The Sapulpa Lady Chieftains have become something of a dynasty in the world of girls’ high school basketball, which is no small feat, especially considering Sapulpa’s size and the teams we play.
Coaches Calip and Cooper, along with the rest of the staff, seem to have figured out the formula for raising up and churning out a consistently winning group of girls who make the playoffs nearly every year and win the state championship many of those years.
So, while it was very disappointing to learn over the weekend that the Lady Chieftains’ season had come to an abrupt and controversial end, it was a clear case of the character-over-championships mindset that Calip and Cooper have instilled into their girls.
If you’re not familiar with the story, here’s the short version: at last week’s regional championship tournament, the school found an ineligible player among those participating. Rather than sweep it under the rug in an attempt to secure another championship, the school self-reported the infraction to the OSSAA and willingly accepted the punishment, which meant a forfeiture of the game and the end of the season.
This type of situation happens more often than you might realize: in Cincinnati, Ohio, the McNicholas High School boys varsity team was forced to forfeit 10 wins this season after the state’s athletic association determined that one of their student-athletes had already completed four years of high school.
Last year, a school in Maryland had to forfeit an entire season after it discovered an ineligible player related to residency.
In both of those cases, however, the teams were still qualified for the postseason tournaments. In Sapulpa, the season has regrettably come to an end.
We’re not told who the player was or why she was ineligible (although grades are believed to be the reason), and while it would be easy to get angry with this nameless teammate for the way her decision affected the whole team, I believe the shame she carries with that knowledge is probably painful enough.
Instead, we should consider the fact that the school was willing to sacrifice what might have been another state championship for the sake of showing our community what it meant to simply “do the right thing.”
Had the school not reported the violation, there’s no way to know whether it would’ve made a difference in the outcome of the season, but we know it would’ve made a difference in the hearts and minds of the players.
By choosing to give up the gold trophy, Sapulpa Schools showed that character mattered more than championships, and in doing so, made true champions yet again.
