Barrow High School Football

Barrow, Alaska is the northernmost city in North America and one of the northernmost cities in the United States.  It has a population of just over 4,000 and 60% of that is Inupiat Eskimo.  The city struggles with crime and drug use and was desperately searching for something to occupy their children.  Football was the answer.

On a sunny mid-August day the citizens of Barrow are lucky to enjoy a 40 degree day.  The weather never gets above 60 and 50 is a rarity.  This made it hard to practice and increased the risk of injuries.  When the idea came across the Barrow principal to field a football team, he sent out an email to most of the citizens in the town and only one replied.  Mark Voss last coached football 23 years ago in Arkansas, and never thought that he would get back into the sport.  Well, when he posted a bulletin in the school hallway advertising the team, 44 people decided to join and he had a team to coach.

They practiced on a light gravel patch which couldn't support goalposts and was always in danger of a polar bear siting.  They practiced for three weeks before their first game, which would take place against Delta Junction.  The game would be the northernmost football game ever to take place and would be a party for the town.  More than  half the town showed up to the game and cheered on their Whalers.  The inexperience of a new team showed, though.  They had nine false start/offsides penalties, four to one player alone.  They ended up losing that game 34-0 against a far superior opponent.  Their second game would be against Valdez.  They showed some good improvement in this game but still struggled with turnovers and lost 33-0.  The Valdez gave Voss am encouraging word at the end of the game, though.  He told him that if the Whalers played their hearts out they would have a chance against an inferior Sitka team.

This sport is saving these student-athletes from the hungry streets of Barrow and changing lives.  The whole town is aglow every time this team plays.  To find out what happens and read more go to: http://proxy.espn.go.com/espn/eticket/story?page=tundrapart2

This truly amazing story took place in 2006 and the Barrow Whalers are currently in their fifth season with a record of 4-1.