HIGHLANDS RANCH — V is everywhere at Valor Christian.
Oversized and in two shades of blue, the V is on the shirts of most of the students — currently only freshmen and sophomores — at this brand new and strikingly bold school. It’s on the walls inside the mammoth, red brick main building that could easily be the centerpiece of any small college.
The V is on the center of the athletic fields and courts, and on everything in the gift shop, from the plaid flannel pants to the hats.
V stood for victory Monday as Valor dispatched 3A stalwarts Colorado Academy 3-1 with a torrid second-half performance. Two goals came from attacking midfielder Abby Elliott and freshman forward Bri Pugh bagged the other, a deserved prize for 40 minutes of relentless running and passing with teammates Madison Meyers and Christine Adams.
“Excellence,” Valor girls soccer coach Brock Becker said. “That’s what Valor talks about all the time, and influencing the world through that.”
Becker’s squad exemplifies excellence. The Eagles are playing as a Class 3A independent this season and cannot qualify for the postseason. Consider it a respite from the rest of the state, because the Eagles are coming on in all sports — especially girls soccer.
Becker’s adopted daughter, Lauren, is a fleet-footed defender. Jaelene Hinkle, who could be Lauren’s twin, is a passing specialist, serving up perfect crosses off corner kicks.
To a girl, the Eagles are relentless. Every ball is chased down, every attacker is pressured, and every pass has purpose, even when it appears unconscious. That chemistry is due to the fact that the majority of the squad plays club ball for Real Colorado clubs.
Valor is 6-1 this season against varsity teams and has outscored opponents, including five Class 5A squads, by a combined 37-4. The Eagles also dropped Smoky Hill’s JV squad 7-1 and dispatched Overland’s JV 10-0.
Valor officials said the school will be sanctioned by the Colorado High School Activities Association in August and should begin the 2008-09 season at the 4A classification based upon projected enrollment.
But winning games is truly secondary to Becker, who coached at Fort Collins from 1993 to 1998 and is now athletic director at Cherry Hills Christian Middle School.
“If that’s all we’re known for at the end of the day, then maybe we failed,” Becker said. “We want to be known for being different in how we treat each other.”
V also stands for vox populi at Valor, where officials want the school to have the voice of many people. Although rooted in Christianity, it is not tethered to a specific church or denomination.
Funding, and there is a lot of it, comes from the private sector.
Kurt Unruh, president and head of school, said Valor will spend between $18 and $24 million on dedicated athletic facilities, which does not include the planned aquatics center with a pool the size of the U.S. Olympic facilities in Colorado Springs. The football stadium has a 4,000-square-foot weight room and training facilities under the main grandstand. The school also has a contract with Nike for athletic uniforms and shoes.
If that seems athletically excessive, consider Valor is spending $22 million constructing a “world class” arts center, and the standard classroom is outfitted with the latest technology.
“We take no shortcuts,” Unruh said.
Tuition for this fall is $11,400, and the school plans to offer more than $1.4 million in financial assistance.
“It’s pretty easy to say you’re proud of going to Valor,” freshman Jordan Voth said.
Viva la Valor.
