By Steve Rosen
taken from The Goochland Gazette

About a month ago, Arthur Utley, the high school sports reporter for the Richmond Times-Dispatch, asked me, “When did Goochland become the center of the universe for sports?”

My response was, “I am not sure when this happened, but Goochland has been a great place to live and raise a family and it has been the best kept secret in Central Virginia.” Goochland is not only a place where you can call home, but the people have a great sense of community. 

Recently, we have all taken ownership of our local sports heroes and state championship football and baseball teams. It was a great thrill to see thousands of Goochland residents make the trip up to Harrisonburg to watch Coach Joe Fowler’s football team win the Group A state championship. Last spring, Coach Bryan Gordon took his baseball team to Radford and won a state title as well. 

Goochland can now be called the “County of Champions.” Two major sports championships ‘back to back’ do not happen very often. And our local sports heroes have made us all very proud of them.  Justin Verlander, the American League Rookie of the Year, has made everyone across the country know the location of Goochland County.  Then there is former Goochland football standout, Brandon Myles, who has made a habit of catching touchdown passes on New Year’s Day bowl games.

The Goochland Athletic Boosters are extremely proud of the accomplishments of our athletes and teams.  The Boosters exist to assist the athletic programs and to try to enhance the student/athletes experience while at Goochland High School.

Among the things that we provide for the athletic department are: (1) the seasonal awards ceremonies, (2) “Hall of Fame” where we recognize standout past athletes, (3) provide charter buses for teams making long travel trips, (4) provide sport specific banners that are hung in the gymnasium, (5) provide commemorative t-shirts for teams winning district championships, (6) assist in providing funds for the athletic department where the administration feels necessary. 

And, most recently, we bought and presented the baseball team state championship rings.  We did not do additional fundraising for this as we thought that it was something extra that we could present to the team and they could wear these proudly for years to come. 

We would like to do the same for the football team as they have earned the right to wear rings as well.  However, considering the size of the team, we will need your help as the rings will cost us close to $12,000. We are asking the business community, residents and anyone who is willing to help contribute to the Boosters so that we can make our goal of buying the rings. 

We plan on having a ring ceremony in the spring.

For those of you who can donate money for the rings, you will be personally invited to this event.  If you are interested in making a donation, please make your check payable to:  The Goochland Athletic Boosters, P.O. Box 45, Oilville, VA 23129. 

Here is your chance Goochland to show our Champions how proud we are of them and to reward them for all the hard work it took for them to put Goochland County on the map!

Steve Rosen is president of Goochland Athletic Boosters. For more information, contact him at 749-4533.

Steve as a fairly newcomer to Goochland and Virginia I congratulate the Goochlanders for supporting their young people in sports. When my family moved here almost two years ago we immediately went looking for sports. I have two sons now 23 and 22. They love to play softball. We live about 5 miles from the nice ballpark. They could not find a team. Goochland needs to support not only the young people in school but also provide activities for them once they get out of school. It is great that this community has a new high school, library,YMCAand a wonderful free health clinic. As far as I am concerned those are major pluses for Goochland.

Just let me know when someone is ready to discuss the dark side of Goochland.

Brenda French

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