CVOA Hall of Fame inducts Skinner

CVOA Hall of Fame inducts Skinner

Jan. 12, 2002

EULALIA SKINNER OF CORTEZ was inducted recently into the Colorado Volleyball Officials Association’s Hall of Fame. Skinner was recognized for her contribution to the CVOA in its early years and for her work with girls athletics in public schools. The local volleyball officials, behind the leadership of Area 18 Director Cammy Oliver, made the nomination. Terry Porter, president of the CVOA, made the presentation in Denver.

STAFF REPORT

Eulalia Skinner of Cortez was inducted recently into the Colorado Volleyball Officials Association Hall of Fame. Skinner was recognized for her contribution to the CVOA in its early years and for her work with girls sports in public schools.

The local volleyball officials, with the leadership of Area 18 director Cammy Oliver, made the nomination. Terry Porter, president of the CVOA made the presentation in Denver on Nov. 8.

Skinner graduated from Western State College in Gunnison with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Physical Education and Education.

Her first year teaching was the Lake Mills, Iowa, Public Schools. This small high school did not participate in girls basketball as did most area schools at the time. However, interscholastic basketball and the state tournament for high school girls was a big important item in Iowa in 1953.

She put in an application at Cortez and was accepted. Her assignment was PE for Kindergarten through sixth grade and girls PE for grades 7-12. She was the Girls Athletic Association (GAA) sponsor coaching girls in volleyball (nine and eight players on a team) and basketball (six on a team with a divided court three squads) and Pep Club.

The GAA had "Playdays" with other schools on Saturdays, but no formal interschool championship competition.

"The girls were divided into mixed teams and wore pennies for team identification. The mixture of unknown skills and unknown girls playing together as a team left much to be desired. But it was a chance to play, have fun, and meet other sports enthusiasts. All schools received invitations (participating in the area were Dove Creek, Dolores, Mancos, Durango, Bayfield, Pagosa Springs, Ignacio and from New Mexico were Aztec, Bloomfield, Farmington and Shiprock," Skinner explained.

The GAA Playday became a Sportsday.

"We would invite three other schools to come to play volleyball or basketball. The school team still wore pennies for team identification but the pennies now had numbers. The Sportsday was run by each school playing each of the other schools. Playing periods were usually with a running clock which stopped only for time outs. The officiating was done by the coaches and interested volunteers. Oh yes, it was full court with five players for basketball and eight players who could move around the court after the ball was put into play for volleyball, Practices were held right after the boys were through, usually on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7:30-9 p.m.," she recalled.

The Women’s’ and Girls’ Sports Association published rules and offered helpful ideas for each sport. Skinner said she was honored to serve on the soccer publication and contributed a couple of articles.

In the late 1950s, Skinner moved to full time to the high school and welcomed the junior high girls’ PE teacher (Jo Ann Giffin). She still had the cheerleaders and Pep Club.

In 1961-62 year, Montezuma-Cortez High School received an invitation to a gymnastics meet at Farmington High School.

"That was our first experience with interschool individual competition. At that time no team scores for girls was permitted by the Colorado High School Activities Association.

"I took three girls and three boys. They had practiced on a home-made balance beam, high bar attached to the wall on one end, old tumbling mats, and a trampoline. The floor exercise was done on the bare basketball floor with bare feet. Some even placed in their events. What a learning experience for the courageous gymnasts and their coach. The other schools at the meet were Durango and Gallup (N.M.). These schools continued the co-ed meets for several years," she said.

In 1964-65, the girls gymnastics team competed in the first State Gymnastic Meet scored individually. Each school had been assigned a certain set of identifying numbers. The area was SW over numbers 400-435 for MCHS. Each contestant had to wear the number attached to her leotard. Later, it could be shown to the judges before performing. These same numbers were used for track and field. The schools were divided into Class A or Class B for competition. The Cortez Junior High Girls P.E. teacher (Kristin Hom from Oslo, Norway) coached the side horse vault and the girls swept the event in Class B.

MCHS hosted its first gymnastics meet with the above mentioned schools in 1964-65. With acceptance of the gymnastics program by the school district, official equipment had been purchased. The school constantly upgraded equipment for reasons of safety and equipment improvement.

"Around the same time, girls were able to compete individually in track and field. With the help of varsity basketball coach Jerome Walton showed me how to run the warm-up drills, strength and endurance drills and in general set and run a track practice. After a couple of practices, the and girls and I were on our own practicing on the old track at Calkins Field," she said.

In the spring of 1968, the girls track team participated in the District Qualifying Meet at Grand Junction. Thirteen girls qualified for the first Girls State Track and Field Meet held in Boulder. Carol Emer from CJHS helped with track and gymnastics and student teacher Kay Daves helped with track.

"As a result of the girls excellent performances, I was honored by my fellow women coaches when they asked me to present a program for them on How to Coach Girls Track and Field. This I did. I also think the willingness of the women in coaching to share and help each other at the time made the girls competitive sports program quite rewarding for all involved, especially for the girls. This happened on the field and in our coaches associations," Skinner said.

There were no league schedules at that time for gymnastics and track meets. All the gymnastics and track meets hosted by MCHS for girls involved any area school regardless of CHSAA classification. The girls Sportsday for volleyball, basketball, and soccer included the same philosophy, according to Skinner.

As the girls sports program grew, the need for more help in coaching and officiating was necessary. Additional girls PE teachers and other women volunteers helped meet the need.

"We trained gymnastics judges and track officials. The school faculty, parents, and community support were a great part in making sports events happen for the girls in the Southwest corner of Colorado," she added.

In 1969, the GAA had 56 girls on eight teams of six to eight players in intramural basketball. By that point, the new high school building (present) was up and operating. In 1970, the GAA acquired basketball uniforms and the gymnastics team received unlettered warm-up suits. Girls track received warm-ups with "CORTEZ printed on them.

In 1972, the girls sports program at Cortez and area schools mushroomed.

"We still created our own game schedules as area schools started the process of making gym space and time available for girls to practice. We were three years in the process and began interscholastic competition in volleyball with Marge Hall as coach in 1974-75. From the girls, Skinner received a Special Appreciation Award for 16 years of service in 1973.

In 1976, girls basketball had Marge Hall varsity coach, Eddie Marshall JV, and Skinner with the freshmen.

After Title IX passed in 1978, interscholastic sports for girls became the norm. Men were now more willing to take on coaching duties as the pay scale became comparable to boys’ sports. Men were needed as the number of teams increased rapidly and because of their background of playing experience for many sports.

"I took leave from coaching and turned to officiating volleyball, basketball, gymnastics, and helping with track meets. I was Area Director for Colorado Volleyball Officials Association from 1983-1987," Skinner said.

In the 1979-80 school year, Skinner returned to coaching the gymnastics team (no longer a sanctioned sport at MCHS as it was discounted in 1983). After three seasons, she passed the coaching duties on to Nancy and Sally Nasson.

"My coaching career was capped by my accepting the varsity volleyball coaching position in 19987-88 season. I continued in that coaching position for three years with assistants Dave Mitchell and Sharon Peterson," she noted.

She retired June 1, 1990.

"My teaching-coaching career has been for me a grand experience. The association with the students, fellow faculty, and the support of the administrators made it all rewarding for me. I hope rewarding for all involved. Being a part of professional group helped to support me, too. When ever we met, I returned to my job inspired and invigorated. The CVOA news letters and training sessions were always welcome," Skinner added.

She also is being nominated for the Colorado High School Activities Association’s Hall of Fame for possible inclusion in the Class of 2002. The CHSAA Hall of Fame will make its induction for the Class of 2001 later this month. She is still very active, playing golf with the Cortez Women’s Golf Association. She has won the club championship several times through the years.