We are pleased to announce today (Monday, March 13) that longtime Cal-Hi Sports editor Mark Tennis will be author of a book to be published in the fall of 2018 by Skyhorse Publishing of New York about high school football in California.
The book, which has a working title “High School Football California” will include historical highlights that will go back as far as the first reported “game” in 1873 between Oakland High and the University of California. Record-breaking achievements, a look at the evolution of CIF state championships from the 1920s to the current format (14 different champions) plus lists of some of the all-time great players from the state will be included. Perhaps the main goal of the book, though, will be to provide individual voices from all facets of the California high school football experience.
One chapter, for example, will be about some of the state’s greatest coaches ever that will begin with an introduction, then one of those coaches will provide a first-person account of his thoughts and experiences and then the chapter will conclude with more historical coaching achievements.
For most of the planned chapters, we already have people in mind to interview for them. We could use some help from our Cal-Hi Sports audience, however, to find the right people to interview. One of those is about relating the experiences of the many California high school football players who have later served their country in the military. If anyone knows of a veteran who also played California high school football, especially one who may have been in World War II, please send an email to markjtennis@gmail.com.
Another chapter is being considered about highlighting many of those people behind the scenes throughout the state on a Friday night who provide so much of the great experience at football games. We’re talking about cheerleaders, those in the band, p.a. announcers, chain gang members, snack bar workers and more. If anyone knows of someone at your school who has been involved in one of those roles for many years, please email markjtennis@gmail.com. We have someone already in mind for a longtime p.a. announcer, but for other roles we do not.
Any ideas about this book also are welcome. It will be written between now and the end of the 2017 season.
One Comment
Sounds like an interesting project and read. Will the book have some of the classic photos? Would love to see the changes in the whole experience over the years.