Watching legendary sports programs grow from seedlings to grand oaks

I’ll never forget my first trip to Daniel Island as a sportswriter. It was Thursday, June 11, 1998, and I was on assignment for The Post and Courier.

 

I remember the date because it was Bishop England High School athletic director Paul Runey’s anniversary. He and his wife, Patty, were observing 15 years of marriage.

 

Notice I didn’t write they were celebrating their anniversary. That’s because Runey and scores of coaches, parents and students were tackling a big project at the football stadium as the school was about to move from Calhoun Street downtown to its sparkling new campus on Daniel Island. And the project almost turned out to be an

all-nighter.

 

The group of volunteers became known as the “Sod Squad” because they laid sod until 2 a.m. in the morning at Jack Cantey Stadium, and came back for seconds the following day to finish the job.

 

The Runeys finally got to celebrate their anniversary the following weekend.

 

I’ve covered many big events on Daniel Island, including the tennis tournament that morphed from the Family Circle Cup to the Volvo Open to the Credit One Charleston Open.

 

I also was in the press box at Blackbaud Stadium for the professional debut of a soccer player who was supposed to be the next Pele and take soccer to a new level in the United States. Remember Freddie Adu? Yes, he played at Blackbaud Stadium in April 2004 when the D.C. United took part in a friendly match against the

Battery.

 

But it was the first trip to DI that served as a preview of what was to come when it came to sports on the island. Both Bishop England and Philip Simmons have athletic programs that are among the best in the Palmetto State.

 

It took an incredible amount of effort to build Daniel Island from a land that had a population of three people to what it has become today.

 

It also took a lot of work to build Bishop England in 1998, and we’re not just talking about brick and mortar. It was more of the same when Philip Simmons High School opened its doors in time for the 2017-18 academic year.

 

There’s something about high school sports in America. It’s part of our makeup, part of our being, part of our dreams and hopes for our children’s future.

 

Schools and their reputations are built on academics, community involvement and athletics. 

 

Success in the athletic arena is proof a school is producing well-rounded students who show discipline in more than just the classroom.

 

“To me, high school athletics are the best reality show,” Philip Simmons athletic director Dan Minkin said. “High School athletics teach our students about perseverance, how to get along with others and that you can be down, but not out.”

 

Minkin can be walking on Daniel Island or shopping along the Clements Ferry corridor, and he’ll be approached by community members who want to know how the Iron Horses sports teams are faring.

 

“They care because they know these kids are our hope, our future,” Minkin said. “The confidence they develop by playing sports is transferred into everything they do. Most of us won’t turn pro, but the lessons we learn in sports can be used in every-day life as adults.”