When we think of Texas High School Football, we often think of gleaming palaces built for football in fast-growing suburbs or packed stadium in a small town out in rural Texas. However, one incredibly important and under-served area of the sport lies in the middle of our largest metro areas: the brand of football played in our inner cities.

While the chances of seeing a team win a state title from the inner-city are small, the role that football plays in these parts of the state is anything but small.

The games played in the inner-cities give us a glimpse into the history of the game in our great state. Before the boom of the suburbs schools in Dallas ISD, Houston ISD, Austin ISD, Fort Worth ISD and metro San Antonio were primarily where “big-school football” was played. Games were played in big stadiums right next to freeways in front of what was often standing room crowds and aside from the famous games in the Little Southwest Conference, these games helped build the romance and lore around Texas High School Football.

Some of the teams still playing in the inner-city gives us glimpses into a history that doesn’t get discussed enough or given the credit it deserves, as inner-city football gives us the last remaining legacies of the PVIL still active to this day. Teams like Houston Wheatley, Dallas Madison, Austin Anderson, Houston Yates and Dallas Lincoln still play to this day giving a glimpse of a proud football history, that should never be forgotten.

Despite the challenges of smaller budgets, flight to the suburbs, fewer overall coaches on staff and dated facilities, the work that coaches and administrators do each and every day in our inner-cities is as impressive as ever, as these educators against the odds work with our most at-risk youth to help mold them not only into great athletes, but more importantly have a hand in producing productive citizens.

So yes, you may hear about a team in the inner-city and think “that team has no chance of winning state,” but my challenge to you in 2021 is to go out and watch an inner-city football game or two on a Thursday or Saturday when your team isn’t playing. Adopt one of these teams as your own, support them simply with your presence at a game. Yes the crowds are going to be small. Yes it might be odd going to a game on a Thursday night or Saturday afternoon, but supporting these kids and schools means more than you can imagine in the bigger picture.

Texas High School Football first and foremost is about community and our inner-cities are our community too. Nothing would warm my heart more than seeing a few extra seats filled this fall in our historic stadiums in the major metro areas.

Hey, its fun to watch TXHSFB games on Thursdays and Saturdays.