First and Long: A black school, a white school and their season of dreams

Additional Information

A Unique Partnership

The partnership between Shorewood and Messmer high schools is unique. Many states do not allow public schools and private schools to share a team. In some cases, no such "co-ops" are allowed at all. A review of co-ops in every state showed public-private partnerships generally either involved small towns where there was one public high school and one private one, or else combined several schools from nearby towns. In one case, two schools that shared a team were located across the street from each other.

Shorewood and Messmer are located just over a mile apart, on Milwaukee's busiest street. A bridge over the Milwaukee River separates Milwaukee and Shorewood. Despite how close they are, some of the players from Messmer said they had never crossed the bridge to Shorewood until they joined the team.

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A Fresh Start

For both schools, the 2001 season marked a fresh start -- and carried with it great optimism. Messmer, a Catholic school, had not had a team since the fall of 1983, the year the school was closed by the Milwaukee Archdiocese. Over that summer, a group of parents, alumni and friends fought to keep the school open. They eventually bought the building and reopened the school that fall as an independent high school. Today, Messmer is one of the fastest-growing schools in the Milwaukee area and, in addition to the high school, operates a preparatory school. Although Messmer students such as Nate Shorter, pictured here, pushed for a team, it was deemed too expensive to start one from scratch.

Meanwhile, Shorewood struggled with declining numbers and interest in its football program. Without the partnership, the school likely would not have had a team. While the team always received strong fan support from the community, it had become one of the losingest programs in the city, state and nation. Since the 1988 season, when the team finished 3-6, Shorewood had won four games and lost 104. At one point, the losing streak reached 63.

The season chronicled in the book was a chance for both schools to start over.

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The Great Experiment

In Milwaukee, one of the most segregated communities in the nation, the partnership quickly took on great significance. It featured players from one of the community's wealthier suburbs lining up next to ones from some of the roughest Milwaukee neighborhoods. While the team mostly just wanted to be able to play football, the players recognized the significance and the test they were facing. Before the season, one remarked: "It shows white kids can get along with black kids and black kids can get along with white kids."

The season featured many tough moments, as the players struggled to see themselves as one team -- not city and suburb, not black and white, not Shorewood red or Messmer blue. For some school administrators, the best moment of each week was Friday night, when the players put on their uniforms and pulled on their helmets and, to the casual observer, there was no difference at all.

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Under The Lights

The book follows the team from the classroom to the locker room, from the first day of school to the Homecoming Dance, at practice and at home. It has been compared to the classic football stories "Friday Night Lights" and "Remember the Titans." Indeed, before the partnership came together, players from both schools watched the "Titans" movie, which carried similar themes.

In the book, some of the most exhilarating and inspiring moments, of course, take place on the playing field, where dreams can be made real or, just as quickly, shatter. The book will appeal not just to those who played high school sports, but anyone who went to high school. As much as it is about sports, it is about life.

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About The Book

The book, approximately 350 pages long, is available in both hard cover and trade paperback. It includes more than a dozen photos, many of them from Journal Sentinel photographer Benny Sieu. Others, including those shown with the text on this page, are from Michael Tucker, a Messmer teacher and graduate. The book features a Foreword by Vince Lombardi Jr., son of the legendary Green Bay Packers coach.

It has been endorsed by Steve Rushin of Sports Illustrated, Green Bay Packers great and NFL Hall of Famer Willie Davis, and author Jim Dent, who wrote The Junction Boys. The Epilogue traces the team's second season.

The book would be a great gift for sports fans and non sports fans alike.

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	F&L Is Best Sports Book Of 2004, Midwest Independent Publishers Assn. Borowski Seems To Find All Of America In A One-mile Stretch Of Capitol Drive In Milwaukee. First And Long Is A Compelling Account Of Rich And Poor, Black And White, Urban And Suburban Youth All Trying -- Against Long Odds -- To Move To The Same Snap Count. *-- Steve Rushin, Sports Illustrated* Columnist**
	Additional Information A Unique Partnership A Fresh Start The Great Experiment Under The Lights About The Book A Unique Partnership The partnership between Shorewood and Messmer high schools is unique. Many states do not allow public schools and private schools to share a team. In some cases, no such "co-ops" are allowed at all. A review of co-ops in every state showed public-private partnerships generally either involved small towns where there was one public high school and one private one, or else combined several schools from nearby towns. In one case, two schools that shared a team were located across the street from each other. Shorewood and Messmer are located just over a mile apart, on Milwaukee's busiest street. A bridge over the Milwaukee River separates Milwaukee and Shorewood. Despite how close they are, some of the players from Messmer said they had never crossed the bridge to Shorewood until they joined the team. TOP A Fresh Start For both schools, the 2001 season marked a fresh start -- and carried with it great optimism. Messmer, a Catholic school, had not had a team since the fall of 1983, the year the school was closed by the Milwaukee Archdiocese. Over that summer, a group of parents, alumni and friends fought to keep the school open. They eventually bought the building and reopened the school that fall as an independent high school. Today, Messmer is one of the fastest-growing schools in the Milwaukee area and, in addition to the high school, operates a preparatory school. Although Messmer students such as Nate Shorter, pictured here, pushed for a team, it was deemed too expensive to start one from scratch. Meanwhile, Shorewood struggled with declining numbers and interest in its football program. Without the partnership, the school likely would not have had a team. While the team always received strong fan support from the community, it had become one of the losingest programs in the city, state and nation. Since the 1988 season, when the team finished 3-6, Shorewood had won four games and lost 104. At one point, the losing streak reached 63. The season chronicled in the book was a chance for both schools to start over. TOP The Great Experiment In Milwaukee, one of the most segregated communities in the nation, the partnership quickly took on great significance. It featured players from one of the community's wealthier suburbs lining up next to ones from some of the roughest Milwaukee neighborhoods. While the team mostly just wanted to be able to play football, the players recognized the significance and the test they were facing. Before the season, one remarked: "It shows white kids can get along with black kids and black kids can get along with white kids." The season featured many tough moments, as the players struggled to see themselves as one team -- not city and suburb, not black and white, not Shorewood red or Messmer blue. For some school administrators, the best moment of each week was Friday night, when the players put on their uniforms and pulled on their helmets and, to the casual observer, there was no difference at all. TOP Under The Lights The book follows the team from the classroom to the locker room, from the first day of school to the Homecoming Dance, at practice and at home. It has been compared to the classic football stories "Friday Night Lights" and "Remember the Titans." Indeed, before the partnership came together, players from both schools watched the "Titans" movie, which carried similar themes. In the book, some of the most exhilarating and inspiring moments, of course, take place on the playing field, where dreams can be made real or, just as quickly, shatter. The book will appeal not just to those who played high school sports, but anyone who went to high school. As much as it is about sports, it is about life. TOP About The Book The book, approximately 350 pages long, is available in both hard cover and trade paperback. It includes more than a dozen photos, many of them from Journal Sentinel photographer Benny Sieu. Others, including those shown with the text on this page, are from Michael Tucker, a Messmer teacher and graduate. The book features a Foreword by Vince Lombardi Jr., son of the legendary Green Bay Packers coach. It has been endorsed by Steve Rushin of Sports Illustrated, Green Bay Packers great and NFL Hall of Famer Willie Davis, and author Jim Dent, who wrote The Junction Boys. The Epilogue traces the team's second season. The book would be a great gift for sports fans and non sports fans alike. TOP
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