April 2, 2022 Issue, Page 1 of 12

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; Western Oklahoma 74 | Since 1901 , April 2, 2022 ESports Grows from a Club into the Classroom ) 1 @ Pictured is Haley Grant in the middle with her mother, Sarah Grant on her right and Elk City High School cheer coach Jamie Swartwood on the left. Staff photo by Sheryl Ponce, Grant Signs with OBU By Sheryl Ponce Elk City senior Haley Grant signed a letter of intent to cheer for Oklahoma Baptist University (OBU) in Shawnee. She is the daughter of Sarah and Ben Grant and granddaughter of Cher- yl Layfield. She transferred to Elk City as a sophomore from Elk City eSports team include front left to right - Brayden Leyja, Dawson McClinton, Sweetwater, and was recently named as an All State Cheer- Aaron Frye, Lake Hargrove, Sergio Simental, Keaton Twyman and back left to right - leader. Grant will be cheering at the All State games during the Zander Stancel, Brian Romero, Bryce McClinton, Daniel Whitecrow, Chase Warren, summer. Trace Decker, Andrew Gordon, Michael Frye, Gerald Aaragon. Courtesy photo.; At right, “Tcoached her both in her junior and senior years. In the two eSports teacher and coach Kaleb Murray. Staff photo by Sheryl Ponce. years I worked with her I’ve been able to see her grow so much. She has worked hard at the high school, and she goes to Aerial By Sheryl Ponce Murray asking if he would be in Rocket League. And we had Bound (Tumble and Cheer) and works hard there. Those are interested in eSports. Because one state runner up in Fort- extra tumbling classes so that she can achieve her dream to go ‘Three years ago Kaleb Murray he was sponsor of the club, she night, our very first year,” Mur- to OBU. I think she’s proof that if you have a dream, and you was asked to sponsor a group gave him the first opportunity ray explained. work for it, you can achieve it,” said Elk City High School cheer of seniors that all had Ninten- to teach a class one hour a day. ‘The next year during pre-en- do Switch hand held gaming Esports, short for electronic rollment they had 105 interest- has helped Murray by allowing coach Jamie Swartwood. them to compete in Region- Grant began tumbling at a small gym in Sayre when she was units, which was the newest sports, is a type of competi- ed in the class, so they added in the seventh grade. She practiced there for two years and thing at the time. The group tive video gaming using Xbox, three more hours to his sched- als in their new eSports facil- then transferred to Elk City as a sophomore. of about 15 wanted to start a ule. They were only able to take ity on campus. State Competi- PlayStation’s or computers set “ tried out and made the team my first year, and I’ve been Super Smash Brothers Club up for gaming. It is organized 83 students. They began to see tions will take place Friday at cheering here ever since. Then I started Aerial Bound this year. and needed a sponsor to make competitive, multiplayer teams the number increase. SWOSU in the arena. it a legitimate school organiza- who are matched against other “It’s growing and blooming “Next year, they're going into Tove everything about cheerleading. My favorite part is flying, tion. He agreed and they met school teams across the state. here, Out of the 80 kids that I more in person tournaments, when I’m actually in the air. I just love being weightless,” Grant have now, at least 70 kids have mainly because the kids really said. at lunch twice a month. “T said, ‘Okay, I'll do it’ So, I “I would buy a pizza and they sent out a Google Form to all played in at least one tourna- want to. They want to interact Since she has had relatives who graduated from the univer- would play. It was a great time,” students. It was like a pre- en- ment and we have one tourna- with other kids, not just on- sity, the senior has always dreamed of going to OBU. Being able line. They tell me, ‘I want to to cheer there seems to be the bonus for the cheer flyer. Murray said. rollment. We had 65 kids send ment a month,” he continued. The Elk City science teacher Murray's best friend is Dr. it back, wanting to enroll. We meet people that I play with’ “It’s my dream school. I've wanted to go and cheer there, has played video games all of couldn’t take them all, because Hayden Harrington, who is the It’s a big social adventure for since they started their cheer program. I want to compete on his life, so he was familiar with we didn’t expect that many to head eSports coach at South- them, it really is. It’s a great their team, and hopefully I'll also make the NCAA team that what they wanted and was glad be interested in it. So, took 24 western Oklahoma State Uni- thing for our kids. Out of our competes in the college Nationals at Daytona. The team usually to do it. The following sum- that first year. In the first year, versity (SWOSU). He is over kids, probably 70 percent of goes,” Grant added. mer, the district's curriculum we had a state champions. We the sport, and he is a profes- them don’t play sports,” She would like to credit Jessica Stiles, the OBU head cheer director, Robin Coffman, called have had two state champions sor of computer science. He See ESports page 2. See Grant page 2. City Commissioners to Vote on Partnership for New Clubhouse Ve Merritt Public Schools Blood Drive By Sheryl Ponce ciation will commit an equal or greater amount of funds to com- plete the project. Merritt Public Schools Student Council will be sponsoring a In May of 2017, devastation hit Elk City with a tornado that ‘The City of Elk City owns the golf course but the association blood drive on Wednesday, April 6th. The blood mobile will be took out the Elk City Golf and Country Club’s Clubhouse, along manages and owns around six acres where the clubhouse sits or present for the event and all donors will receive a free t-shire, with downing trees and area residences. Since then, there has used to sit. Rebuilding the clubhouse has been under discussion a “My Owner is a Donor” pet been speculation, discussion, and controversy about how the by the association for the past five years, looking at various plans bandana, and one free admis- building would be replaced and who will replace it. and funding to rebuild the clubhouse. sion to the Oklahoma City Zoo. In the April 4th meeting of the Elk City Commissioners, there “Rocky Andresen and I have been meeting with a couple of dif- ‘They will also get a coupon for will be an item agenda to consider partnering with the Elk City ferent representatives from the golf course board. We have gone back and forth on it. We've also had Russ Meacham from RS a free honey butter chicken bis- Golf and Country Club Association to build a new clubhouse for Meacham CPAs because they handle a lot of municipal account- the golf course. The commissioners will vote on their part of the cuit from Whataburger. “ “ obsess Scan the QR code to make an agreement, but the association must also agree to the partner- ing and funding, In Oklahoma, there are a lot of other towns appointment and for more in- ship. According to a City of Elk City’s Facebook post, the city is looking at committing $1.75 million to the project and the asso- See Clubhouse page 3. formation. aT Te Weather tomorrow /48 Vol. 120, No. 27 75 cents, 12 pgs. Mail delivery 580.225.3000 View online elkcityoknews.com