THE COACHES' COMMENT

“HELEN McCALL COACH OF THE YEAR”

      This year’s Helen McCall Coach of the Year Winner is a true athlete, coach, and official.  Growing up in Florida and New York, Pat Latta competed in track, tennis, basketball, volleyball, badminton, and field hockey.  She had a rude awakening when she reached the University of Denver in 1969!  In Colorado, girl’s sports were not sanctioned yet and the University of Denver only allowed women to play club sports.  She was however, allowed to tutor the guys on the ice Hockey team in statistics and other math courses!  Coach Latta from Skyview High School had to find other ways to continue to compete in sports.  She did so playing USVBA volleyball, AAU basketball, and ASA Fast Pitch softball with local teams in the Denver area.

     Majoring in physical education and minoring in math and education, Pat did her student teaching with Ruby Miller at Adams City High School.  Ruby was a go-getter and quickly got Pat involved as an assistant basketball and track coach in the spring of 1972.  After graduation, Coach Latta landed her first job at Highland High School in the Mapleton School District.  At Highland, she coached volleyball, basketball, and tennis during the 70’s.  She also became a highly regarded volleyball official and has officiated many of the state volleyball tournaments.  She became a member of the CVOA Hall of Fame in 1997, and received the Sportswoman of Colorado’s Officials Award in 2000.  In 2003-2004, Coach Latta received the CHSAA High School Hero Award for her dedication to girl’s athletics.

     Coach Latta taught at Highland High School from ’73 to ’79 when she took a leave of absence to get her Master’s degree.  When she returned to Mapleton she taught elementary and middle school and continued to officiate volleyball before moving back to Skyview High School (formerly Highland HS) in the early 90’s.  Coach Latta quickly got involved coaching the weight lifting club and has been there the past 11 years.  In 2001, the Skyview swim team needed a diving coach and who was there to step in but Coach Latta!

     Pat Latta is the epitome of what CCGS wants to recognize with the Helen McCall Coach of the Year Award.  Since Pat was one of Helen’s students at the University of Denver, I am sure Helen would be very proud of her receiving this honor.  Congratulations to Pat Latta our 2004 Helen McCall Coach of the Year!

 Previous Helen D. McCall Winners

 CCGS Ruby Miller Scholarship 

     The CCGS Ruby Miller Scholarship was established in order to recognize one or more outstanding athletes who are graduating seniors and who plan to go into coaching.  The award also honors Ruby Miller, one of the most respected coaches in the history of Colorado girls’ interscholastic sports.

     Ruby Stephenson Miller (1916-2002) was an Iowa native who graduated from the University of Northern Iowa in 1938.  After teaching in Iowa, Nevada, Washington, and Oregon, she settled in Colorado, at Adams City High School, in 1956.  During her 20-year tenure, she taught physical education and literally, jump-started girls sports -- first in the Skyline League and then around the state.  She was instrumental in gaining CHSAA approval for team scoring in individual sports and finally allowing competition in team sports.

     Ruby was a founding member of CCGS, in 1970, and its first Hall of Fame inductee, at the inaugural All-State Games, in 1979.  Primarily because of Ruby’s insistence on equal pay for equal work, Adams County District #14 was the first to pay coaches of girls’ sports.  This predated Title IX by two years.  Ruby saw girls’sports progress from GAA play days and sports days to full-fledged, interscholastic programs.

     Ruby’s list of awards is lengthy.  In 1973, NOW recognized her for the role she played in gaining pay for coaches of girls sports.  She was inducted into the Univ. Northern Iowa Hall of Fame in ’86.  CHSAA inducted her into its Hall of Fame in 1990.  The University of Northern Colorado has bestowed several awards - among them “Contribution to the Profession,” ’67; Alumni Association Award, ’86; and Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters, ’91.

     Ruby Miller was a teacher/coach for 34 years.  She is quoted as saying: “I really only had one goal - to help young women become better individuals; and I thought I could do that best through coaching.”

 2004 Ruby Miller Scholarship Winners

Letter from the President

      Greetings!  As the school year comes to a close, let’s take time to look back on this past year.  As an organization, one of the biggest changes we made to our games was moving the softball games from Saturday to Sunday.  This took the ACT’s out of the picture.  As of today, this seems to be a positive change.  We will continue to look for ways to keep our games as competitive and successful as possible

     We continue to select and attract the best players to our games because our games are played immediately following the State Tournament.  Unfortunately some of the athletes selected do not get an opportunity to play because we cannot get in touch with them.  Coached, PLEASE put your athletes telephone number on the ballots.  This way we can contact the athlete directly.  It would also be helpful if coaches can let their players know that they have been nominated and that they could be selected.

     Finally, after many years of trying, your ballots will now be attached to your sport bulletins.  Please look for them and keep them because we will not be sending out ballots in the mail.

     Thanks to everyone for your continued support of CCGS!  Have a great summer!

Terri Ward

CCGS President

Softball News

      Hello there softball lovers!  I want to take a moment to touch base with you regarding the past and the future.  This past fall we hosted another successful weekend of great softball!  The games were held at the Christopher Fields in Westminster.  It was a great venue that kept all players close and exposed to our interested college coaches.  Of course, parking is always a problem, but we were lucky to have great weather as well as an outstanding turnout of athletes and their supporters.

     As for the upcoming games there are important dates to put on your calendar:

Selection Meeting:

Oct 24, 2004 Broomfield High School

(this is always the Sunday immediately following state)

 All State Games:

Oct 31, 2004 TBD (maybe Christopher)

(this is always the weekend following state…pending weather)

      We are working on improving our system of getting ballots out to coaches/leagues.  Please note that ballots are due to me with a few requirements:

q       You must have a majority of your league coach’s signatures on the ballot.

q       The ballot that is turned in will only include the athletes that are in the space allowed.  Additions are disregarded.

q       The ballot must be received by the deadline.

q       Ballots are not accepted on selection day.

q       Athletes that are listed in the number one spot are automatics and the voting is used to determine the remainder of the players as well as forming the two teams so to avoid a dominant team.

     I look forward to seeing you in the fall.  If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me.  Good luck in your upcoming season.

Khara West

Head Softball Coach – Broomfield HS

Softball Chair – CCGS

303-447-5379

Khara.west@bvsd.k12.co.us