It's Not Whether You Win or Lose ...

I've been following the Warde boys' basketball team's fortunes (or misfortunes) somewhat casually this season. I knew the Mustangs were winless and suffered a pair of setbacks to arch-rival Ludlowe.

So, after reading an editorial in The Fairfield Citizen-News this morning about the spirit and never-say-die attitude of the squad, I decided to travel to Melville Avenue to watch the team play its final game of the season. After all, I have the week off, and a trip down Memory Lane seemed like a good idea.

The first thing I noticed when I walked into the school was the trophy case and displays. There are photos of the basketball teams of the early and mid 1970s, and I couldn't help but spend time reminiscing about the good old days. However, as noted in earlier blog entries, the one glaring omission in the gymnasium is any reference to Andrew Warde High School.

There are countless banners listing championship teams and All-FCIAC and All-State athletes at Fairfield High School and Fairfield Warde dating back to 1987, but it's as if anything prior to FHS never existed. There is not one single acknowledgement of Andrew Warde High School.

As for the crowd, it was sparse. In fact, there may have been more fans from Ridgefield than from Fairfield. I could have counted the number of people at the game without any problem. Other than athletic director Chris Manfredonia introducing the two seniors and their parents before the game, there wasn't any public address announcer. Also, there weren't any programs on sale. These two errors are inexcusable.

The Mustangs got off to a slow start and trailed by 12 points, 17-5, early in the game. They scored the next 13 points, somewhat surprisingly, to take an 18-17 lead, and the game was tied at 25-25 at the halftime intermission. Warde outscored the Tigers, 10-7, in the third quarter to take a three-point lead into the final frame. There was plenty of optimism that the Mustangs could possibly avoid a winless campaign. Unfortunately, for this alum, Ridgefield took control of the game in the last stanza, though, and won going away.

Despite the final score and the last-place finish, I was impressed with the squad's perseverance. The team never gave up, even when it became apparent Warde was not going to win. The coach, Walt Fitzgerald, is a veteran, having coached at Roger Ludlowe High School for many years. He kept pushing the troops, and I was impressed with his positive attitude and good sportsmanship, which have rubbed off on his charges.

I chatted briefly with Dave Schultz, a '73 Warde grad who is now the athletic director at Ludlowe High School. His Falcons' cagers finished their season Monday night with a home defeat to Darien, and he was there to support Warde. I saw him clapping for the Mustangs throughout the game.

The bottom line is that the evening didn't have the same feel or "atmosphere" as when we went to Warde. Sure, many of the students recognized me, and a few even broke into a chant of "What's the Weather?" during the game. I guess since it's been 31 years since we were seniors at Warde, too much has changed. I still can't bring myself to call the players the Mustangs. They will always be the Andrew Warde Crimson Eagles to me.

But the one lesson Walt Fitzgerald and his Mustangs' cagers taught all of us at the game is that it's not whether you win or lose that counts, but how you play the game. They were competitive, inspired, and classy. You can't ask for much more than that.

Paul

Please sign the AWHS Class of 1976 Guest Book.

Visit the AWHS Class of 1976 Gift Shop.