Jay County (4,470) Built 1975
January 16, 2024: Fort Wayne Luers vs. Jay County (Boys)
January 16, 2024: Fort Wayne Luers vs. Jay County (Boys)
I feel like in general I'm a pretty patriotic person. I love the 4th of July and apple pie as much as the next guy. Red, white, and blue seem to go really well together most of the time. For some reason though I have never liked them when used as the color scheme for a school or sports team. Maybe it's because somewhere internally I feel like they should be reserved for matters of the US of A, I'm not sure. When you walk in to Jay County's gym, you are immediately knocked over the head with this very color scheme. And you'll never guess what their mascot is, the Patriots! Go figure. Maybe because it's being used in this context, I really didn't mind it tonight. It could also be because the rest of the gym is freaking awesome.
If you've been following along with me this year, you probably have a pretty good idea of what I like in a gym. Jay County ticks almost every single box other than a giant mural from 50 years ago somewhere. Let's start with the court itself. It has the classic multitone look you see in a lot of gyms today. It also has the best centerpiece at midcourt I've seen, hands down. There's a giant outline of Indiana that stretches from sideline to sideline. Jay County is featured in the middle with lines indicating back to where it actually sits on the map bordering Ohio. In that middle portion is an homage to the 8 former schools that consolidated to form Jay County (more on this later.) It's immaculate. The large, block-lettered "Jay County" along each baseline is perfect as well. When it comes to bleachers, they've gone with what a lot of schools have done recently by updating the bottom level with new plastic bleachers while leaving the upper level with the classic wooden variety. While I'm generally anti-plastic, this look has grown on me when it's done well like it is here. The gym is pretty big, and it feels like it. Both levels along the sidelines reach pretty high. One side is ever so slightly higher than the other. One odd quirk I found at the top of the higher side is that at some point they actually removed the back railing that runs along the very top of the bleachers because they don't quite reach the back wall (think of the drop of death at Western), moved it forward two rows of bleachers, and built a new one. You can actualy peer through the new wooden barrier and see the two abandoned rows of seats. Who knows why, but that's certainly a new one for me. You can walk all the way around the upper level, and along one baseline wall are pullout bleachers that are only about 3 rows. They are in little individual sections and look even older than the other wooden bleachers. They're unique in that they are only on one side and they stretch well beyond the playing floor to the very corners of the gym, but they all still face straight ahead. If you would sit on the very ends you would really have to turn your body at a tight angle to see the action. Along each baseline on the lower levels are about 4 rows of bleachers that are built into a cutout underneath the upper level which I always like visually.
Hanging high above the action at center court (which makes for a very cool sightline) hang the team banners for the Allen County Conference. They're simple but pretty (For a relatively unknown conference, there are some pretty sweet gyms represented). You would think a great conference team display like this would be the highlight when it comes to banners, but it's not even close. Along one upper level baseline wall, right next to the athletic Hall of Fame wall which is also well done, is another shrine to the schools that were the heartbeat of Jay County before consolidation. All 8 have their own banner surrounding a center one that reads "All Roads Lead to Patriot Pride, United We Stand, Jay County Patriots." The nostalgia will run you over like a Mack truck. Whoever spearheaded this initiative deserves a raise. There are few more oddities worth pointing out that really put the gym over the top. When I initially walked up the stairs to the upper level, I almost tripped over a red, white, and blue Liberty Bell wannabe of some sort. I have no clue what it's used for, but it's definitely worth pointing out. If I thought that wasn't too subtle when it came to mascot symbolism, I wasn't remotely prepared for what I found at the top of the stairs. Standing guard over nothing in particular is a 15 foot patriot statue holding 18th century weaponry. They are so in your face about how patriotic they are here, you have to respect it. There is also a little crudely made press box in one corner of the upper level. And finally we come to my favorite sign I've seen in a gym. First, it's important to point out that I had a hard time locating a concession stand to obtain my liquid gold. I eventually stumbled upon what really was just a table set up in the cafeteria. I thought it was weird that such a big gym didn't have a real concession stand. Then I found this very tiny sign that said in almost a comedic tone, "Concession stand behind you" as if they knew I was looking. Sure enough, I could see light coming from a window of some sort in a wall facing the bleachers. The sign is actually necessary, because there is literally no way you would see it otherwise. It's tucked into a wall in the corner of the upper level facing away from the gym itself. I cannot possibly think of a reason why anyone would look at a blueprint, and think "Hey this is a good idea!" But that kind of absurdity is what makes all of this so much fun.
Sometimes something comes along and completely surprises you in the best kind of way. It hits all the right notes and just brings you joy. This was my experience at Jay County tonight. It doesn't get named in the top tier of big gyms in the state. It doesn't get categorized with the really eccentric outfits like South Adams or Hauser. It isn't one of the oldest either. But man it just has a lot of cool features. I've talked enough about consolidation in these blogs here and I don't want to keep beating a dead horse. All I'll say is that they did such an amazing job of honoring their heritage in an aesthetically perfect way. They truly are patriots: not to this great country, but to their great county. That pride is evident, and you feel it in your core when you step in that gym.
