The 1967 Virginian includes a picture of Mrs. Bobbitt reading an inspiring pre game poem to the team. That year the varsity team was undefeated, six Longwood girls made the Tidewater area teams which traveled to Washington .C. to play in the Southeastern Tournament. At this game one Longwood girl, Anna Pettis was selected to one of the Southeastern teams which participated in the National Tournament.
October 16, 1965
HERE WE ARE AT HOME AT LAST
WE’VE GOT OUR EXPERIENCE OF THREE GAMES PAST
YOUR PRACTICE YESTERDAY --- ONE OF YOUR BEST
I KNOW YOU ARE READY TO MEET THE TEST!
THE BALL WILL GO CLIPPTY CLAP DOWN THE FIELD
AND THROUGHOUT THE GAME TO YOUR OPPONENTS DON’T YIELD
NOW BUILD A WALL AND BUILD IT HIGH
KEEP THE MARY WASHINGTON TEAM AT THEIR 25!
NOW FORWARDS YOU EACH SCORE ONE, TWO THREE
AND THE REST FROM THE BENCH WILL CERTAINLY GLEE
MY RHYME IS RUNNING OUT BUT BEFORE WE PART
TH E NEXT TWO LINES COME DEEP FROM MY HEART.
IF COACHES MADE WISJHES AND THEIR WISHES CAME TRUE,
THEY’D WISH THEIR TEAMS WERE MADE UP OF 26 JUST LIKE YOU.
(The game ended up a 6-0 win to Longwood)
October 23, 1965
ONE FALL DAY ON OCTOBER TWENTY THREE
HOPES FILLED THE AIR FOR ADDITIONAL VICTORIES.
WE’D PLAN, WE’D PRACTICE AND VOWED TO DO OUR BEST
AND NOW FACE TO FACE WE HAVE TO MEET THE TEST.
WE’D SORTA EXPECTED TO SEE MUCH OLDER ONES
BUT MAYBEE THEY’RE ROOTING FROM THE SIDELINES TO THEIR CHUMS.
WE’LL USE OUR SKILLS AND RUSH THE BALL
AND STAY ON OUR FEET AND TRY NOT TO FALL!
WE’LL PASS AND FAKE, SHOOT AND USE SCOOPS
AND RUN QUITE QUICKLY ‘TIL THEY MELT IN THEIR BOOTS.
WE’LL SCORE AND SCORE AND PLAY OUR VERY BEST
BECAUSE WE KNOW IT’S HOW YOU PLAY THAT MEASURES SUCCESS.
A QUITTER NEVER WINS AND A WINNER NEVER QUITS!
(The score of this game against Richmond Club a 3-3 draw)
October 1, 1966
THE PRESIDENT COMMENTS ABOUT THE WINNING HOCKEY TEAM
OF COURSE, YOU KNOW YOUR COACH THEN BEAMS.
FOR WINS YOU’RE KNOWN AND FOR MUCH MORE
YOUR SPIRIT, YOUR MANNERS, AND A TEAM RAPPORT.
MY HOPE FOR YOU IN YOUR VERY FIRST GAME IS THAT YOU LIVE UP TO LONGWOOD’S FAME.
USE YOUR BRAWN BUT MORE OF YOUR BRAIN
OUTWIT, OUT PLAY YOUR OPPONENTS THIS GAME.
PLAY YOUR BEST, MEET YOUR TEST, BUT REMEMBER THIS
IT’S HOW YOU WIN THAT GIVES YOU BLISS!
(Presently we have no game records from the 1966 season, but Mrs. Bobbitt assures me that it was a winning one!)
October 7, 1967
A WISH FOR THE FORWARDS MAY THIS BE THE DAY
YOU DRIVE, SCOOP, DODGE AND SCORE TO OPPONENT’S DISMAY!
FOR DEFENSE A WISH JUST AS BIG AND LARGE
BUILD THAT WALL; KEEP THEM BACK WITHIN THEIR OWN 50 YARDS!
YOU CAN IF YOU WILL AND YOU WILL IF YOU TRY
FOR WHERE THER’S A WILL THE PATHS OPEN WIDE.
YOU’VE DONE IT TWICE AND YOU CAN DO IT AGAIN
FOR A WINNER NEVER QUITS AND A QUITTER NEVER WINS!
October 12, 1967
MY HEARTS POUNDING MIGHTY FAST FOR I’M EXCITED TOO
TO SEE YOU BEAT DEAR LYNCHBURG FOR LONGWOOD’S WHITE AND BLUE.
IT SEEMS THAT ALL I EVER DO IS ASK FOR MORE AND MORE
BUT GOODNESS TEAMS YOU’VE GOT IT AND OPEN WIDE’S THE DOOR.
LET’S USE OUR SKILL AND PLAY THE GAME LIKE NEVER BEFORE
YOUV’E GOT WHAT IT TAKES AND MUCH MUCH MORE, SO LET’S SCORE.
LET’S SCORE SO MUCH THAT THE FINAL TALLY,
APPEARS TO COME FROM A BOWLING ALLEY.
YOU’VE DONE IT FOUR TIMES YOU CAN DO IT AGAIN
SO COME ON TEAMS LETS HAVE TWO WINS.
BUT REMEMBER THIS ABOVE ALL ELSE AND TRY TO DO YOUR BEST
FOR WIN OR LOSE, IT’S HOW YOU PLAY, THAT MEASURES SUCCESS.
October 21, 1967
HERE COMES POEM NUMBER FIVE
MAY THOUGHTS AND WORDS COME AND JIVE!
RUMORS HAVE THIS AS AN EASY WIN
BELIEVE THIS AND YOU ARE DEFEATED BEFORE YOU BEGIN.
WE CAN AND WE WILL WIN BUT ONLY IF WE TRY
AND USE BRAINS, AND SKILL AND SPEED TO PASS THEM BY!
NOW FORWARDS YOU RUSH AND SCORE EACH TIME
YOU FIND YOURSELF ACROSS THEIR STRIKING LINE.
AND DEFENSE YOU STOP EVERY BALL TODAY
THAT CROSSES THEIR 25 AND SCORE --- YOU MAY!
BY A TEAM LIKE YOU I AM TRULY BLESSED
AND I KNOW TODAY YOU WILL PASS THIS TEST!
BUT WIN OR LOSE – JUST DO YOUR BEST
FOR IT’S HOW YOU PLAY THAT MEASURES SUCCESS.
Our sincere thanks go to Mrs. Eleanor Bobbitt for sharing these archive items and allowing us to print them for Longwood players everywhere to enjoy.
