Itasca High School (Texas) Explained

Itasca High School
Type:Public
Schooltype:high school
District:Itasca Independent School District
Grades:9-12
Principal:Christopher Stroud
Teaching Staff:19.65 (FTE)
Ratio:10.13
Enrollment:199 (2018–19)[1]
Colors: Black & Gold
Conference:UIL Class 2A
Mascot:Wampus Cats/Lady Cats
Streetaddress:123 North College Street
City:Itasca
State:Texas
Zipcode:76055-2307
Country:United States
Coordinates:32.1646°N -97.1452°W
Homepage:Itasca High School

Itasca High School is a 2A public high school located in Itasca, Texas (USA). It is part of the Itasca Independent School District located in north central Hill County. In 2013, the school was rated "Academically Acceptable" by the Texas Education Agency.[2]

Unique nickname

According to local legend in Itasca, a student from the late 1920s helped them come up with one of the state's most unusual nicknames: Wampus Cats. The imaginary mascot has made Itasca recognizable to people who don't even know the town of 1,500 is 45 miles south of Fort Worth. ESPN has done a story on it, as has The New York Times. A Dallas radio station has called it the quintessential Texas high school football nickname.[3]

Nancy Bowman, a lifelong Itascan who runs the school's special services, explains that the team was having trouble finding a nickname until the perfect one erupted from a post-game locker room celebration.

Wow, we were really Wampus Cats tonight! shouted Trav Burks, the story goes.[4]

Leesville High School in Louisiana and Conway High in Arkansas also have the Wampus Cat as a mascot.

Athletics

The Itasca Wampus Cats compete in the following sports:[5]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: ITASCA H S. National Center for Education Statistics. February 5, 2021.
  2. Web site: 2013 Accountability Rating System . Texas Education Agency . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130615204344/http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/perfreport/account/2013/index.html . 2013-06-15 .
  3. Web site: Lubbock Online. Jamie Aron 1996.
  4. Web site: Lubbock Online. Jamie Aron 1996.
  5. Web site: Itasca Athletics.