Thomas Dale High School
Encyclopedia
Thomas Dale High School is a public school located in Chester
, an unincorporated community in Chesterfield County
, Virginia
, United States.
It was named for Sir Thomas Dale
, a 17th century leader in the Virginia Colony. The high school
is operated by the local school division
, Chesterfield County Public Schools
.
, an English naval commander knighted by King James I
who served as colonial deputy-governor of the Colony of Virginia based at Jamestown
in 1611, and from 1614-1616. Thomas Dale served under Royal Governor
Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr
, better known in modern times as "Lord Delaware."
Dale was recruited for reassignment to the troubled Colony of Virginia through the efforts of the king's elder son, Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales
. Dale had the misfortune to be among those aboard the Sea Venture
, the new flagship
of the Virginia Company of London when they became shipwrecked on the abandoned archipelago which became Bermuda
for 10 months before continuing on the Virginia. He is credited with later naming places in Virginia after both Prince Henry and Bermuda.
It was Sir Thomas Dale who led the development of Henricus
, a progressive development (for the time) located on and about what was later known as Farrars Island in the James River
. Henricus was envisioned as possible replacement capital for Jamestown, and was to have the first college in Virginia. (A few years after Dale's death in 1619, the ill-fated Henricus was destroyed during the Indian Massacre of 1622
when a third of the colonists were killed). The long-lost site of Henricus was only rediscovered in the last quarter of the 20th century by archaeologists.
In addition to creating the new settlement at Henricus, Dale also established the port town of Bermuda Hundred and "Bermuda Cittie"
(sic). He began the excavation work at Dutch Gap
, using methods he had learned while serving in Holland. (Chesterfield County
was part of Henrico County
from 1634 until 1749).
In addition to the high school in Chester, the county's Dale Magisterial District is also named in honor of Sir Thomas Dale.
It was built in 1906, and was known as Chester High School. In 1917, it was renamed Chester Agricultural High School. Then in 1942, it was given its current name of Thomas Dale High School.
Also in the early 40's, a new building was constructed on the western side of the original building. This 1940's building stands today as Chester Middle School. The 1906 structure was later demolished.
In 1964, another replacement facility opened less than a mile east on State Route 10.
In the mid 1980's, this building saw a small expansion, followed in the early 1990s by some interior renovation and the addition of Air Conditioning.
To alleviate overcrowding, an annex known as the Thomas Dale West Campus opened in 1997 in the former Carver Middle School building on Branders Bridge Road. This facility housed the 9th grade.
Between 1999 and 2001, the 1964 building underwent a massive expansion and a complete interior and exterior renovation. Thomas Dale West Campus closed with the completion of this project.
Though the 2001 expansion was projected to accommodate the school's population for decades, the student population has been growing rapidly, and trailers and rooms in the stadium must now be used to house all the students. Recently, however, it was decided that neighboring Chester Middle School would be shutting down due to budget cuts, and that Thomas Dale would once again be expanding to a two building school; 9th graders will be housed at the former Chester Middle School, 10th - 12th at the main campus.
All hail to our alma mater
Our praise to thee we sing
Loyalty to the maroon and gray
From which we pledge to bring
When our days have ended here
And friends of old must part
We'll always cherish
THOMAS DALE
Deep within our hearts
in Chester, participating in the Dual Enrollment Program and offers many AP classes in the core areas as well as the arts.
In 2011, Thomas Dale began offering Juniors and Seniors SAT preparatory classes paid for by the school system due to declining SAT scores. For the last 10 years, many Thomas Dale students who went on to college were required to take remedial English and Writing classes due to defeciences in Thomas Dale classes and low scores on college placement tests.
Dance Department and has taught at SUNY
. Her program explores many aspects of dance, such as technique, choreography, improvisation, and nutrition. Ballet and Modern dance are the main forms of dance taught, but all types of dance are explored to some degree. The students in the dance specialty center have access to a dance studio and private locker and shower facility. Guests artists include those of the Latin Ballet and the Richmond Ballet. The Specialty Center Dance Company recently performed in New York City.
The Visual Arts department offers Advanced Placement courses in Studio Art, as well as dual enrollment drawing and printmaking courses, and ceramics. The students and staff maintain a large art gallery in the commons area. A strong alliance with artists and arts organizations of regional, national and international prominence offers distinctive advantages for students to study with professional artists. Regular level classes are offered to all students in photography, graphic design, 2D/3D design, art and world cultures. The department staff includes a list of enthusiastic active artists: F.S.Essig, photography; Patricia Fairley, Visual Arts, Sebastian Jackson, 3-D design; Shelley Row, Visual Arts and Computer Graphics; Luke Petrey, Visual Arts and Computer Graphics and Kathy Stratton, John Tyler Community College Drawing and Printmaking. An electronic gallery is available for viewing on the Specialty Center website.
Thomas Dale graduated one collegiate baseball player from the 2007 Central District Championship team:
-Graham Sherman- United States Coast Guard Academy
Collegiate players from 2008 District Championship team:
-Kirk Jennings- UVA Wise
-Kevin Curd- Norfolk State
Collegiate Players from the 2009 District Championship team:
-Michael Green- UNC Charlotte
-Ryan Carter- Hampden-Sydney College
. The Knights also have a traditional long-standing rivalry against the "Blue Devils" from Hopewell High School, of Hopewell, Virginia
. The Knights are known as a perennial power in the Central Region but have failed to win the district title last year. The Knights play on the Edmund Karpus field at their J. Wilson Crump Stadium, and are coached by Kevin Tucker a former Knight full back. The Thomas Dale Knights were coached by Vic Williams, a Knights alumni and former quarterback who died in 2010 after a battle with cancer. Under Williams' leadership, the team has produced NFL players William Henderson, Rudi Johnson and Ken Oxendine. The Thomas Dale Knights ended Oscar F. Smith High School 28 game winning streak, thereby allowing them to play in the 2009 Virginia High School League
championships.
Thomas Dale won its first state football championship on December 12, 2009 defeating Lake Braddock 35-21 at Scott Stadium
in Charlottesville, Virginia
.
.
Division 1 players since 2005:
In 2005:
In 2006:
In 2008:
In 2009:
The 2011 season gave the Knights their 3rd straight district title, ending the year with a 14-0 record. Shahbaz Mughal led the Knights as the #1 player with a 13-1 record and a District Player of the Year title. Coach Neal was awarded his second straight Coach of the Year title. Mughal defeated Prince George's #1 in the championship singles match to claim the schools third district singles championship in a row.
Players from the 2009 District Winning Season:
Players from the 2010 District Winning Season:
Chester, Virginia
Chester is a census-designated place in Chesterfield County, Virginia, United States. The population was 20,987 at the 2010 census.-History:...
, an unincorporated community in Chesterfield County
Chesterfield County, Virginia
Chesterfield County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, a state of the United States. In 2010, its population was estimated to be 316,236. Chesterfield County is now the fourth-largest municipality in Virginia . Its county seat is Chesterfield...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, United States.
It was named for Sir Thomas Dale
Thomas Dale
Sir Thomas Dale was an English naval commander and deputy-governor of the Virginia Colony in 1611 and from 1614 to 1616. Governor Dale is best remembered for the energy and the extreme rigour of his administration in Virginia, which established order and in various ways seems to have benefited the...
, a 17th century leader in the Virginia Colony. The high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
is operated by the local school division
School division
-Canada:In Canada the term is used to the area controlled by a school board and is used interchangeably with school district, including in the formal name of the board. For example, see List of Alberta school boards.-United States:...
, Chesterfield County Public Schools
Chesterfield County Public Schools
Chesterfield County Public Schools is the school system of Chesterfield County, Virginia, United States. Almost 59,000 students are enrolled in 62 Chesterfield public schools...
.
Sir Thomas Dale
Thomas Dale High School was named for Sir Thomas DaleThomas Dale
Sir Thomas Dale was an English naval commander and deputy-governor of the Virginia Colony in 1611 and from 1614 to 1616. Governor Dale is best remembered for the energy and the extreme rigour of his administration in Virginia, which established order and in various ways seems to have benefited the...
, an English naval commander knighted by King James I
James I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
who served as colonial deputy-governor of the Colony of Virginia based at Jamestown
Jamestown, Virginia
Jamestown was a settlement in the Colony of Virginia. Established by the Virginia Company of London as "James Fort" on May 14, 1607 , it was the first permanent English settlement in what is now the United States, following several earlier failed attempts, including the Lost Colony of Roanoke...
in 1611, and from 1614-1616. Thomas Dale served under Royal Governor
Governor of Virginia
The governor of Virginia serves as the chief executive of the Commonwealth of Virginia for a four-year term. The position is currently held by Republican Bob McDonnell, who was inaugurated on January 16, 2010, as the 71st governor of Virginia....
Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr
Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr
Thomas West, 3rd and 12th Baron De La Warr was the Englishman after whom the bay, the river, and, consequently, an American Indian people and U.S. state, all later called "Delaware", were named....
, better known in modern times as "Lord Delaware."
Dale was recruited for reassignment to the troubled Colony of Virginia through the efforts of the king's elder son, Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales
Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales
Henry Frederick Stuart, Prince of Wales was the elder son of King James I & VI and Anne of Denmark. His name derives from his grandfathers: Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley and Frederick II of Denmark. Prince Henry was widely seen as a bright and promising heir to his father's throne...
. Dale had the misfortune to be among those aboard the Sea Venture
Sea Venture
The Sea Venture was a 17th-century English sailing ship, the wrecking of which in Bermuda is widely thought to have been the inspiration for Shakespeare's The Tempest...
, the new flagship
Flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, reflecting the custom of its commander, characteristically a flag officer, flying a distinguishing flag...
of the Virginia Company of London when they became shipwrecked on the abandoned archipelago which became Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
for 10 months before continuing on the Virginia. He is credited with later naming places in Virginia after both Prince Henry and Bermuda.
It was Sir Thomas Dale who led the development of Henricus
Henricus
The "Citie of Henricus" — also known as Henricopolis or Henrico Town or Henrico — was a settlement founded by Sir Thomas Dale in 1611 as an alternative to the swampy and dangerous area around the original English settlement at Jamestown, Virginia...
, a progressive development (for the time) located on and about what was later known as Farrars Island in the James River
James River (Virginia)
The James River is a river in the U.S. state of Virginia. It is long, extending to if one includes the Jackson River, the longer of its two source tributaries. The James River drains a catchment comprising . The watershed includes about 4% open water and an area with a population of 2.5 million...
. Henricus was envisioned as possible replacement capital for Jamestown, and was to have the first college in Virginia. (A few years after Dale's death in 1619, the ill-fated Henricus was destroyed during the Indian Massacre of 1622
Indian massacre of 1622
The Indian Massacre of 1622 occurred in the Colony of Virginia, in what now belongs to the United States of America, on Friday, March 22, 1622...
when a third of the colonists were killed). The long-lost site of Henricus was only rediscovered in the last quarter of the 20th century by archaeologists.
In addition to creating the new settlement at Henricus, Dale also established the port town of Bermuda Hundred and "Bermuda Cittie"
City Point, Virginia
City Point was a town in Prince George County, Virginia that was annexed by the independent city of Hopewell in 1923. It served as headquarters of the Union Army during the Siege of Petersburg during the American Civil War.- History :...
(sic). He began the excavation work at Dutch Gap
Dutch Gap
Dutch Gap is located on the James River in Chesterfield County, Virginia near the site of the lost 17th-century city of Henricus.In 1611, Sir Thomas Dale, according to a method he had learned while campaigning in Holland, cut a ditch across a portion of land behind town...
, using methods he had learned while serving in Holland. (Chesterfield County
Chesterfield County, Virginia
Chesterfield County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, a state of the United States. In 2010, its population was estimated to be 316,236. Chesterfield County is now the fourth-largest municipality in Virginia . Its county seat is Chesterfield...
was part of Henrico County
Henrico County, Virginia
Henrico is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, a state of the United States. As of 2010, Henrico was home to 306,935 people. It is located in the Richmond-Petersburg region and is a portion of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area...
from 1634 until 1749).
In addition to the high school in Chester, the county's Dale Magisterial District is also named in honor of Sir Thomas Dale.
Buildings and names
The school known today as Thomas Dale has undergone several building and name changes.It was built in 1906, and was known as Chester High School. In 1917, it was renamed Chester Agricultural High School. Then in 1942, it was given its current name of Thomas Dale High School.
Also in the early 40's, a new building was constructed on the western side of the original building. This 1940's building stands today as Chester Middle School. The 1906 structure was later demolished.
In 1964, another replacement facility opened less than a mile east on State Route 10.
In the mid 1980's, this building saw a small expansion, followed in the early 1990s by some interior renovation and the addition of Air Conditioning.
To alleviate overcrowding, an annex known as the Thomas Dale West Campus opened in 1997 in the former Carver Middle School building on Branders Bridge Road. This facility housed the 9th grade.
Between 1999 and 2001, the 1964 building underwent a massive expansion and a complete interior and exterior renovation. Thomas Dale West Campus closed with the completion of this project.
Though the 2001 expansion was projected to accommodate the school's population for decades, the student population has been growing rapidly, and trailers and rooms in the stadium must now be used to house all the students. Recently, however, it was decided that neighboring Chester Middle School would be shutting down due to budget cuts, and that Thomas Dale would once again be expanding to a two building school; 9th graders will be housed at the former Chester Middle School, 10th - 12th at the main campus.
Alma Mater
Written by Carolyn Dawson (class of 1951) and Bob Ivey (class of 1954) for the 1950-51 school year.All hail to our alma mater
Our praise to thee we sing
Loyalty to the maroon and gray
From which we pledge to bring
When our days have ended here
And friends of old must part
We'll always cherish
THOMAS DALE
Deep within our hearts
Academics
Thomas Dale High School is fully accredited by the Virginia Department of Education for Standards of Learning. The Visual and Performing Arts Specialty Center attracts students from every part of Chesterfield County who are highly interested and talented in music, theatre, dance or visual arts. Students explore and expand their creative potential in an exciting and unique arts community within a fully comprehensive high school, which offers many advantages such as a wide range of academic and arts classes, clubs, sports and service organizations. The program is designed to provide a well-rounded education with excellent core academic classes suited to each student's needs (including honors, AP, dual enrollment) coupled with a challenging honors arts curriculum in order to prepare students for excellent collegiate and professional opportunities. It has a strong partnership with John Tyler Community CollegeJohn Tyler Community College
John Tyler Community College is a two-year, public institution of higher education and is the fifth largest of the 23 community colleges in Virginia. John Tyler is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, and offers 17 associate degree programs,...
in Chester, participating in the Dual Enrollment Program and offers many AP classes in the core areas as well as the arts.
In 2011, Thomas Dale began offering Juniors and Seniors SAT preparatory classes paid for by the school system due to declining SAT scores. For the last 10 years, many Thomas Dale students who went on to college were required to take remedial English and Writing classes due to defeciences in Thomas Dale classes and low scores on college placement tests.
Specialty Center for the Arts
Thomas Dale serves as the Visual and Performing Arts Specialty Center for Chesterfield County. The program attracts talented young musicians, artists, dancers, and actors to its honors arts program. The faculty is active as performer/artists. The program is coordinated by Mrs. Pamela Barton. This specialty center attracts nearly 300 new applicants each year and graduates earn thousands in scholarship offers every year.Theatre
The Theatre department is headed by Keri Wormald and Rebecca Jones. Students in the Theatre Specialty Center focus on acting techniques, voice, dialects, stage movement, as well as the technical aspects of the theatre. This group performs a number of different plays many times each year, including musicals, student directed plays, and popular shows such as "Threepenny Opera", "Pride and Prejudice", and a production of an abridged version of Shakespeare's "Hamlet". The Thomas Dale Theatre Department recently was one of the first high schools to perform the musical, "Hairspray". Many students leave this program ready for college auditions (if they choose to pursue theatre as a profession), and go on to fine and performing arts universities and conservatories all over the nation.Dance
Denise Purvis is head of the dance program at Thomas Dale. She is an Alumna of the VCUVirginia Commonwealth University
Virginia Commonwealth University is a public university located in Richmond, Virginia. It comprises two campuses in the Downtown Richmond area, the product of a merger between the Richmond Professional Institute and the Medical College of Virginia in 1968...
Dance Department and has taught at SUNY
State University of New York
The State University of New York, abbreviated SUNY , is a system of public institutions of higher education in New York, United States. It is the largest comprehensive system of universities, colleges, and community colleges in the United States, with a total enrollment of 465,000 students, plus...
. Her program explores many aspects of dance, such as technique, choreography, improvisation, and nutrition. Ballet and Modern dance are the main forms of dance taught, but all types of dance are explored to some degree. The students in the dance specialty center have access to a dance studio and private locker and shower facility. Guests artists include those of the Latin Ballet and the Richmond Ballet. The Specialty Center Dance Company recently performed in New York City.
Music
Thomas Dale's music department has been awarded the Governor's Blue Ribbon Music Department Award multiple years. The orchestras, choral groups, and bands go to competitions and compete within the county, state, and regional competitions. Groups have traveled to Chicago, New York and Florida recently. Music directors are Steve Barton, David Holley, Christopher Johnston, Christi Stanfield, and Christine Berg. Thomas Dale hosts 12 music ensembles. The music department performs major works every other year, most recently being the Rutter Requiem.Guests
Guest artists of regional and national stature frequently hold seminars at Thomas Dale. Notable guests of the Specialty Center have included:- Mark Wood of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra
- The Richmond Symphony
- The Joffrey Ballet
- The Urban Bush Women
- Musicians from Dave Matthews Band
- Bob Stanfield the Great
- Greg Burnz
- Joe Frasia
- Christian Butto, MMA monster
- Morgan Freeman
Visual Arts
Thomas Dale High School's Visual Arts Department is represented strongly throughout statewide and national level competition, emerging as one of the top contenders in exhibitions such as the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Students have submitted award winning portfolios and individual works on all levels. In 2008, an Advanced Placement Photography student was awarded a golden key for her portfolio as well as Best In Show. Two other Photography students were awarded a golden key for their portfolios, and multiple awards were given for individual works. One student was awarded a golden key in Drawing for his portfolio, while others were awarded gold and silver keys for individual works, as well as a silver key for a portfolio.The Visual Arts department offers Advanced Placement courses in Studio Art, as well as dual enrollment drawing and printmaking courses, and ceramics. The students and staff maintain a large art gallery in the commons area. A strong alliance with artists and arts organizations of regional, national and international prominence offers distinctive advantages for students to study with professional artists. Regular level classes are offered to all students in photography, graphic design, 2D/3D design, art and world cultures. The department staff includes a list of enthusiastic active artists: F.S.Essig, photography; Patricia Fairley, Visual Arts, Sebastian Jackson, 3-D design; Shelley Row, Visual Arts and Computer Graphics; Luke Petrey, Visual Arts and Computer Graphics and Kathy Stratton, John Tyler Community College Drawing and Printmaking. An electronic gallery is available for viewing on the Specialty Center website.
JROTC
The Junior Reserver Officer Training Corps entered Thomas Dale high school for the first time in 2002. The program was run by two instructors: LTC Samuel McNabb and SGT Harris. The program had a great start and is very much involved with the community. This year the program has nearly 200 students enrolled into the course.Sports
Thomas Dale High School is also well known for its outstanding sports and other extracurricular activities programs. The athletic teams compete as the "Knights" and wear the school colors of maroon and gray.Baseball
Baseball has always been a competitive sport for Thomas Dale pitting the Knights against a closely matched Central District. Major competitors in the District include the Matoaca Warriors, Meadowbrook Monarchs, Prince George Royals, Dinwiddie Generals, and the Colonial Heights Colonials. A fierce rivalry has emerged between Thomas Dale and the Warriors of Matoaca, a long side the classic Thomas Dale - L.C. Bird rivalry. Recently a coaching change has occurred and head coach Chris Marshall had a successful 2007 season with the young team. The Knights claimed a District Title and a Regional Appearance to close a season that started on a suspect 0-5 record. Following a 2007 District Tournament Championship, the 2008 team went 20-3 on their way to a regular-season and tournament crown. The 2009 team again won the regular-season championship and advanced to the regional semi-finals before a close loss to Deep Run.Thomas Dale graduated one collegiate baseball player from the 2007 Central District Championship team:
-Graham Sherman- United States Coast Guard Academy
United States Coast Guard Academy
Founded in 1876, the United States Coast Guard Academy is the military academy of the United States Coast Guard. Located in New London, Connecticut, it is the smallest of the five federal service academies...
Collegiate players from 2008 District Championship team:
-Kirk Jennings- UVA Wise
-Kevin Curd- Norfolk State
Collegiate Players from the 2009 District Championship team:
-Michael Green- UNC Charlotte
-Ryan Carter- Hampden-Sydney College
Football
Each year, the Knights participate in "The Battle of Chester" football game against their cross-town football rival, the "Skyhawks" of L. C. Bird High SchoolL. C. Bird High School
Lloyd C. Bird High School is a public high school in Chesterfield, an unincorporated community in Chesterfield County, Virginia, United States. It is part of Chesterfield County Public Schools and is located at 10301 Courthouse Road.-Accreditation:L.C...
. The Knights also have a traditional long-standing rivalry against the "Blue Devils" from Hopewell High School, of Hopewell, Virginia
Hopewell, Virginia
Hopewell is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 22,591 at the 2010 Census . It is in Tri-Cities area of the Richmond-Petersburg region and is a portion of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. The Knights are known as a perennial power in the Central Region but have failed to win the district title last year. The Knights play on the Edmund Karpus field at their J. Wilson Crump Stadium, and are coached by Kevin Tucker a former Knight full back. The Thomas Dale Knights were coached by Vic Williams, a Knights alumni and former quarterback who died in 2010 after a battle with cancer. Under Williams' leadership, the team has produced NFL players William Henderson, Rudi Johnson and Ken Oxendine. The Thomas Dale Knights ended Oscar F. Smith High School 28 game winning streak, thereby allowing them to play in the 2009 Virginia High School League
Virginia High School League
The Virginia High School League is the arbiter of interscholastic competition among public high schools in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Unlike similar organizations in many other states, private or religious schools are prohibited from joining. Non-public schools belong to other organizations,...
championships.
Thomas Dale won its first state football championship on December 12, 2009 defeating Lake Braddock 35-21 at Scott Stadium
Scott Stadium
Scott Stadium , located in Charlottesville, Virginia, is the home of the Virginia Cavaliers football team. It sits on the University of Virginia's Grounds, east of Hereford College and first-year dorms on Alderman Road but west of Brown College and the Lawn...
in Charlottesville, Virginia
Charlottesville, Virginia
Charlottesville is an independent city geographically surrounded by but separate from Albemarle County in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, and named after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the queen consort of King George III of the United Kingdom.The official population estimate for...
.
Soccer
In 2005, the Knights varsity boys soccer team won the Virginia State AAA soccer Championship. It was the first state championship for any Thomas Dale athletic team. They successfully defended that title in 2006. In the 2006 season, the Knights set Virginia state records for most shutouts, fewest goals allowed and most wins in a season. Through May 2007 they won 67 consecutive matches, while defending their #1 national ranking. The winning streak set a state record. In the 2007 Virginia Central Region Semifinals, their streak came to an end, losing 0-2 to the new Cosby High SchoolCosby High School
Cosby High School is a public secondary school located in Midlothian, Virginia.Cosby is a part of Chesterfield County Public Schools and is located at 14300 Fox Club Parkway. The school mascot is the Cosby Titan....
.
Division 1 players since 2005:
In 2005:
- Shawn Graham - Virginia Military InstituteVirginia Military InstituteThe Virginia Military Institute , located in Lexington, Virginia, is the oldest state-supported military college and one of six senior military colleges in the United States. Unlike any other military college in the United States—and in keeping with its founding principles—all VMI students are...
In 2006:
- Tyler Suttenfield - VMIVirginia Military InstituteThe Virginia Military Institute , located in Lexington, Virginia, is the oldest state-supported military college and one of six senior military colleges in the United States. Unlike any other military college in the United States—and in keeping with its founding principles—all VMI students are...
- Roger Bothe - William & MaryCollege of William and MaryThe College of William & Mary in Virginia is a public research university located in Williamsburg, Virginia, United States...
- Jordan Evans - University of VirginiaUniversity of VirginiaThe University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
- Scott Robertson - United States Naval AcademyUnited States Naval AcademyThe United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
- Matt White - James Madison UniversityJames Madison UniversityJames Madison University is a public coeducational research university located in Harrisonburg, Virginia, U.S. Founded in 1908 as the State Normal and Industrial School for Women at Harrisonburg, the university has undergone four name changes before settling with James Madison University...
- Daniel Heling - Germany
In 2008:
- Patrick Innes - James Madison UniversityJames Madison UniversityJames Madison University is a public coeducational research university located in Harrisonburg, Virginia, U.S. Founded in 1908 as the State Normal and Industrial School for Women at Harrisonburg, the university has undergone four name changes before settling with James Madison University...
In 2009:
- Will Bates - University of VirginiaUniversity of VirginiaThe University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
- Daniel Comer - NC State University
Tennis
The Thomas Dale Boys tennis team had a successful season in 2010. Cory Neal is the school's current tennis coach. Thomas Dale also claimed 5 different titles in 2010: Coach of the year, Player of the Year and Boys Singles titles by Austin Hamilton, Boys Doubles title by Austin Hamilton and Andrew Thagard, and Team District Champions. Both Thomas Dale and Prince George are perennial powers in the Central District, winning each of the past six years. Recently, along with Prince George, a large rivalry has formed with Matoaca. Matoaca took away Thomas Dale's perfect season with a 5-4 decision in late March; a month later, Thomas Dale stormed through and won with a convincing 9-0 scoreline, giving them their second consecutive district title.The 2011 season gave the Knights their 3rd straight district title, ending the year with a 14-0 record. Shahbaz Mughal led the Knights as the #1 player with a 13-1 record and a District Player of the Year title. Coach Neal was awarded his second straight Coach of the Year title. Mughal defeated Prince George's #1 in the championship singles match to claim the schools third district singles championship in a row.
Players from the 2009 District Winning Season:
- Cody Crampton- Lynchburg CollegeLynchburg CollegeLynchburg College is a private college in Lynchburg, Virginia, USA, related by covenant to the Christian Church with approximately 2,500 undergraduate and graduate students. The Princeton Review lists it as one of the 368 best colleges in the nation...
Players from the 2010 District Winning Season:
- Will Hayes- James Madison UniversityJames Madison UniversityJames Madison University is a public coeducational research university located in Harrisonburg, Virginia, U.S. Founded in 1908 as the State Normal and Industrial School for Women at Harrisonburg, the university has undergone four name changes before settling with James Madison University...
Volleyball
The Thomas Dale 2007 boys volleyball went 26-0, losing only three sets all season, on their way to Thomas Dale's third team state title in four years (Boys soccer 2005, 2006). The 2007 season followed a longstanding tradition of domination in the Central district, proven by the fact that the team has never lost a match in district play. As the only team to go to state play the past three season, the Knights prove to have become a powerhouse volleyball team in the state of Virginia.Wrestling
The wrestling team, like all the other athletic teams at Thomas Dale, competes as the Knights. However, they are better known as the "Bagubas," a nickname that originated in 1982 under then Coach (and History teacher) Bob Horning and Captain Andy Weber (Class of 1983). It has consistently been one of the better sports programs at Thomas Dale, even if not the most noticed.Notable alumni
- Melissa Harris-Perry, Class of 1991, is a professor of politics and African-American Studies at Princeton UniversityPrinceton UniversityPrinceton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
, and a regular guest on the MSNBC programs The Rachel Maddow Show (TV series)The Rachel Maddow Show (TV series)The Rachel Maddow Show is a news and opinion television program that airs weeknights on MSNBC at 9:00 p.m. ET. It is hosted by Rachel Maddow, who gained popularity with her frequent appearances as a liberal pundit on various MSNBC programs. It is based on her former radio show of the same name...
and The Last Word with Lawrence O'DonnellThe Last Word with Lawrence O'DonnellThe Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell is an hour-long weeknight news and political commentary program on MSNBC. The program airs live at 10:00 P.M. Eastern Time Monday-Thursday, and is hosted by Lawrence O'Donnell...
. http://melissaharrisperry.com/ - Rudi JohnsonRudi JohnsonBurudi Ali "Rudi" Johnson is a former American football running back who played professionally from 2001 - 2008. Rudi was born in Petersburg, Virginia approximately 30 miles south of Richmond. His first name "Burudi" is Swahili and means "cool'" and his middle name "Ali" represented his family's...
, Class of 1998, is retired pro-bowl running back who played with the Detroit LionsDetroit LionsThe Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
and Cincinnati BengalsCincinnati BengalsThe Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
in the National Football LeagueNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. Drafted in the 4th round out of Auburn UniversityAuburn UniversityAuburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 7, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts...
, Rudi has set franchise rushing records in 2004 and 2005 with the Bengals. - Ken OxendineKen OxendineKen Qwarious Oxendine is a former professional American football player who played running back for two seasons for the Atlanta Falcons.In college, Oxendine played for the Virginia Tech Hokies...
, Class of 1994, was a running back with the Atlanta FalconsAtlanta FalconsThe Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the National Football LeagueNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was drafted in Round 7 of the 1998 NFL Draft by the Falcons. He also played in the short-lived XFL. - William Henderson, Class of 1990, is a running back with the Green Bay PackersGreen Bay PackersThe Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
in the NFL. He was drafted as the 2nd Pick in the 3rd Round of the 1995 NFL Draft by the Packers. He shared the backfield with Brett Favre for eleven seasons, and won two Super Bowls with the Packers. He was a one-time Pro Bowl selection. He retired from football in 2007.