Old Colony Archives
Old Colony is proudest of its sportsmanship
By Buddy Thomas, Standard-Times Senior Sports Editor
December 18, 1997
The football team won a fourth consecutive conference championship and recently added a third Super Bowl runner-up plaque to the school's trophy case.
Less than a month later, Ian Nielsen became the first player in school history to win the coveted Otto Graham Football Achievement Award as the area's top player.
Those achievements helped bring positive recognition to a school that, athletically speaking, had lived in virtual obscurity in the past..
Old Colony Regional Vocational High School has never been known for its prowess in athletics and ranks at or new the bottom in media exposure.
The school is located double-digit miles from New Bedford, deep in the woods of Rochester. It's also a member of the Mayflower League -- a collection of schools the majority of which have ties with communities well outside Greater New Bedford.
It's a school whose football program once folded after an injury-depleted roster was out-scored 129-0 just three games into a season. That was in 1982, when nobody took athletics at Old Colony very seriously.
Nobody, except people like athletic director Bill Herbert and the school administration.
"Everybody likes to win and we're no exception, but we've never measured the success of our athletic program in terms of wins and losses," said Hebert. "We measure success through participation and sportsmanship and using those standards we feel we have been very successful."
That point was proven just recently when Old Colony was named the Dictrict D winner of the MIAA Sportsmanship Award, which is selected annually by athletic directors and administrators from the district's five affiliations (The Big 3, Eastern Athletic and South Coast Conferences along with the Cape and Islands and Mayflower Leagues.) It's the first time Old Colony has received such an honor.
"We're very proud of the recent success of both our football and boys' basketball teams and the entire school was truly excited about Ian winning the Otto Graham Award," Hebert said. "But the Sportsmanship Award is something our entire athletic department can be proud of because it's a tribute to every athlete in the program."
David Ferreira is in his 14th year at Old Colony, the last six as superintendent. He couldn't be more proud of the school's latest award.
"As far as I am concerned, it's the most significant award this school has ever received," he said. "This award reaffirms what sports is all about. It's not just about winning and losing and it isn't just about one person. It reflects positively on the entire school."
A total of 503 students participate in the school's various athletic programs -- 339 boys and 164 girls in grades 9 through 12. In the last four years only one has been ejected from an athletic contest.
"Every athlete gets a copy of the conduct rules in our Athletic Program Guide and is expected to abide by those rules," Hebert says. "We want every athlete to know that his or her conduct reflects directly on the school and we expect each one to reflect the highest standard of sportsmanship because every athlete is a representative of Old Colony."
Three years ago, Old Colony's football team appeared in their first-ever Super Bowl.
The Cougars hosted Chelsea and lost, 35-8.
The runner-up plaque sits in the trophy case in the school's main foyer. A letter from Chelsea High School Principal, Douglas A. Sears, has a prominent spot in Hebert's office.
It was addressed to David Ferreira and said, in part:
"On behalf of the Chelsea School Committee, I would like to thank you for hosting the Division 6A Super Bowl and for making us feel welcome. We were very impressed with the sportsmanship of your team and how well your field was maintained in all its beautiful surroundings."
Another letter from the game's referee (Bob Roche) also praised the Cougars and "the first class treatment that was given to the game officials."
Athletic teams at Old Colony have yet to bring home a state title of any kind. But Ferreira and Hebert recently brought something home both consider even more important: An award that was very much deserved.