Just as much as the holidays themselves, going to the Museum of the Gulf Coast in mid- to late December is an annual tradition.

Visits to this Port Arthur exhibit occur a lot more frequently, but this one in particular brings the best football players in the area together, some of which come by for the first time.

They wear jerseys that either read “Port Arthur,” “Nederland” or “Indians” for the final time each year, and every one of them leaves a winner. Each player is nominated by his coach to make up a Super Team, another annual staple of ours at The News, and whoever is nominated does not get turned down.

The honor in itself is probably priceless to each honoree, as well as the superlative awards we present each year. (Each offensive and defensive player of the year, as well as MVP and coach of the year, is forever immortalized with his name inscribed in plaques on the second floor, where the Music and Sports Halls of Fame are located.)

The looks on the faces of those who get to see the athletes who came from this part of Texas before them are even more priceless. Hence, an idea came last year to let each player pose for photographs near the Hall-of-Famer that best exemplified either his style of play or represented his school or hometown.

To one’s surprise, Donnie Cole caught the eyes of many.

A native Port Arthuran, Cole won six national and two world powerlifting championships, all in a career that began after his track coach at Prairie View A&M suggested he take up the sport while recovering from a leg injury.

Stephen Jackson, the Lincoln High and San Antonio Spurs hero now a basketball analyst, even served as a background for some. PNG wideouts Ryan Sosa and Peyton Proenza got a kick out of Ben Weber’s Angels jersey … or was it Weber’s letter jacket?

Whatever it was, the amazement of the Museum of the Gulf Coast, the ultimate curator of local history, never gets old for high schoolers. Mission accomplished for us grown folks.

Bob West discovered this in the 1990s, and thanks to him, a day — or just an hour — at the museum has become an annual staple of ours.

To the museum, thank you for this and every year you’ve hosted our Super Team photo shoot. For a break from school — or the school break itself — hopefully the student-athletes see the tradition is all worth it.

Five seasons into docking into Port Arthur, my happiness over their amazement is worth the tradition.

I.C. Murrell is the editor of The News. He can be reached at 409-721-2435 or at ic.murrell@panews.com.