Top Hat
By Webmaster Webmaster
October 19, 2007
Vote for Lytle Pirate Top Hat
E-N staffers pick the best helmets in the San Antonio area. BEST OVERALL: 1 Lytle (149 points, NINE FIRST-PLACE VOTES)
When Robbie Garza took over as head coach of the Pirates in 2005, his primary task was to breathe new life into a program that hadn’t enjoyed a winning season in 16 years. One of the few things he refused to change was the team’s helmet.
“We didn’t want to touch it, Garza said, “We’re Pirates, and that
was the perfect symbol for us. The kids are proud when they get up
to the varsity and they get their skull and crossbones.”
From its original logo to the eye-catching color scheme, Lytle’s
helmet is outstanding in nearly every respect. As such, it comes as
no surprise that the Pirates were the runaway winners of an
Express-News Sports Department vote to determine the best high
school helmet in the San Antonio area.
Seventy-one of 86 eligible teams participated, and 21 staffers,
from Editor Steve Quintana to office coordinator Leo Leija,
voted.
Express-News staff writer Dan Mc Carney selected his favorites in
10 related sub-categories, and staff photographer Helen Montoya
shot many of the helmets.
Lytle’s emblem was designed and drawn by the cross country coach
Gilbert Ruiz about 10 years ago.
Hoping for a more intimidating look, Ruiz use the infamous Jolly
Roget pirate flag as his model to replace the existing logo, which
consisted of a large “L” crossed by a sword. “I wanted to
design something that looked cool, that the kids would like”, he
said.
His work was an instant hit and not just in Lytle, where it’s a
common sight on T-shirts and bumper stickers. After last year’s
regular season finale, several Medina Valley players asked if they
could trade decals.
“Everybody likes it”, Senior guard Luke Parker said. “You don’t
want to have something girly on your helmet when you line up and
hit someone. It’s mean looking.
What more could a football player want?
