Like it or not, many high schools and universities are known for their athletic programs more so than their academics.
It has been said that a school’s athletic program is the school's front door.
And almost anyone you ask about the University of Alabama will probably first mention the Crimson Tide football program. If you are talking about the University of Kentucky, it’s men's basketball. Louisiana State University is best associated with football and baseball.
Locally, Baker School, with four state championships in football, is a football school. It also can be said that Baker is a volleyball school, as the Gators have won 12 straight district titles.
Laurel Hill School is no doubt a basketball school. Both the boys and girls programs have historically done well. The girls program, though having struggled the past few years, won seven state championships between 1981 and 1995.
But what about Crestview High School? If you were to say Crestview is a blank-ball school, what sport would that be?
The Bulldogs have never won a state championship in football, but they did advance to the Class 3A championship game in 2002. Historically, Crestview has won about a half-dozen district championships on the gridiron.
There have been periods when Crestview might be considered a baseball school. The Bulldogs are usually competitive at a local level, and have had a couple of runs deep into the playoffs.
But Crestview might best be considered a basketball school. The Bulldogs won a state championship in boys basketball in 1985. That same year, Crestview’s girls finished second in the state. And Tom Hammonds, Crestview’s most accomplished professional athlete, was a basketball player.
When considering the boys and girls basketball teams' recent success, it’s not a stretch to think of Crestview as a basketball school.
The past two weeks have been good to Crestview basketball. On Jan. 31, the girls won their first district championship since 2003. Last Saturday night, the boys won their second straight district title.
As best I can tell, this is the first time that both the boys and girls won the district championship in the same year since 1985.
Last year, the girls finished district runner-up and advanced to the Elite Eight before being knocked out of the playoffs. The boys also advanced to the Elite Eight — again, the first time that has happened for both teams since the mid-1980s.
It will be interesting to see how things unfold in the playoffs for both teams. Can they recapture last year's playoff magic?
Whether either team advances as far as they did last year, it’s safe to say basketball is — pardon the pun — on the rebound at Crestview High.
Kathy Combest has worked wonders with Crestview's girls in her three years as head coach. Greg Watson has been equally impressive on the boys side in his two seasons at the helm.
One day, another CHS sport might again match the boys and girls basketball teams' current success.
But for now, I think it’s safe to say Crestview High is a basketball school.
Email News Bulletin Sports Editor Randy Dickson, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: SIDELINE OBSERVATIONS: Crestview High: a basketball school