Skeltur still a welcome event

Sports

Related Photos

CAMPBELL'S SCOOP ............. Bruce Campbell, commentary

Discussion

January 20, 2013

Skeltur still a welcome event

By Bruce Campbell, Staff Writer Enid News and Eagle The Enid News and Eagle Sun Jan 20, 2013, 11:22 PM CST

ENID, Okla. — There’s so much instability among conferences in college sports today.

Who would have thought 20 years ago Nebraska, Missouri and Colorado wouldn’t be in the Big Eight?

Oops, make that the Big 12.

Which is why this week is so refreshing.

The Skeltur Conference basketball tournament tips off Thursday with the same field it had when I first came to the Enid News & Eagle in 1978-79.

The only real change over that time was Kremlin-Hillsdale coming in for a couple of years and then invitee Dover going out.

Dover and Cimarron, which used to be just invitees, are full-fledged members of the conference now.

It is unlikely a future NBA or Division I star will be performing at the Mabee Center. Might be lucky though to catch a future junior college or state college player.

But that doesn’t matter.

It’s the most personal of athletic events — small high schools — most in the same county — going against each other as they have since grade school.

The fans in the stands really don’t need a program, except maybe as a souvenir. They have seen the same kids since they were in grade school, too.

The kids might work in the same grocery store or work the wheat harvest today. It’s a pure rivalry that dates back generations. You know Cimarron won’t trade a player to Garber over salary cap considerations ... there are people that have played for more than one school, but many are lifers in that school system.

Check the roster and one should find at least one player whose father or mother or grandparents or even great-grandparents played in the tournament, which started in the days of Calvin Coolidge’s presidency. Heck, the late congressman Happy Camp played for Waukomis in the early days of the Skeltur Tournament. Think about how many generations that goes back.

The Skeltur is one of the few activities where one kid can be on the basketball court one night and playing in the band the next. Maybe even the same night.

Small schools offer an opportunity for athletes to explore all of their talents.

A female player may lead her team to a championship and then be a cheerleader in the boys championship game.

One hopes if the tournament returns to Mark Price Arena, the bands return to the stage. It adds atmosphere.

The competition goes beyond the basketball court.

In the days when there were only six teams, there was a competition to see who would have the best hospitality room.

The food was delicious. One former News & Eagle staffer took his dinner break at the Skeltur. He wasn’t alone.

One could almost swear some people never left the hospitality room. There’s nothing like home-cooking, instead of having it catered. Steve Hoffsommer, who played in the tournament for Kremlin-Hillsdale in the 1960s, said he would like to find out how many couples met at the Skeltur. It would bring together kids from almost all the schools in Garfield County. Everyone knew everyone else. It was the place to be, especially with all guys being in prime time.

One misses the tournament being played over six days — four a night. There was time for the lineups to be announced over the public address sysem. The tournament might get behind by an hour, but this week is time for the kids to get recognition and play in the “big city.’’ One hopes Convention Hall (a.k.a. Mark Price) will be the home again for the Skeltur. The Mabee Center is a good place to play, but it doesn’t have the tradition of holding more than 40 Skelturs (Skeltur came to Enid in 1963).

Campbell is a News & Eagle sports writer.

Text Only

Sports

Kansas beats Cowboys
May 25, 2013
Madison's Barsness likes playing in Enid
May 24, 2013 1 Photo
Sooners zero in on Big 12
Oklahoma has made a complete turnaround in the last two days. The squad that looked dominant early in the season has re-emerged at the Big 12 tournament. The Sooners (38-19) rolled to their second straight tournament victory, thumping Texas Tech (25-30), 8-0, Friday, and improving to 2-0 in the event.
After three weeks of struggling, the team OU thought it would be surfaced. The mix of premier pitching and timely hitting was overwhelming to Baylor on Thursday and Texas Tech on Friday.
More importantly, the victories set up the Sooners’ meeting with Kansas State, which topped Baylor 13-9 Friday, at 12:30 p.m. today. The winner advances to Sunday’s championship game.

May 24, 2013 1 Photo
Ricketts, Sooners rout A&M
Keilani Ricketts beat Texas A&M with both her arm and bat Friday as No. 1-ranked Oklahoma moved to within one win of reaching the Women’s College Softball World Series by run-ruling the Aggies 10-2 at Marita Hynes Field Friday.
The Sooners (51-4) can punch their ticket to the Series by beating the Aggies at 11 a.m. today. The game can be seen on ESPN. If A&M wins, a second championship game will follow

May 24, 2013 1 Photo
Claborn pleased with WHS progress
The Deer Creek-Lamont team camp has given Waukomis football coach Jon Claborn an idea of how much his team has progressed over the past year.
A newly hired Claborn a year ago took his team to the DCLA camp with three days of spring football behind them.
“We’re leaps and bounds ahead of where we were last year,’’ Claborn said. “We have looked really good ... we’re a year older, stronger, and hopefully, a year smarter.’’
The DCLA camp has offered the Chiefs good competition with teams such as defending Class B state runner-up Pond Creek-Hunter, Coyle and the host Eagles among the participants.

May 24, 2013
Travelers beat Majors in tournament opener
May 24, 2013
Sports briefs for 5-25-13
May 24, 2013
Radio-TV for 5-25-13
May 24, 2013
TCU rally beats OSU
May 24, 2013
Weeden to help with Moore relief
Browns quarterback Brandon Weeden is heading home to help his cherished Oklahoma heal.

May 23, 2013 1 Photo
More Sports Headlines

Sports

Search Results

Related Photos

Discussion

Skeltur still a welcome event

Site Map

Contact Us