Court Dedication

25 YEARS AGO - Basketball Court Dedication

Missoula, Montana - Stars & Bars Estate

The Okarche Warriorettes won the last State Championship and the only two back to back in the history of Okarche Girls

Basketball 25 years ago in 1981-1982 season. It was a memorable year as this team went 31-0, won two major tournaments,

the Skyline Conference, the All County Conference Title, Okeene Tournament, Hydro Tournament and the prestigious

Mid-America Tournament which is by invitation only and is the best of all classes in the State of Oklahoma.

It is appropriate at this time that I dedicate the Grizzly Basketball Court on my estate located in Missoula, Montana to the

players that played on that team. The court was put in last year and is unique due to the maroon and gray colors, the grizzly

bear in the middle and the uniquely designed court representing the University of Montana colors and team mascot, Monte

"the Grizzly Bear".

All of the players on this team still remember as I do, and most probably do not realize that time has passed so quickly and

by now, we are all watching the next generation play their hearts outs. It is with great pride that I recognize each player on the

team as without their contribution and determination, this team would have not been the best in the West.

The name of all players will be placed on a monumental plaque in front of the court and in the scrolls will remain as part of the

history of the estate. At any time, any player on either of the State Championship teams are welcome to visit and shoot some

hoops.

In an era where Bobby Knight frequently visited our county while courting his second wife Coach Karen Edgar, who was the

top rated women's coach of Lomega High School, approx. 30 miles from Okarche. Coach Edgar captured numerous titles for

Class B schools and coached at Lomega for many years. It was a big rivalry as well as Kingfisher (Class 3A) when Coach

Crabb coached.

More titles were won across the board in all classes on a county level due to the expectation and discipline quietly instilled

and the competitiveness and our mindset was to WIN. This brought our county's playing to an entirely different level of playing.

Basketball was never bigger in our county for a decade. Newspaper sports pages in all towns were read cover to cover, line for

line and specators poured in to watch our games weekly. You would have thought we were golden.

Coach Crabb nominated me for All-American and for this I am grateful to this day. It was a great honor and one of many honors,

but this one has more meaning as I was nominated by one of the most respected coaches in girl's baskeball. This award was

never formally presented to me, however, it still remains in the trophy case at Okarche High Schoo. Some day, I hope this will

join my infamous collection of awards and trophies in Montana.

Speaking of hardware, during my high school tenure, I capture every MVP title, all county, all state, first team titles, all-american,

records and many other awards by politicians and companies. It is not necessarily what you do on the court as how you conduct

yourself off the court. Through out my life, I have tried to be a role model for the next generation and to give back to the sport that

I have loved for a long time. On my estate, I have a room dedicated to all of the teams that I played on, high school, college,

corporate teams, ESPN teams, Hoop It Up and Hoopfest. It has been a great ride, but now it is time for someone else to carry

the torch. This past year, I played in my last HoopFest tournament in Spokane, Washington. I said it was going to be my last one

but who knows. There is always a special place in my heart for basketball as this was a sport I was told when I was 6 that I would

never be able to play. With heart and desire, in life, all things are possible.

When this team played in the Mid-America tournament, no Class A team had ever won the tournament. Our team still remains

the only Class A team to ever beat a Class 5A, 4A and 3A team and win the tournament. It was tougher than any State Title and

means more as it is the most prestigious tournament in Oklahoma. Most perceive an invitation to be a great honor. To win the

tournament takes heart and desire.

This team attracted over 10K fans from all over the State due to their high scoring and high intensity play. It was an exciting team

to watch and the fans supported us each year at the State Tournament. I could not believe how many people came from all corners

of the State. It was a great honor to play in front of so many people and truly more exciting than mergers and telecom, more respect

me for basketball contributions than anything else. Even though, I have gone on to have a truly exciting executive career.

I continue to follow the Okarche Warriorettes and have been present every time they have made it to the finals of the state

tournament. I watched a cousin of mine Stacy Coffey play only to a last second shot from 40 feet sink at the buzzer. That was

heart-breaking. She went on to play at Oklahoma State and was a great player inducted into the OSU Hall of Fame.

Some day, I hope to be inducted in to the Oklahoma Basketball Hall of Fame. During our era, I know of no other player who

accomplished so much in such a short time or can name one team that never lost a tournament during their high school tenure and

who set so many records and entertained the fans beyond court presence.

Miss JR

JR Welcomes You to STARs & BARs!

"Freedom is the liberty to pursue your own dreams, because of those who valiantly fought to defend the red, white and blue." Miss JR