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Recognition for a hard-won success is something that Valley knows how to handle. The community has stepped up to get championship game rings for the Valley boys basketball team. 

Valley High School Principal Montray Thompson also has plans in the works for a community-wide celebration as a thank-you for a season of support.

“We’ve had some people who contacted us from the community,” Thompson said. “So we’ve got a plethora of support that has come in, in regards to their endeavor to get finances in place to solidify the prices of the rings.”

Thompson will have a meeting this week with a vendor to determine the pricing of the rings. They will be funded in combination with funds from the community and the Valley High School Athletic Booster Club.

“It’s been phenomenal,” Thompson said. “We couldn’t ask for a better place to be right now in regards to community support. It has been absolutely amazing, all the support that we’ve gotten from everyone in the community. So everybody has been very appreciative.”

The support from the community didn’t just start after Valley’s championship win. Thompson said the team had great support during each of the games on and off the road.

“It’s part of the culture that we’re trying to grow and just really sustain moving forward,” he said. “So we’re just really, really grateful for all the opportunities and support that we have gained from our community over the last several weeks.”

That support will not be forgotten. Though the school has organized a celebration on Friday for students only, there are plans to hold a community-wide celebration as well. The plans haven’t been finalized yet, but an announcement could be made by early next week.

“It’s been a village,” Thompson said. “It’s been everybody that’s been involved in this success. So of course, we want to give everybody an opportunity to be a part of that celebration. I’m going to make sure that we’ll have that opportunity for everybody to be a part of it.”