The legend of Pistol Pete

Who is Pistol Pete? the story behind CCHS’ mascot Photo by Makinzi Burgs

Pistol Pete has been Cooper City High’s mascot for almost all of the school’s 49-year existence. You can’t really talk about CCHS culture without mentioning him; he’s plastered on top of lunch tables, present at all of the football games and always patrolling the bottom floor of the 3900 building. He’s ever-present in the CCHS community, and yet, no one really has an idea of who he is. Sure, he’s a cowboy— he wouldn’t be the mascot if he weren’t one—but where did he come from? What’s his life like? Why is he so important? “The Legend of Pistol Pete,” which can be found in the school’s display case and in the 2003 volume of The Round Up, attempts to explain the enigmatic mascot: “Pistol Pete, known for his bad attitude, unstoppable rebellion and plain old rotten outlook on life was struck by a bolt of lightnin’ and died instantly,” the legend reads. “One hundred years later, January 1971 to be exact, a school was being built on the very same spot of the unmarked grave of Pistol Pete. That ol’ Pete seized the opportunity and his soul was revived. Only

Photo courtesy of Round Up Yearbook

Photo courtesy of Summer Testa

Photo by Genna Nordling

this time, he was a very different man from that mean old coot of a hundred years ago.” The legend goes on to talk about how Pete’s old soul was now filled with brotherhood, love and pride. He awakened, took a look at the newly-built CCHS campus and decided he was brought back for a reason: to fill each hallway, classroom and student with his newfound spirit. Of course, this is only a fraction of the full story. What was Pete’s first life like, before he was struck by lightning? What did he do for a living? The answer is: Pistol Pete was an author, a marksman and allegedly a deputy marshal. The mascot is based on the reallife man, Frank Eaton. Now deceased, Eaton’s entire mission in life was to avenge the death of his father. In 1868, when Eaton was 8 years old, his father was slaughtered by six Confederate soldiers. That same year, Eaton moved to Oklahoma on his own and lived the rest of his life there. He was known for his quick draw, marksmanship and incredible horse riding ability. Despite the name, Cooper City’s Pistol Pete doesn’t carry any firearms. At football games, pep rallies and other events, the mascot carries a lasso with him, using it to wrap his adversaries into his grasp. Because of this, he’s been referred to in the past by students as Lasso Larry, a name that even made its way into the 1995 volume of The Round Up, but there’s never been an official name change. Notably, in the illustration of Pistol Pete in the school’s display case, he’s wearing an ammunition belt with two guns, both tucked in a holster. After the Columbine massacre, CCHS administration decided to remove any images of Pistol Pete with a gun, replacing it with a lasso. The costume of Pistol Pete has never contained any guns. “[His name has] never been changed, the tradition has always been just Pistol

Pete,” Principal Wendy Doll said. “There would have to be a student body vote to change his name, so what we did was we took the pistols off. We don’t use any mascot picture of [Pistol Pete] with guns on them.” CCHS isn’t the only academic institution to use Pistol Pete as their mascot. In fact, he’s been Oklahoma State University’s mascot since the 1920s. With their name being the Cowboys, the CCHS’ football team was initially going to emulate the Dallas Cowboys’ mascot, a star, but decided not to. “Hollis Coleman brought [Pistol Pete] in back around 1976. [Coleman] was the second athletic director and first football coach at Cooper City,” athletic director Paul Megna said. “They looked at the Oklahoma State cowboy and that was the guy that they wanted to replicate. They wanted it to be a true cowboy, and not necessarily the star, because the colors didn’t coincide. The colors coincided with Oklahoma State’s—whose [Pistol Pete] is actually orange, not red—but the colors were close so that’s when they went ahead and started using Pistol Pete as their mascot.” Pistol Pete hasn’t always been the CCHS mascot. According to Megna, there was a stint in the ‘90s in which the mascot was a star. In 1975, roughly one year before Pete was introduced, the school used a live pig as the official football team mascot. This sparked national controversy, due to the fact that the team told reporters they would eat the pig in a barbecue at the end of the season. The controversy is what inspired the Hog Bowl, an annual football game between Western High and CCHS, in which the losing team’s principal had to kiss a pig, something that has become a lost tradition at CCHS. Whether the mascot is a cowboy, a star or a pig, the way CCHS goes about expressing their spirit is the furthest from typical. BY JOSEPH STURGEON

What I wish I knew as a freshman As a high school senior who is finally done with the college application process, I find myself wishing that my past self knew what I know today. I wonder if I had the information I do now, would I have acted differently? There is no way for me to know, but underclassmen are able to learn from what I perceive to be my mistakes. So, compiled in a list are the 10 things I wish I knew as high school freshman. SHARING THE KNOWLEDGE OF SENIOR AND LARIAT MANAGING EDITOR ALEXANDRA SANSONE

1. Take college tours sooner rather than later I didn’t take my first college tour until spring break of my junior year and I wish I had done it sooner. They are a complimentary service offered by the school and oftentimes you receive free merchandise in addition to pamphlets, tips and tricks. It’s important to take advantage of the free tours early because they fill up and you can get a better idea of where you want to attend or if attending a college or university is the right thing for you. Once you have an idea of what kind of school you want to attend, you’ll have a better idea of what grade point average (GPA), test scores, and classes you need in order to be considered a good candidate. By starting earlier, you’ll have enough time to actually meet those requirements.

2. fill out a resume as you go Find a resume template online, start one through your Naviance account or contact Broward Adviser for Continued Education (BRACE) Christine Siwek at christine. siwek@browardschools.com for one and start filling it out. Fill in the blanks with your accomplishments and update it as you progress. This will help you keep track of everything and by the time you need to submit a resume to teachers for a letter of recommendation, you will already have one ready to go.

3. fill out the common application as you go Create a Common Application account and fill out the profile information when you have downtime. Doing it in smaller bits over a longer period of time will be significantly less stressful than trying to get it all done the fall of your senior year. All of your information will be saved, and as you earn awards, take new classes or move houses you can update it in realtime. This also allows you to see which colleges you are interested in require a separate application, as not all institutions are on the Common Application.

4. take the sat/act as early as possible Start taking the SAT and ACT exams as early as you can. Now, that doesn’t mean taking it as a freshman or sophomore, unless you feel comfortable doing so, but don't leave it to the summer after your junior year either. Look up the testing dates and plan accordingly. One of the last things you want is to still be testing for your desired score a few weeks before your application deadline. Take it from someone who put it off and is doing exactly that—it’s not fun. Also, don’t limit yourself to one test. Take both and continue studying for and taking whichever you feel most comfortable with. Also, take advantage of the free PSAT exams the school provides you early in your high school career and take them seriously.

Photos courtesy of Alexandra Sansone

5. study for the sat/ act Make sure you allow time to study for the test. It sounds silly, but it is very easy for time to get the best of you. Before you know it, it will be the night before the exam and you will have barely looked at any study materials. Free resources are available online. Khan Academy is available through Clever and has a full SAT prep course through College Board, complete with practice questions and full-length tests that quiz you on the areas you are struggling in. If you find yourself in need of a test prep book, look around and read multiple reviews. They can be pricey and different books work for different students.

6. Dual enrollment, AICE and AP classes are all weighted the same This is typically common knowledge, but what is important to keep in mind is that some dual enrollment and AICE classes can be considered easier or more accessible to you depending on what your needs are. Also, be aware that you have the ability to not only dual enroll with Broward College (see your guidance counselor for paperwork) but also with the University of Florida Online. Because every student is different, do some research and ask knowledgeable upperclassmen with similar aspirations to determine which type you should take, just be sure to read all of the courses’ syllabi. 7. class rank isn’t important 9. apply for scholarships now 10. don’t just focus on the academic parts of school Don’t get caught up in trying to increase your class ranking. It may seem important right now, but in the long run, it won’t be a huge deal to many people besides your family members. That being said, those who are able to stay at the top of their class deserve recognition, as it’s no easy feat. But don’t worry so much that you miss out on your high school experience and burn yourself out before even getting to college. Check with the school that you want to attend to see if they offer any merit-based scholarships. If they do, see if you meet the criteria and apply. Keep track of the Bright Futures Scholarship requirements if you plan on attending or even just applying to a school in Florida. Look for scholarships that aren't exclusive to seniors and apply now. The worst the organization can say is no, and even if you don't meet the requirements exactly, you may still be the most qualified person applying. And finally, make sure that you still have fun and enjoy the non-academic side of high school. Take part in spirit weeks and hang out with your friends. As cheesy as it sounds, you will never get these four years back and if you play your cards right, they can be some of the best of your life. 8. try out different classes/ programs Research different free programs to partake in. This will allow you to explore your interests before paying for courses in college and are a fun way to learn, make friends and connections that you could use later on in life. I have participated in a variety of programs, like Miami Montage and Cappies, and doing so has helped me to eliminate career choices I was previously considering before realizing that they weren’t for me. Both: Alexandra Sansone visits Florida State University on college tour trip during her junior year. Sansone recommends that students research and visits schools early in their high school education.

BY ALEXANDRA SANSONE

RECAP AND RUNDOWN

Updates and previews on all of the sports at CCHS BY KYLEIGH SPRIGLE AND KAYLA GATES

Football is one of the most popular sports at CCHS, with stands packed full of students, parents and administration at their games. The team had a total of 11 games this season, losing six games and winning the other five. The team will be losing nearly 20 seniors after graduation, but will be able to recover easily due to them having a varsity and a junior varsity (JV) team.

Photo by Anabella Garcia

20 sports The swimming and diving team has made a name for themselves over the years. The season started right away in the first week of school and ended in November. The season ends later for those individual swimmers who make it to states. This year, one diver, three individual swimmers and two relay groups made it to states. The girl’s volleyball team is always prepared for their season before the school year starts. Conditioning begins in late June and they have tryouts over the summer. While they were wellprepared, the team did not make it past the first game of districts. There are 16 girls on the varsity team and 12 of them will be graduating.

Photo by Sydney Katz

The boy’s soccer team has had issues in the past when it came to qualifying for districts. However, this year they were able to participate in playoffs, allowing them to qualify for the district semi-finals. The official season started in November. Golf is a sport that does not receive a lot of attention at CCHS, but recent teams have had a memorable season. Their 2019 and 2018 seasons consisted of state qualifiers. The season began in August and for the state qualifiers, it finished in the middle of November. There are no seniors on the team so they are expecting the same results next season.

Wrestling’s season is not over yet. Many wrestlers still have the opportunity to make it to districts, regionals and states. The season started in December and it ends at different times for different wrestlers. The district competition is in February and the state competition is in March. The team is expected to do well, considering that the district champs from last year are still on the team.

The girl’s soccer team has had a successful season. So far, they have won 11 games, lost six and tied 1. The team also played in the district semifinals on February 6. They secured a 4-3 victory against St. Thomas Aquinas High School, deeming them four-time district champions. They will compete at the regional semifinals once again this year. There are close to 30 girls on the varsity team alone, but only a few are seniors.

The boy’s basketball season is coming to an end, but the playoff games are starting soon. The team won eight and lost the other 11 games. Their season is not over until districts in the coming weeks. The team start their season in November and it ends in February. The team will be losing six seniors but they have a JV team full of players to choose from. The girl’s basketball team has a few games left in their season. Their first game was at the end of November and districts begin in early February. The team has not won districts in many years, but last year they came close, making it to district finals. This year, the team had a few setbacks with all the injuries but they are hoping to make it to the district championship again. Cross country is one of the lesser-known sports, which begins in August and ends in November. There are around 30 people on the team. Ten people ran at districts and seven students made it to regionals. However, none of the runners got to go to states. Less than eleven seniors are graduating and that leaves the team with some of the same qualifiers.

Also approaching is the girls’ flag football season. With conditioning already underway, interested varsity and junior varsity players can expect tryouts beginning in February, with the official start of the season to follow soon after. Despite losing many seniors the previous year, the Lady Cowboys plan to return to the state finals one again, hoping to take home a trophy.

Photo by Anabella Garcia

Despite previous doubt, water polo has also taken off. The boys’ team faced some concerns early on as they struggled to find and secure a new coach. However, the issue has since passed, allowing conditioning to be held in the pool after school. After losing and acquiring many players the boys hope to return to districts this season. As for the girls, the team simply wishes to grow as a whole, seeking as many victories as possible over the course of the season. The track and field season is currently underway. Following their return from winter break, athletes have endured weeks of training, including refining event times and exercising new skills. The team hopes to be prepared for their many meets set to start in February.

Baseball and softball have also gained significant attention this school year. With limited interest in previous years, few cuts have had to be made. However, with more players interested in playing for the school than ever before, the team will have to be narrowed down to only include the best of the best through a series of tryouts in the weeks to come.

Another sport taking off is boys volleyball. While the girls’ league took place at the start of the year, the boys’ team will begin competing in their later spring season. While only interest meetings have taken place, the team looks forward to the tryouts and practices to come.

Photo by Sydney Katz

Lacrosse is the final sport to take off this school year. With a late spring season, the coaches have begun gathering support through informational meetings. Interested boys and girls can contact the respective coach for further details, as nightly practices are set to begin shortly. Tennis is yet another sport set to begin in the coming months. Tryouts, being held at the Rock Creek Pool and Tennis Center, are already underway, hoping to attract as many new players as possible. While traditionally a small team for both the boys and girls, the program seeks to expand as much as possible, welcoming players of varying skill sets.

Photo by Anabella Garcia Photo by Sydney Katz

The CCHS cheer team made their first appearance at the start of the school year, supporting the football team at each game. However, the team has returned for their competitive season. After competing at a series of meets, the Lady Cowboys have made their names known throughout the District. Most recently, the team placed at regionals, allowing them to qualify for states again.