High School Fishing Teams Net Big Prize
OutdoorHub 05.23.12
High school sports like football, baseball, basketball are seen and heard about through local media outlets everywhere. But rarely do you see anything about high school fishing, an IHSA approved activity.
The Fishing and Outdoor Radio Show has teamed with the Frabill Company to change this. For the past several months high school fishing has been a regular segment on the radio show. Young anglers are the future of fishing and with the support of Frabill and many other sponsors, a huge collection of fishing gear and related items were awarded to the Frabill’s Illinois High Schools Fish Here TEAM OF THE YEAR on Saturday, May 19 at Big Basin Marina.
Of 232 high school fishing teams that were ask to participate in a survey to tell all about their team, Victor J. Andrew High School of Tinley Park won the Team of the Year award. The 2nd Place runner up team is Oak Lawn Community High Schools fishing team coached by Chris Kuchyt.
Jim DaRosa, founder of the Fishing and Outdoor Radio Show in 1983 and co-host Don Dziedzina were joined by Illinois Department of Natural Resources Director Marc Miller to make the presentation to the winning teams.
Coached by John Bartgen, Jimmy Flynn and Dave Arndt, Andrew’s Bass Club was stared in the 2008/09 school year when IHSA sanctioned bass fishing as an approved activity. The team has 50 boys and girls and students of all grades.
“Our goal is to teach kids the concepts of fishing inside the classroom. We utilize school classrooms for instructional time, we use our computer labs to research different topics related to fishing, as well as to do research on the bodies of water we compete on.” Coach Bartgen said. “We also utilize our schools swimming pool to teach kids how there lures work in the water.”
The team also hosts a fishing tournament to get more kids involved. IHSA tournaments include one day of fishing in a qualifying sectional and two days of fishing for the championship. The D230 tournaments give the kids even more initiative to work on their fishing skills.
“Our club hosts a three tournament series known as the D230 Bass Classic Series which involves 12-15 schools, 20-30 boats and over 100 kids.”
Resources like fishing gear and tackle are the common need for all of the schools across Illinois. Most all teams are self supporting because bass fishing is considered an activity by IHSA, not a sport. Some day that might change.
All of the teams throughout the state are run by volunteers. Coaches, family members, local fishing clubs all pitch in to help these kids. Why do they do it? This is what Coach Bartgen said.
“I think it is important that kids have things to be involved in. High school fishing in our school has a great turn out. Every year we have between 50-60 kids in our fishing club. Without fishing, these kids would not be involved in anything, and their high school experience would not be the same. As a teacher, I think it is important that we see our kids outside of the classroom setting, and that students see their teachers in a different light as well. It is awesome to see kids thrive both in the classroom and in the field of sports. Sometimes it is the sports that give students the motivation to do well in school, so the two go well together.”
Prizes have been donated from Frabill, Bolingbrook’s Bass Pro Shops, TTI-Blakemore, Plano, XPoint, TruTurn Hooks, StandOut Hooks, Daiichi, Real Magic, Berkley, War Eagle, Bass Minder, Abu Garcia, Pflueger, Berkley PowerBait, Strike King, Rayjus Outdoors and Evon’s Trophies (Tinley Park). There were so many prizes received the Fishing and Outdoor Radio Show decided to honor a runner up team.
Victor J Andrew High School’s team received over $6000.00 in tackle and gear. Oak Lawn Community High School’s team received over $1000.00 in tackle and gear.
Jim DaRosa of the Fishing and Outdoor Radio Show who had the idea to start the Frabill’s Illinois High Schools Fish Here segment in the show said it well at the awards presentation.
“Fishing is something that a boy or girl can learn to do and continue to enjoy for the rest of their lives. We all can’t be the star quarterback or pitcher on the team. But when someone learns how to fish and that passion grabs hold of you, it becomes something that you not only want to do and enjoy yourself, but also share it with others.”
