand the sun, storms, and the occasional stray baseball. Hopefully many more championships (and signs) are coming in the future!
Oregon Track and Field
Hosanna Christian High School – Klamath Falls, OR
As the home of the US track and field, Oregon is the center of the track and field World. From the 2016 Olympics, 41 track and field athletes were living and training in Oregon. The University of Oregon had 18 current and former students in the summer games which was more than 113 countries had total athletes. Becoming an Oregon High School State Champion is a major accomplishment and one that will draw attention and admiration worldwide.
Hosanna Christian High School is a small Christian school approximately three hours from Track City (Eugene), OR. With a relatively short history and not much more than the school and a track on the grounds, they have been able to record seven individual state championships in just under 30 years. Hanging in their gym are two add-a-line individual state champion banners with plenty of room to add more names in the future.
Pennsylvania Wrestling
North Penn High School – Lansdale, PA
Wrestling in America has always been a bit of a niche spot. If you were ever involved with wrestling, you know that Pennsylvania high school wrestling is the one that stands out above the others. Perhaps the state’s long coal, railroad, and steel history have helped carve out the type of athletes that stand out in wrestling. No matter the reason, you cannot argue with the numbers. In the 2018 NCAA Wrestling Championships, six finalists hailed from the Keystone State with other states only having two. Pennsylvania also had 15 All-Americans compared to Ohio’s 11.
A major milestone for any wrestler is completing a high school career with 100+ wins. North Penn approached us looking to do an add-a-name banner to recognize their many 100+ win wrestlers. North Penn started their first championship banner in 2016, rapidly filled it, and just placed an order for a second banner with plenty of room for future wins.
If you are looking for the next great college wrestlers, chances are they will be coming out of Pennsylvania.
Alaska Cross Country Skiing
Martin L Olson School – Golovin, AK
Skiing is popular in many states across the US. We have produced alpine and cross-country skiing banners in many states throughout the country including Maine, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Colorado, and Wyoming. In Alaska, cross-country skiing is not only a popular sport and a mode of transportation, it’s a way of life. In many cities, there are weekly races and countless training groups similar to running groups and 5Ks in the lower 48.
In the fall of 2018, the Martin L. Olson School reached out to us seeking for a great way to recognize their athletic championships. Included in their collection of banners were one each for girls and boys cross-country skiing. Winning championships is impressive for any town, but especially considering Golovin, Alaska only had a population of 156 in the 2010 census. Best known as a check-in point for the famous Iditarod, perhaps the next great American cross-country skiers will be coming from Golovin.
No matter whether this is your first championship or your 20th, let Team Fitz Graphics be the one to immortalize your success with a championship banner. Every championship is a big deal. They are earned with countless hours of work, late nights of planning, and little grit. We put the same effort into recognizing your championships as you put into earning them. Reach out to our team today to request a free design mockup and pricing!