Rooting for two home teams

If you’ve found yourself wanting to hear a little good news lately, you’re not alone. With glum news about the economy and stories about shrinking school district budgets and staff, people need something to cheer about. Jeffco Schools had our chance to cheer.
Rooting for two home teams, the Columbine Rebels and Lakewood Tigers, as they battled it out for the 5A state football title, is not a bad position to be in. The frigid 20-degree temperatures, (some would call it perfect football weather) didn’t seem to have any effect on the crowds of Jeffco-proud fans cheering in the stands at Sports Authority Field at Mile High.
If anything, I felt Jeffco in that stadium. As the blue and silver and orange and black battled it out on the field, I looked around and realized I already knew who won. You could feel the pride and commitment to excellence in the crowd and on the field.
Community, family and tradition brought these two teams to this title game. Coaches Andy Lowry from Columbine High and Mark Robinson from Lakewood High made it a family affair even before game day. During a pregame news conference, Lowry and Robinson reminisced about a childhood filled with Jeffco memories — neighborhoods, communities, schools and football.
These two teams are made up of Jeffco kids who have grown up together. These players have lived in the same neighborhoods together, played in the same football little leagues, attended the same Jeffco schools and have families who have grown up with Jeffco.
There is something to cheer about in Jeffco Schools because pride runs deep in our county and our district. We are about excellence, whether it’s on the field or in the classroom. We are proud to be home to the Columbine High School Rebels, the 2011 5A state football champions and the Lakewood Tigers, the 2011 5A runners-up. We are Jeffco!

Cindy Stevenson is the superintendent of Jeffco Schools.