50 and Counting, Animas High School

The Nation's Longest Current High School in New Mexico. Coach Billy Henson’s teams have pionships!

News Flash—Just before Easter, Coach Henson resigned at Animas HS to coach at Springerville, Arizona's Round Valley High School.

50 AND COUNTING ANIMAS HIGH SCHOOL We featured C.B. West High School in Doylestown, Pennsylvania in our December 1988 issue. They did I’ve always had the philosophy that enrollment, more have the longest winning streak but on their last game than any other factor, is the most important ingredient on Thanksgiving day against cross-town rival C.B. for success in high school football.

Bucks East they suffered a tie. At that moment, Animas School opponents are half again as big and some schools are more than twice the enrollment of Animas. It should High School became heir to the streak. I’ve known Coach Henson since he came to Animas in 1981. He requested the BFS program and has been be obvious that something special is happening. Animas is located about 30 miles south of Lordsburg or 70 miles southwest of Deming or 120 miles west of using our principles from that time. Coach Henson began his career in 1981 with a 1-6-1 record but he went right to work to change things for out of the way. However, this school of 180 students has the better.

For instance, there was an old storage shack Las Cruces, New Mexico. You get the idea. made national headlines for having the country’s longest winning streak.

A LETTER FROM COACH HENSON There is no doubt as to where we think the majority of our success stems from: it is definately our strength and program. Being formerly the strength coach at Alice, Texas and before that at E.N.M.U. in the early 70’s, 1 knew where to begin. The first thing was to put our universal gym in storage and replace it with Olympic style-free weights. We relocated our weight lifting area and the results began to show immediately. The strength and quickness program is the foundation to our success, and Bigger Faster Stronger has given us the direction that has gotten us where we are today.

Our first season, 1981, was a terrible 1Coach Billy Henson's teams have averaged 39 points a game over the streak!

6-1. In 1982, we were 11-1 and went to the semi’s. In 1983 we lost again in the semi-finals but since then we have won five consecutive state championships and have the current longest winning streak in the nation at 50 straight. With our system and facility now in place our young athletes just plug in at the seventh grade level and work toward being the best they can be. We break our program into weight-lifting, plyometrics, and flexibility. We try to record everything we do and we use a goal oriented approach to all things. We try to keep it as interesting and as motivating as possible. Our out-of-season program includes many combative drills both individual and team oriented.

Of course we compete constantly in the weight room. Our in-season lifting goes completely through the regular season and into the playoffs. We set our individual strength goals in August and we test in November. Our team goal is to be the strongest team in the playoffs. Our approach to football is team quickness. We will take quickness over size every time. The strength training helps our size problem, but we depend more on power and quickness than size. If a young man comes into our program heavy or obese, he does not leave that way. We teach nutrition and advocate protein supplimentation.

Many people ask how we can have the consistency that we have in such a small school, year after year, My answer to that is being as small as we are may help our situation. Our formula is to take 7 to 10 athletes per class (9th through 12th grade) and blend the skills and personalities together, then shape a Varsity and a J.V. team from what we have. Some of our kids will know as many as three positions. Our players commit to us, each other, and we commit to them. Each year _our team has a secret theme. This past season it was “Big Team Little Me” It brought us closer together. next to the stadium that was turned into an athletic ofÏce. The carpet in the ofÏce was once “reject stuff”

“I’m proud to say that I play with the best bunch of kids from the school administration building. Coach Henson ever assembled to play football. proudly stated, “I taped the carpet down myself.” The next renovation that came was new locker rooms, “I can still remember Coach Henson's words as a a weight room, meeting rooms and showers. All next to freshman. He said, if we just listened to him, we would the stadium, which incidently, was named after Coach be winners.”

Henson two years ago. During this phenomenal streak, Billy Henson has become a legend.

Coach Henson glows with pride when he thinks about his kids. “What really excites me is their “There’s a little mystique about Animas. Teams that succeed sometimes win just because they think they’re supposed to win.” willingness to work so hard towards their only goal Coach George James, Hatch Valley High School which is to win another state championship. They (Four of the 50 wins are against Hatch Valley) inspire me because they just continue to meet the “We ask ourselves, ‘Can we be champions if we're on challenge.” You’d think that over confidence or complacency would set in but I'll let you judge for yourself.

Here are some quotes: “Sometimes the thought of losing comes to mind but when the game starts, we just give 110 percent and never think about losing.” 4 drugs.’ There’s no way.” Derek Hill, All-State Defensive Back “Drugs are for losers.” The 1988 Animas Panther Football Team “They are not big-headed or cocky. They're just neat Continued on next page THE STREAK By Greg Shepard kids and people tell me they handle themselves real well in public. That says a lot about them.”

Coach Billy Henson The Animas spirit is probably best explained by relating the following story about Derek Hill. Derek had prepared very very hard. He was a 5-9 receiver with All-State credentials as a junior. Now, it was time for his special senior year and to participate in extending the streak. However, Derek injured his knee in an August scrimmage. After successful arthroscopic surgery, doctors declared that Derek would miss the entire season.

“1 believed the doctors for about a week,” said Derek.

He watched his teammates play and practice. this time, he is going through his rehabilitation program Robert Danielson 6-1, 220 has parallel squatted 385 pounds as a sophomore. with the thought of coming back. “We were told Derek wouldn't play. I took him off the roster. But then, I saw the dangnest thing. Derek was running laps around the practice field, lifting weights ad sitting in the whirlpool. This was just a few weeks after surgery. | didn’t know what to expect, ” stated Coach Henson.

Derek said, “After I saw the first game, ] decided | was going to do everything I could to come back.” He developed the belief that nothing, not even a serious injury, would keep him out of his senior year at Animas High School. With a serious laugh, Derek explained, “Football in this tiny town is too special and too much fun to miss.” As Derek continued to rehabilitate himself, his knee improved as did his 40 yard dash. Derek was a champion hurdler as a junior and had run 4.7 in the forty. “When I got it down to 4.8, I felt I was ready.”

Coach Henson wisely decided against playing Derek again as a receiver. The risk of getting hit from a bad Paul Ragle, Senior, All-State Running Back. (5-9, 165) Paul Benched 285 pounds. angle was too great even with a protective knee brace. Derek Hill was to become a defensive back. Coach Henson stated, “Derek became a game and just had a great year. He played a key role in our State Championship victory and can you believe this—Derek Hill made first team All-State as a defensive back!”

Coach Billy Henson is definitely an Upper Limit Coach. He has not only won a bunch but helped kids see life in its proper perspective. commented, “A lot of people say football is just a game. But what football has taught us at Animas is leadership and character.” Our BFS hat is off to Billy Henson and the Animas High Panthers for helping us more fully understand the efÏcacy of total commitment towards a noble Quest—a True Quest for Greatness. Continued on next page James Danielson, Junior, All-State Defensive End.

(5-10, 180) James toys with this 415 pound Dead Lift “When people ask me where I'm from, | tell them I'm from Animas. I’m proud to say I’m part of this organization,” Mark Figueroa, Quarterback.

ANIMAS PROGRESS CHARTS Paul Ragle (Senior) Running Back—Defensive Back Sa"

5' 6"

57"

James Danielson (Junior) Off. Tackle—Def. Tackle 53"

5' 6"

Fred Anzaldua (Junior) Off. Guard—Def. Tackle 5* 6"

Robert Danielson (Soph.) Off. Tackle—Def. Tackle Fred Anzaldua Junior having fun?

5 11"

He was an All-State Defensive Tackle.

6° 1"

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From BFS Magazine — Spring 1989. Part of the BFS Magazine Archive (1980–2014).