We Are Better Than Your Stereotypes

Springfield Township. It’s barely on the map. Most people think we are the Springfield in Holland, Ohio. We grew up with people telling us we won’t make it big from a place like Springfield. Our teams shouldn’t win state titles, we’re Springfield. Oh we are playing Springfield? That’ll be an easy win. We won’t go to Harvard. Why? We’re from Springfield.We won’t excel in state standardized tests, we’re Springfield. We were raised on the notion that we might not succeed just because we’re from the good old red and gray.

They told us we can’t be good but we are doing just that. We’re doing good. We are getting better at everything we do. The softball teams getting us noticed, baseball is drawing a crowd, track is making us known and cross country is leaving everyone else in the dust. Our programs are rebuilding with youth leagues, and fundraisers. Our teams, Springfield teams are becoming something great.

We grew up hearing we won’t make it and that’s why we will. The strong ones will excel in everything we do and the weak ones will be left as stereotypes. But the strong ones will continue to strive to erase the negative connotation that comes with “Springfield” because we are Springfield and we are proud to wear red on our backs and we will not allow anyone to tell us that it’s wrong.