Glenbard West Sports
The Glenbard West High School Fight Song
Former GWHS teacher, Julie Kingsnorth posted this on Facebook on August 31, 2018: "I discovered a bit of trivia about GWHS while listening to a live dixieland band. The band began playing the Glenbard West Fight Song. I wondered how they knew it. Little did I know that the GWHS fight song is actually the fight song of Washington and Lee University. The tune is called Washington and Lee Swing. It has been used by many universities and high schools as a fight song and even jazzed up by many jazz, blues, and bluegrass musicians.
Here is the fight song played as a swing song.
It is played by Louis Armstrong. |
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Names for our teams
Since the first Pinnacle yearbook did not arrive until 1940, we need to start with that year as we tell the story of the high school’s athletic teams. During the 1940’s teams are called by various names, such as:
- The Green Wave
- The Bardites
- The Green and White
- The Bards
- The Glenbard Boys
- The Toppers
- The Hilltoppers. This nickname can be found in the 1940 Pinnacle, but it is uncertain when or who coined it.
GWHS Owns 14 Team State Championships
1960 Boys Cross Country
1983 Girls Volleyball
1983 Football
1996 Boys Gymnastics
2012 Football
2013 Girls Cross Country
2015 Boys Volleyball
2015 Football
2016 Boys Volleyball
2016 Girls Track and Field Combined
2017 Boys Gymnastics
2017 Girls Track and Field
2017 Boys Volleyball
2018 Girls Gymnastics
1983 Girls Volleyball
1983 Football
1996 Boys Gymnastics
2012 Football
2013 Girls Cross Country
2015 Boys Volleyball
2015 Football
2016 Boys Volleyball
2016 Girls Track and Field Combined
2017 Boys Gymnastics
2017 Girls Track and Field
2017 Boys Volleyball
2018 Girls Gymnastics
1940 Tennis Team
1940
Football: Divided into Heavyweights and Lightweights.
Basketball: Divided into Heavyweights and Lightweights.
Track: This sport was available for boys only.
Boys’ Intramurals and Girls’ Intramurals: This was competitive, but only within the high school.
Tennis: This sport was unique in that it was available for interscholastic competition for both girls and boys.
Golf: A boys only sport.
Girls’ Gym. From the 1940 Pinnacle, “Although girls cannot participate in interscholastic sports, with the exception of tennis, they find a wide varied field open to them in gym classes. In the fall here is hockey for upperclassmen and soccer for freshmen. This is followed by basketball, which is carried on through the winter. Between basketball and volley ball a program of varied sports, mainly badminton and table tennis, is carried out. Volley ball and baseball constitute the spring program. In this connection, class tournaments are held as is a soccer contest in the fall. Several girls go out for tennis. To further an interest in sports the G.A.A (Girls’ Athletic Association) holds classes in archery and horseback riding.
Basketball: Divided into Heavyweights and Lightweights.
Track: This sport was available for boys only.
Boys’ Intramurals and Girls’ Intramurals: This was competitive, but only within the high school.
Tennis: This sport was unique in that it was available for interscholastic competition for both girls and boys.
Golf: A boys only sport.
Girls’ Gym. From the 1940 Pinnacle, “Although girls cannot participate in interscholastic sports, with the exception of tennis, they find a wide varied field open to them in gym classes. In the fall here is hockey for upperclassmen and soccer for freshmen. This is followed by basketball, which is carried on through the winter. Between basketball and volley ball a program of varied sports, mainly badminton and table tennis, is carried out. Volley ball and baseball constitute the spring program. In this connection, class tournaments are held as is a soccer contest in the fall. Several girls go out for tennis. To further an interest in sports the G.A.A (Girls’ Athletic Association) holds classes in archery and horseback riding.
Cheerleading: Not recognized as a sport or club, but cheerleaders are mentioned in the 1940 Pinnacle. While girls mostly comprised the cheerleading squads, there are instances of boys joining cheerleading, such as in the 1949 Pinnacle. See picture, right. (The photo in the 1949 Pinnacle lists names as follows:
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Below, The Hilltop Gym, also called the Girls’ Gym. Today, it is the Elliott Library.
1945
Cross Country begins at Glenbard. The team placed 5th in the conference. It is boys only.
Football note: In 1945, Football and Basketball no longer divides between Heavyweights and Lightweights. Varsity and Frosh-Soph are the new names.
Football note: In 1945, Football and Basketball no longer divides between Heavyweights and Lightweights. Varsity and Frosh-Soph are the new names.
1947
Baseball begins. Glenbard’s first game was played on April 11, 1947. Pictured, is the 1948 team. The 1947 Pinnacle did not include a picture of the 1947 team
1958
Intramural Wrestling begins for boys. Also, a Boys’ Bowling League begins.
1959
Varsity Wrestling and Frosh-Soph Wrestling has their first seasons.
Gymnastics: Open to boys only. Begins as an intramural sport in 1959. In 1960, a full year of meets are scheduled.
1969
Swimming. From the 1969 Pinnacle, “Glenbard West High School unfortunately has no swimming pool but we do have a swimming team—technically. And the team, consisting of senior Roy Schlachter, a 50 yard free stylist, placed 19th in the State preliminaries, pictured at right. Our Glenbard tankster team was organized when Roy found the YMCA competition too lean and entered the State swim meet under Glenbard West. His school sponsor is Mrs. Delores Langston, physical education instructor.
June 23, 1972: Title IX is a comprehensive federal law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in any federally funded education program or activity.
1972
Girls’ Gymnastics: Six West Suburban Conference teams competed in this initial year of girls’ gymnastics, and Glenbard’s girls ranked fourth in the conference. Pictured, Wendy Toyama from the 1977 Pinnacle. Wendy was the first female Glenbardian to make it to the State Meet.
1973
Girls’ Track: Four girls qualified for the State Finals as Glenbard’s first Girls Interscholastic Track Team scored 40 points and took second place in the District Track Meet held at Conant High School.
1974
Archery: The girls’ team competed and won the West Suburban Conference meet held at Riverside Brookfield High School—despite being winless in the regular season.
Girls’ Swim Team: Swimmers Chris Hoffman, Nancy Hooper, and Debbie Patterson put Glenbard West on the national sports map when they helped the B.R. Ryall YMCA capture the 1974 YMCA National Championship in Fort Lauderdale, Florida in April.
1976
Girls’ Basketball: In their first year of competition in the West Suburban Conference, the Girls’ Basketball team outscored six straight opponents and captured the Conference Crown. They enjoyed an undefeated (8-0) season. Pictured, the 1976 Girls’ Basketball team.
Girls’ Volleyball: Although the Girls’ Volleyball team started their first season of interscholastic competition with a victory over Glenbard South, the girls never won another game, finishing 1-8 for the season.
1977
Girls’ Softball: In their first season of interscholastic competition, the Girls’ Softball Team (5-7) finished fourth in the West Suburban Conference and placed two players on the All-Conference team.
1979
Girls’ Cross Country: The Girls’ Cross Country Team took first place at the Crystal Lake Invitational, considered by some coaches to be the unofficial State Cross Country Meet. The week before, the team came in second at the Downers Grove North Invitational, which was also billed as the unofficial state meet. The conflicting claims for the title of unofficial state meet were never really resolved. The Crystal Lake Invitational was sanctioned by the United States Track and Field Federation and was called the USTFF Girls’ Cross Country Championship. The Downers Grove North Invitational was endorsed by Track and Field News and Timely Times. The approval of an official state cross country meet for girls was in the hands of the IHSA—the Illinois High School Association.
1980
Boys’ Soccer: The very first soccer team in the history of the school did it better than most of their competitors in the West Suburban Conference. Competing at the junior varsity level, the Hilltoppers took second place in the final standings. Their overall record was 5-7-2.
1981
Boys’ Soccer: This was the first season of interscholastic varsity competition. The Hilltoppers were 2-18-1. They finished 8th in the West Suburban Conference.
1988
Girls Soccer: After much discussion between parents, administration, and the School Board, West was supported by a new girls’ soccer team. And the team excelled in its first season. Team members worked hard through many muddy practices in early spring, and their dedication and aggressiveness paid off during the season. The team ended the season with a conference record of 5-3 and an overall record of 11-5-3.
Intramural Wrestling begins for boys. Also, a Boys’ Bowling League begins.
1959
Varsity Wrestling and Frosh-Soph Wrestling has their first seasons.
Gymnastics: Open to boys only. Begins as an intramural sport in 1959. In 1960, a full year of meets are scheduled.
1969
Swimming. From the 1969 Pinnacle, “Glenbard West High School unfortunately has no swimming pool but we do have a swimming team—technically. And the team, consisting of senior Roy Schlachter, a 50 yard free stylist, placed 19th in the State preliminaries, pictured at right. Our Glenbard tankster team was organized when Roy found the YMCA competition too lean and entered the State swim meet under Glenbard West. His school sponsor is Mrs. Delores Langston, physical education instructor.
June 23, 1972: Title IX is a comprehensive federal law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in any federally funded education program or activity.
1972
Girls’ Gymnastics: Six West Suburban Conference teams competed in this initial year of girls’ gymnastics, and Glenbard’s girls ranked fourth in the conference. Pictured, Wendy Toyama from the 1977 Pinnacle. Wendy was the first female Glenbardian to make it to the State Meet.
1973
Girls’ Track: Four girls qualified for the State Finals as Glenbard’s first Girls Interscholastic Track Team scored 40 points and took second place in the District Track Meet held at Conant High School.
1974
Archery: The girls’ team competed and won the West Suburban Conference meet held at Riverside Brookfield High School—despite being winless in the regular season.
Girls’ Swim Team: Swimmers Chris Hoffman, Nancy Hooper, and Debbie Patterson put Glenbard West on the national sports map when they helped the B.R. Ryall YMCA capture the 1974 YMCA National Championship in Fort Lauderdale, Florida in April.
1976
Girls’ Basketball: In their first year of competition in the West Suburban Conference, the Girls’ Basketball team outscored six straight opponents and captured the Conference Crown. They enjoyed an undefeated (8-0) season. Pictured, the 1976 Girls’ Basketball team.
Girls’ Volleyball: Although the Girls’ Volleyball team started their first season of interscholastic competition with a victory over Glenbard South, the girls never won another game, finishing 1-8 for the season.
1977
Girls’ Softball: In their first season of interscholastic competition, the Girls’ Softball Team (5-7) finished fourth in the West Suburban Conference and placed two players on the All-Conference team.
1979
Girls’ Cross Country: The Girls’ Cross Country Team took first place at the Crystal Lake Invitational, considered by some coaches to be the unofficial State Cross Country Meet. The week before, the team came in second at the Downers Grove North Invitational, which was also billed as the unofficial state meet. The conflicting claims for the title of unofficial state meet were never really resolved. The Crystal Lake Invitational was sanctioned by the United States Track and Field Federation and was called the USTFF Girls’ Cross Country Championship. The Downers Grove North Invitational was endorsed by Track and Field News and Timely Times. The approval of an official state cross country meet for girls was in the hands of the IHSA—the Illinois High School Association.
1980
Boys’ Soccer: The very first soccer team in the history of the school did it better than most of their competitors in the West Suburban Conference. Competing at the junior varsity level, the Hilltoppers took second place in the final standings. Their overall record was 5-7-2.
1981
Boys’ Soccer: This was the first season of interscholastic varsity competition. The Hilltoppers were 2-18-1. They finished 8th in the West Suburban Conference.
1988
Girls Soccer: After much discussion between parents, administration, and the School Board, West was supported by a new girls’ soccer team. And the team excelled in its first season. Team members worked hard through many muddy practices in early spring, and their dedication and aggressiveness paid off during the season. The team ended the season with a conference record of 5-3 and an overall record of 11-5-3.
1994
1999
Badminton: This girls’ sport began a fabulous first season. The team sent several players to conference. 25 girls played on this inaugural year—including Liz Meyer and Kari Deger who almost went to state.
Still to come on this page:
Field hockey
Lacrosse
Boys Volleyball
Field hockey
Lacrosse
Boys Volleyball