Fluvanna County High School

Fluvanna County High School (FCHS) is a public school about two miles west of Palmyra, Virginia on Virginia State Route 53. It opened in the 1934 as one of the first county consolidated high schools in the U.S. Commonwealth of Virginia. The school is noted for its unique nickname, the Flying Flucos.

History

The original Fluvanna County High School was located in Carysbrook, Virginia. The Carysbrook campus was renovated in the 1980s and now serves as the Offices of the Fluvanna County Social Services Department, a community center with an auditorium for local performing arts groups. The Fluvanna County Department of Parks and Recreation administers the original FCHS gym and playing fields.

The Fluvanna County School Division integrated in 1969 and the high school became known as Fluvanna Senior High School (grades 10 -12). The former Abrams High School became Fluvanna Junior High School (grades 8 & 9).

In the summer of 1976, a new Fluvanna County High School opened adjacent to the old Abrams High School (Fluvanna Jr. High) near Palmyra. This school campus, now Fluvanna Middle School, has had many additions constructed and renovations since the original construction in 1975.

In 2009 the Fluvanna County School Board approved the building of a new Fluvanna County High School on the Pleasant Grove property on the Rivanna River near Palmyra. The new FCHS at Pleasant Grove (Palmyra, Virginia) opened in 2012.

History of the Flying Flucos Nickname

In 1948 Fluvanna County was one of the few teams in Virginia that was playing high school football as the team finished the season with a 7-1-1 record. The 1949 Fluvanna County High School Yearbook, the Fluvannual, makes first reference to the nickname Flying Flucos. As written in the yearbook, "Our next game on November 12 was the pride of the 'Flying Flucos'. Rated as underdogs in this game between Fluvanna and Manchester, we racked up a touchdown, a safety, and an extra point, to edge them 9 - 6. This is the team, incidentally, that gave us the name, 'Flying Flucos.' " Prior to this game something was probably said or written about "The Flying Men of Flu.Co." (an attempt to abbreviate Fluvanna County) The students at Fluvanna County HS embraced 'Flying Flucos' and it has been the nickname ever since.

The first attempt to create a visual image of the Flying Flucos mascot was 'Mercury (mythology) Winged Sandals that appeared in the 1950's - 60's. The Winged sandals were said to be made of imperishable gold and they flew the gods as swift as any bird. Students at the old FCHS (now middle school) referred to the gym as the 'Shoebox', a moniker brought about by two FCHS students while anchoring the school's morning television show. The Old English script Flying 'F' with wings is now the Flying Fluco logo. Over the years many efforts to make a super hero type character the Flying Fluco mascot were attempted but all never gathered much support. Recently a caped 'Flucoman' mascot has appeared. The Flying Fluco nickname has twice made the ESPN list of Top High School nicknames in the country, once earning the #2 overall selection for 'most unique mascot'.^[1]

Activities

Athletics

The Flying Flucos participated in the Virginia State High School League (VHSL) Group 'A' James River District during the 1970s and 1980s with traditional rivals Buckingham, Goochland, Amelia, Cumberland, Prince Edward, Powhatan and Lunenburg Central. In the 1990s as enrollment for the high school grew, the Flying Flucos moved to the 'AA' Jefferson District with rivals Charlottesville, Orange, William Monroe, Goochland, Powhatan, Louisa, Monticello, and Western Albemarle. The Flying Flucos continue to schedule and participate in regular season sports in the Jefferson District. Fluvanna's VHSL classification is '3A-West, Conference 29' with conference foes Broadway, Ft. Defiance, Monticello, Turner Ashby, Waynesboro, Western Albemarle, and Spotswood.

Flying Fluco football made a name for itself in the 1970s and 1980s led by Coach Phil Browning (106-55-10) by winning numerous district championships as well as making many playoff appearances. In fact, Fluvanna County participated in the first Group 'A' Football Championship game in 1970 as well as the 1981 Group 'A' title game. The football stadium at the new FCHS at Pleasant Grove is named 'Phil Browning Field.'

The Flying Flucos were also very successful in Track and Field during the 1970s and 1980s, winning state championships to include the Group 'A' Indoor boys title in 1974, 1976, 1978, and 1979 and the Group 'A' Outdoor boys title in 1981, 1982, and 1983. The girls track team won the 1981 Group 'A' outdoor track title. The track program was led by coaches Phil Browning, Tap Pace, and Feda Kidd.

The basketball program, coached by boys coach Munro Rateau and girls coach Feda Kidd, won state championships during the 1980s and early 1990s to include the boys Group 'A' title in 1989 and 1990 as well as a Group AA Div. 3 Final Four appearance in 2012 and the girls Group 'A' title in 1981 and 1982. Coach Munro Rateau was inducted into the V.H.S.L. Hall of Fame in 2016 and the school's basketball court in named in his honor.

Marching band

The Fluvanna County Marching Flucos won First place in USSBA National Band Competition in Single A bands in 2006.

Notable alumni

• Chris Daughtry - Contestant on American Idol Season 5. Created Platinum Selling band Daughtry.

References

External links

• School web site
• Previous School website

Coordinates: 37°49′29.8″N 78°16′29.4″W / 37.824944°N 78.274833°W / 37.824944; -78.274833