The Battle of the Bend is an annual competition between Fulshear’s high schools designed to strengthen community spirit and celebrate student achievement across the full academic year. Built around the existing UIL scoring system for the Lone Star Cup, the competition recognizes performance in athletics, academics, and extracurricular activities in a way that is transparent, inclusive, and grounded in established standards. By using a framework already familiar to students and schools, the Battle of the Bend allows broad participation while elevating friendly rivalry into something that benefits the entire community.

 

The idea for the competition originated with City Manager Zach Goodlander, who sought to create a tradition that would build pride in Fulshear while encouraging positive engagement between the City and its schools. The goal was to establish something lasting, an annual touchpoint that would highlight excellence and strengthen local identity. "Battle of the Bend" reflecting not only the proximity to nearby bend in the Brazos River that gave Fort Bend County it's name, but also the fact that both Jordan and Fulshear High School sit adjacent to Fulshear Bend, a major local artery. 

 

The concept was further developed by Kyle Smith, a Summer 2025 City of Fulshear intern and graduate of Jordan High School. Kyle advanced the idea from mere concept to execution, working directly with a sculptor to design and produce a custom traveling trophy that would be passed from one school to the next each year. He also worked collaboratively with leadership at each high school to ensure the competition reflected a shared vision and strong partnership among the participating campuses. He also worked to ensure that the trophy would be something each school could be proud of, and of high value by working to secure local sponsorship. 

 

That timeless trophy was made possible through the generous sponsorship of Brian Spolnicki of Culver’s, whose support covered the cost of its design and fabrication. His contribution made the trophy, and moving forward with the rivalry possible. 

 

Each year, the winning school will receive the Battle of the Bend trophy in a formal presentation, and the results will be recorded as part of an ongoing record of achievement. As the competition continues, it is intended to grow into a defining civic tradition that celebrates students, strengthens relationships across the school district divide, and reinforces shared pride of the Fulshear community.