Since Ralston Valley’s doors opened in 2000 the school has housed one of the states most impressive athletic departments by anyone’s standards. Multiple League, Conference, and State title banners proudly hang in the gym. But some of Ralston Valley’s most talented athletes compete for different schools.

Ralston Valley facilitates all but three CHSAA sanctioned sports.

Gymnastics, Field Hockey, and Boys Lacrosse are not available at Ralston Valley.

But even in the absence of these sports Ralston Valley is still able to contribute to other schools athletic programs via our student athletes.

Hadley Hagemann is among these athletes. She competes for the Pomona gymnastics team, consistently a top three team in state.

”It’s weird to represent another school, especially a rival like Pomona but still go to RV and cheer for the Mustangs when we play them” said Hagemann. “I do get a lot of comments about it, but I don’t really mind. I’m proud to compete for Pomona.”

Hagemann is one of many student athletes who compete for different schools, but at the same time she is an exception.

Chances are you have heard her name on the morning announcements, but for many other athletes who compete for other schools, Ralston Valley is oblivious to them and their athletic achievements.

Zach Hall is one of these athletes. Hall plays for Wheat Ridge Lacrosse and was an All-State athlete his freshman year.

An impressive accomplishment for anyone but his is even more so because he did it as a freshman. But this fact has remained virtually unknown at RV, purely because he plays for Wheat Ridge.

“When nothing is said about our games, or we don’t get recognition, which is a letdown because so many kids from RV play lacrosse” said Hall who will again play for the Farmers this year.

Hall and the majority of all athletes who play for other schools never get the recognition that Ralston Valley athletes.

But still, Hall said “I’m proud to play for Wheat Ridge even if we don’t get recognition.”

On the other hand, some athletes who wear their schools colors to RV don’t always feel a sense of pride as perhaps they would if they wore a Ralston Valley jersey.

Tobi Pendley and Marin Felsoci are among this group. Both Pendley and Felsoci are juniors who play Field Hockey for the Golden Demons. “You get a lot of weird looks and I always get the feeling that people don’t even know what Field Hockey is.” Said Felsoci

“I feel like there is a lot of tension because we compete for another school and also because no one knows about us.” said Pendley.

She went on to give an example of a time when playing for Golden but still being a Mustang clashed.

“We had a game on the same day we played Golden in soccer, so we went to the game right after. When we got their and sat in the RV section we realized we still had our Golden jersey’s on and everyone in our section was looking at us weird and so was the Golden side. We were all just trying to cover ourselves up.” It was awkward to say the least.

Regardless of any negatives to their situation all of these athletes continue to participate regardless of recognition or lack thereof. Because none of them are play for the limelight they play for the love of their sport.