When SportsDay introduced the All-Sports Awards in 1985, it was meant to determine which area high schools had the best overall athletic programs.

Some schools have been at or near the top every year. Others have gone through up and down cycles.

Highland Park, one of the most well-known schools in the Dallas area, has enjoyed decades of success. But as people began migrating to the suburbs, other schools such as Plano and Duncanville became bigger and stronger.

Flower Mound experienced a tremendous expansion in the 1990s, and Marcus' athletic program turned into a power. Southlake's population boom over the last decade has transformed the high school from a tiny 2A program into a 5A behemoth.

What's the common thread of success? It comes down to expectations, Carroll ISD athletic director Kevin Ozee said. Everyone expects success – especially the parents.

"When you go to Plano ISD, you know there's an expectation there to be exemplary in whatever you do," Ozee said. "When you go into Duncanville, it's the same thing.

"Real estate agents know that. The parents relocating know that. It's that old saying: Success breeds success."

The idea for the All-Sports Awards was conceived by former SportsDay editor Dave Smith. Originally, the awards were a way to honor sports such as golf and tennis.

"But the obvious thing was that it was a way to show which schools were doing the best overall," said Smith, now retired and living in Savannah, Ga.

Initially, the All-Sports Awards were dominated by Highland Park.

The school won the first three Class 5A titles, and outsiders believed it was all because of money. That was true to a point. Parents in Highland Park had money for kids to play smaller sports.

More than anything, former athletic director Bo Snowden said, administrators believed in encouraging students to participate in as many extracurricular activities as possible.

"If you have that expectation, you have an edge on getting kids to head in that direction and achieve that direction," said Snowden, who was boys basketball coach at Highland Park for 17 years.

In 1986-87, Highland Park didn't make the football playoffs or win a district title in boys basketball or baseball. At that time, the school didn't even have a varsity girls basketball team. But Highland Park won nine other district titles out of 16 sports sanctioned by the University Interscholastic League.

Plano finally broke Highland Park's stranglehold in 1987-88 by winning state titles in football, girls soccer and swimming. Highland Park dropped to Class 4A before the 1988-89 school year and kept rolling. Highland Park won the Class 4A All-Sports Award title in 11 of the next 12 years.

With Highland Park out of Class 5A, Plano won the 5A title four times.

"Our athletes and coaches make our fair share of mistakes, but there's a high standard, and the bar is really high," Plano ISD athletic director Gerald Brence said.

Duncanville, the self-proclaimed "City of Champions," won three times in the 1990s. But the football program went through a down cycle recently, missing the playoffs three straight years.

As schools in Collin and Tarrant counties grew, Dallas ISD officials started taking more heat for their schools' performances. Hillcrest won the 4A title in 1987, but the district wouldn't win again until W.T. White claimed the 4A crown in 1997. Skyline won the 5A title in 2001 and 2002.

Now Carroll is the top school to beat in 5A, just like Highland Park is the dominant beast in 4A.

Since moving to 5A before the 2002-03 school year, Carroll has won the All-Sports Award six of the last seven years. The only hiccup came in 2006-07, when Plano West climbed to the top after winning state titles in girls soccer and team tennis.

Carroll, which won again this school year, shows no signs of slowing down. Former football coach Bob Ledbetter said Carroll is a place where just making the playoffs is not acceptable.

Again, it comes down to expectations.

"When you're dealing with parents who have been successful, you expect success," Ledbetter said. "Sometimes that's tough for people to understand. But I wouldn't want to be in a place where the expectations are not real high."

1984-85 –Since equal weight was given to all sports, Highland Park zoomed to the top after reaching the football state semifinals and winning a regional title in girls track. District titles in swimming, track and tennis also helped.

1987-88 – Plano finished a half-point shy of Highland Park in 1986-87. But Plano captured state championships in girls soccer and swimming the following year and ended Highland Park's three-year run as 5A All-Sports champion.

1992-93 –Initially, it appeared Plano would win the Class 5A title again. However, Arlington Martin won the state baseball title, and Plano was incorrectly credited with more points in boys swimming. Martin won 10 district titles that year.

1996-97 –Despite budget concerns and dwindling support, W.T. White broke through and captured its first All-Sports title on the strength of eight district titles. It was the second time a Dallas ISD school won. Hillcrest won the 4A title in 1986-87.

1998-99 –As Flower Mound's population swelled, Marcus' reputation gained as well. The school won its third straight 5A title. The lone oddity: the football team finished fourth in District 5-5A. It was Marcus' lowest finish in any sport that year.

2001-02 –Skyline and Marcus shared the title in 2001. But Skyline won or shared eight district titles and captured the regional and state title in girls track. When the Coppell softball team lost to Richland, it kept Coppell from getting extra points.

2005-06 –Carroll and Highland Park battled for the all-sports title when they were in 4A. But once Carroll moved to 5A, the school became a runaway All-Sports success. This was Carroll's fourth straight 5A crown.

2006-07 –Despite being a relatively new school, Plano West showed how much talent resides in Collin County by winning the girls state soccer title and reaching the boys state tournament. Boys golf also finished third in the state for the second straight year.

• Carroll won the girls golf state tournament by four strokes.

• The girls cross country team finished third in the state.

• Both swim teams finished seventh at the state meet.

• Plano West finished second in points, 13.5 points behind.

• The girls swim team won its ninth straight state title

• The Scots crushed Boerne Champion, 10-0, for the team tennis state title.

• The boys golf team finished second at state while the girls placed third.

• The margin was 20 between HP and runner-upWaco Midway.