Running head: SAVAGE PRIDE
Savage Pride
Dennis Fredrickson
Salmon River High School
[pic]
Savage Pride
The Salmon River Savages found themselves leading in the second overtime, 64-62 over the Mackay Miners. Mackay had just scored a touchdown and was trying to tie the game for a third overtime. With no time outs remaining, Mackay scrambled to the line of scrimmage and hastily tried to make the conversion to tie the game but their attempt failed and the game ended. Salmon River’s team of ten players celebrated the 2009 Championship victory and finished the day with their traditional huddle, and breaking with the long-spoken slogan of “Savage Pride”.
“Savage Pride” is a slogan with deep meaning, and huge significance in the small community of Riggins, Idaho. In a town of just over 400 residents and a Jr./Sr. high school enrollment that averages 60 students, the activities at Salmon River High School make up the social calendar for the year for all of the Salmon River area inhabitants. Without the exceptional support of these people the school may not even exist today. “Savage Pride” describes the attitude of all the students, parents, staff and boosters of Salmon River High School.
Twice in recent history this small community has overcome massive financial adversity to allow the school to have extra-curricular activities. In June of 1999, after the failed school levy, the local school district determined that the best way to cover budgetary shortfalls was to eliminate the nearly $70,000 extra-curricular funding at the Salmon River Schools. The Riggins community needed to raise the funds by mid-August in order to save the sports programs at the school. While many communities would have given up, the Salmon River faithful sponsored auctions, carwashes, and many other fundraisers. They even took advantage of an in-town highway re-construction project to raise money. While traffic was stopped in town for the project, athletes, parents...