(Cushing, Okla.) When Barrett Shupe’s wife Jody told him she had a feeling it was going to be his last year as head football coach in his hometown of Newkirk, he told her that was crazy. With his parents just blocks away and his best friend available for coffee each morning – Shupe felt they had it made.
However, by the end of his team’s winning season, Shupe began having a similar feeling. “I can’t explain it. We finished our final game and it came over me – this was my last game,” he told Cushing Rotarians on Thursday.
Shupe was the invited guest speaker of Rotarian of the Day Tanya Rhoten.
He continued his story of how he came to be Cushing’s head football coach. “One day while looking at a coaches website, I ran across Cushing. For some reason it just stood out to me.”
After telling his wife about his feeling and Cushing, the couple talked and prayed about a possible move. He researched Cushing and liked what he saw. Prior to Shupe’s move to Newkirk, he had coached at Bishop McGinnis and Oolagah.
“My wife never really liked it in Oolagah,” he admitted. “It’s a big school district, but it isn’t really a community.” In fact, the Shupes lived in Owasso. “We like the feeling of a small town and being part of a community.”
Shupe was excited when he got the call for an interview.
“It was the best interview I’ve ever been through. They didn’t ask a bunch of questions, they just got to know me.”
The “they” he referred to was Superintendent Koln Knight, CHS Athletic Director Barry Patterson and CHS Principal Jim Lauerman.
“Cushing is really blessed to have such a wonderful administrative staff.”
Once the decision was made to hire Shupe, he had to tell his dad. “It was probably the hardest part,” he admitted. “It helped when he found out Cushing’s colors were black and orange. He’s a big OSU cowboy fan.”
Coach Shupe also had nothing but praise for his coaching staff: Coach Hancock, Coach Cook, Coach Bullock and Coach Moore.
“Cushing is a hard working community with values,” Shupe said. “I wanted a coaching staff that is the same way.”
And while Shupe had plenty to say about the adults, it is the kids he seems to love so much. One noted change he has implemented since becoming the head coach in Cushing, is requiring the Junior Varsity ninth graders to attend practices and to be suited up on the sidelines at the games.
“It moves things up a step. Since they are on the sidelines now, next year when they are sophomores, they will be ready to go,” Shupes said. “And I will admit – it looks a little more impressive on the sideline with that additional 20.”
Shupe’s positive attitude, his genuine love and respect for the kids are key ingredients for success – not just in the numbers at the game, but in life.
“I tell my coaches – coach them hard, but love them hard, too.”
The Tigers will play Harrah Friday night at O’Dell Field. A ceremony honoring members of the 1961 State Championship team will be held prior to kick off. Kick off at 7:30 p.m.
Be sure to tune in to the Donna & Molly Show each Friday at 7:30 a.m. to hear what our Cushing Tigers have to say on Tiger Time. This Friday (Sept. 23) Coach Shupe will be making his debut on the D & M Show. A little later, Bill Cubbage, member of the 1961 Championship team will go down memory lane.
The Donna & Molly Show airs weekdays from 7 – 10 a.m. on 1600 AM Radio and via streaming at www.1600kush.com. where shows air live and repeat daily and on weekends.
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