By: Amber Knox
Photo credit: Klowie Bustamante and Bettine Adams
Fall sports are underway —from the pros to the rural schools —and we are in homecoming season. Small schools may not have parades, marching bands, or even stadium lights, but their love of the game is what fuels them.
One small school that plays under the Friday sun instead of the Friday night lights is The Floyd Broncos, who recently won both their homecoming football and volleyball games.
Sophomore Klowie Bustamante pulled double duty on the court for volleyball and on the football field as photographer, capturing #2 sophomore, Rey Duarte, blocking for #11 junior, Logan Van Leuven, as he sprinted into the end zone against Carrizozo. The Broncos came out with a 59-6 victory.
Gabriel Montoya has been the football coach at Floyd for 6 years. When asked about the team, he said, “In a small school, numbers may be high one year or low the next, but as long as we have enough to play and believe that they can, they are already halfway there.” A quote inspired by Theodore Roosevelt that Montoya lived by, both as an athlete and now as a coach.
Floyd’s volleyball team is young, with the oldest players being just sophomores, but that didn’t keep them from winning their homecoming match against San Jon 3-2.
The high school students aren’t the only ones on the court. The rural schools in our area see the benefits of athletics and are working together to offer this opportunity to the students.
Floyd will be hosting a volleyball tournament for 3rd-6th-grade girls on Saturday, October 18. Teams from Melrose, Elida, Dora, Tucumcari, Portales, San Jon, and Texico will make the trip for a day of games.
The following weekend, Texico will host their tournament, and on November 1st, Elida will host. This follows the tournaments already held in Dora and Melrose.
These school-sponsored teams teach young players the game, teamwork, and the importance of good sportsmanship. Many of the tournaments couldn’t happen without the help of the varsity girls refereeing, calling lines, and running the scoreboards.
Basketball season will begin shortly, and it offers students from 1st to 12th grade the chance to play. There are no tryouts; if a student wants to be part of the team, they are.
Small schools may not have a lot, but the students have heart, and it shows in their commitment on and off the field or court. And now, with E-Sports at Floyd as of last year, another opportunity to be part of a team is available for both semesters.
Volleyball photo: Sophomore Emille Harrison, photo taken by Bettine Adams
Football photo: #11 Junior Logan Van Leuven, #2 Sophomore Rey Duarte, photo taken by Klowie Bustamante
