By: Chris Andrews ’18
Before the 1920’s, before the Wreckers, Staples High School’s athletic teams were called “The Minutemen.” It’s time to return to that name.
The history of the Wreckers name is not steeped in tradition as it was taken from a news headline of a football game upset, “Staples High Wrecks Norwalk’s Homecoming!” While at that time the name likely served as a reminder to other football teams not to underestimate ours, Staples sports are so much more than that and deserve a name more befitting of our athletic prowess.
In 1777 a group known as the Minutemen bravely launched an offense against the British troops that landed on Compo Beach. The “ready in a minute” men played a crucial role in our country’s, and more specifically our town’s, history.
While the Wreckers name is unique and has served our teams well, I am not a fan. The word sounds childish, and it doesn’t convey the strength of our athletes. The valiant Minutemen are a better representation of the remarkable attributes of our athletic teams. They are a symbol that stands for all that our athletes represent: drive, discipline, self-confidence, aggressiveness, focus, commitment and determination.
A mascot such as The Minutemen shows our patriotism from which we benefit in such political times – pride in our country, pride in Westport and pride in our athletes.
Ryan Thomas • Jan 25, 2020 at 2:26 pm
Having wrestled at Staples in the late 1980’s as a Wrecker, I often wondered how we got that mascot name. So I appreciate the history lesson in this article. That being said, I took pride in being a Wrecker. As a wrestler, we identified with the gritty strength associated with the icon. Beyond that, it didn’t have much impact on our time at Staples.
As for the Minutemen, we are all familiar with the statue down at the intersection that leads to Compo Beach. It is a cool piece of history for the town, but I don’t necessarily agree with the idea to go back to that name.
One, we live in a particularly liberal time. And Connecticut is a particularly liberal state. Minutemen has the word “men” in it, so it is not an inclusive word. It doesn’t really fit the times. Two, if you lose, especially in a wrestling match where you can lose quickly by being pinned, being given the moniker of “minuteman” because you can only last one minute, is not the kind of name a wrestler would enjoy. I know wrestlers are a small subset of people, but it really could apply to many time-based sports.
And three, I hesitated bringing this up in a public forum, but given the fact that adolescents are immature, and they would be the ones to experience the potential ridicule, I thought it was germane. I was a teen once, so I remember the time and mentality well. Teens tend to sexualize everything. There is a name attributed to men who can’t perform for very long. I imagine you can make the connection.
I’ll sum up by saying the Wrecker name isn’t the best I’ve ever heard, but it’s far from the worst. It’s simple, it’s inclusive, and it has a history of its own now at Staples. I think it should remain.