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Former player honors Wyandotte High’s history in new campaign
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- Former player honors Wyandotte High’s history in new campaign
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Wyandotte High School recently honored 28 former players and five coaches, retiring their names and numbers with banner presentations.
Leading the charge in revitalizing Wyandotte High's history is Calvin Thompson, also a member of the Kansas Jayhawks' 1986 Final Four team.
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At nearly 90 years old, Wyandotte High's gymnasium been home to a state record 20 state titles and many well-known players. That's why Thompson poured nearly three decades of research into the 20 and Counting project– making sure people knew about the rich history of the Bulldogs.
"I wanted to acknowledge the 20 state championships as well as some contemporaries. My motto with 20 and Counting was connecting the dots," he explained.
"My principal, Mr. Roan, had given me my jersey, and I'm like, 'Why you giving me my jersey?' He said, 'We don't retire jerseys here.' I'm like, 'Wow!' So I went back to 1940. We had to start somewhere."
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Until recently, historic school hasn't shown off its history; now it's part of the 20 and Counting campaign that the former Jayhawk is leading, trying to get more people to learn the great history of the school.
"If a little fat kid from 9th and Quindaro can make it, then you can make it," he said.
"I simply want to instill and bring back pride into the building. They have somebody they can look up to that looks like them. If we made it, you can make it."
Sure enough, there's even a map with pins to show where each player and coach was born and raised. 30 plus years of research led to honoring the past with trophies, plaques, a wall of fame, retired numbers, including Thompson's and making the gym also a museum for current players.
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Current WyCo HS Head Coach Anthony Spencer says the 20 and Counting campaign will help connect the past to the present, making a meaningful impact in the community.
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"If we don't know our history, we're doomed to repeat ourselves in a bad way, but to know our history in this way is a chance for us to be successful," he explained.
"A lot of these kids, if you look up on the walls, you'll see that the faces look familiar."
"Tradition is something you can't fake," AD Black echoed.
"Bring all those together in one spot, hopefully it's something that's inspiring to our young athletes."
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Thompson says there's still more to be done and that the hope is for history to fuel the future.
"Give them pride, give them the encouragement, and let them know the doors are wide open."
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