Never a Fillie, but always a fan of what sports mean to girls

It's been more than 45 years that the world changed for girls at Iola High School. Allowing them to play sports opened myriad opportunities on and off the field.

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Opinion

February 14, 2020 - 3:38 PM

Iola’s Kelsey Morrison drives to the basket through a sea of Prairie View defenders on Tuesday, February 11. Photo by Erick Mitchell / Iola Register

This week’s news has brought back lots of memories for me. 

In Monday’s paper was a story called “Forever Fillies,” noting the impending end on the almost 50-year-chapter of the Iola High School girls team mascot, the Fillies. 

I graduated from IHS in 1974. That next year, the school introduced girls sports.

So no, I never experienced the Fillie legacy.

In fact, the only organized sport for girls in my growing up years was summer softball. As you can imagine, the competition was fierce. I didn’t last long. 

Private dance or gymnastics lessons were also available, but the studios back then were but a shadow of those today and the expected commitment definitely on the casual side.

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