From The Pages Of The Ponca City News, Monday, March
9, 1998
LOCAL
Few Duties of Mayor Actually 'Defined'
OBI Donors at Wal-Mart
DEATHS
James Walter McAninch
Anne Petronella Hall
Mildred T. Keen
Randy Murray
Obituaries
Alfred Lee Elsberry
Greta Teel Frazier
Services Pending
Juanita Myers
Ilo M. Connelly
Opal Merz
NEWS BRIEFS
LIFESTYLES
Kappa Alpha Theta Alumnae Conclude Year
Little News
Anthropological Meeting
SPORTS
Monday Evening Quarterback
Bad Weather Leaves Po-Hi Sports Cold
Editor's Note: This is the second of a two-part series dealing with determining the roles and duties of the mayor.
By Patti Pfeiffer
News Staff Writer
Very few of the duties of the mayor are actually "defined." The City Charter sets forth a few roles of the mayor and the City Codes also names several.
"There is very little set out in the city code or charter as to the powers of the mayor," City Attorney Kevin Murphy said. "And therefore there is a lot of latitude for how a mayor wants to run their office."
Under the City Charter the mayor is responsible for the enforcement of all laws, ordinances, rules and regulations, presides over all city commission meetings, is required to sign all necessary documents on behalf of the city and has the power to administer oaths.
The City Code states only two mayoral duties - the nominations of city officers and the authority over civil defense.
It is only those powers and duties and those alone that are named and all else is at the preference of the mayor.
From past to present, mayors have chosen how they will run the city and virtually set their own duties. Therefore, it would seem likely that the experts on the subject are past and present mayors.
Because he has been away from Ponca City for the last eight years, former mayor John Raley freely admits that he is not as familiar with the present as with the past. However, the former mayor can relate the role of the mayor as it was when he was in office and how he feels it once again should be.
"In 1980 I saw the mayor's role as essentially providing leadership and council to a 5-man city commission of which the mayor is only one. I saw the mayor as a very close liaison between the city executive - the city manager - and the city commission and by extension thereof the citizens themselves."
"I saw the mayor as a player/coach providing leadership and direction and hopefully from time to time also providing a little inspiration responding, by vote of the people, to their will on broad issues of policy rather than expending time and energy on the minute-by-minute operations of the city."
Communication is a necessity and Raley says that during his administration he was well informed by the city manger of any problems and their solutions. "What was important was a close communication between the executive in charge of the day-to-day operations and the mayor who was responsible for those operations," he says.
"The mayor and commissioners need to know on a daily basis what is going on so that they will be fully advised in order to respond to citizen's inquires, know how to take care of citizen's problems and most importantly they need to know if the broad policies made by the commission are being implemented on a day by day basis."
Over-involvement and mayoral micro managing are styles Raley feels are dangerous to all concerned.
"When the mayor and commissioners become actively involved in the minutia of directly overseeing department heads and individual employees it undermines the responsibility and obligation of the city manager and causes frustration to individual city employees unsure if they should answer to their supervisors or directly to the mayor.
"In my estimation department heads should report to the city manager who then reports to the mayor. I was very careful not to inject myself into activities of the supporting staff.
"Rather I would go through the city manger if I wanted something done - in other words the 'chain of command' applies. And when anyone breaks that chain of commands it is frustrating to those up the ladder and down the ladder."
Agreeing with Raley is another former mayor Lee Brown who was mayor from 1983-86. "The mayor is the chief executive of the city and fronts for the city as well as informs the full commission what is going on," Brown explained. "But I left the day-to-day operations to the department heads which ran their departments and ran it according to the rules and regulations adopted by the full city commission."
Making policy is what Brown says was his role as mayor and the implementation was left to the individual city departments and employees. "I tried not to undercut any employees," he said. "Once you do that you are in trouble.
"You have to hire people and trust the people you hire and if you can't trust them you need to get rid of them, but if you get rid of them you should have the full vote of the city commission in my opinion.
"I worked with the full approval of the commission," Brown said. "We all agreed upon the course of action for anything that was important and that is the way most mayors before me worked. You have to get along with the city commission."
At the time he was mayor, Brown says that the mayor had the power to appoint anyone without the approval of the commission. However, since that time a change has occurred.
Currently the mayor nominates and the commissioners approve the executive officers of the city such as the city manager, city attorney and city finance director. "In my opinion that change was a very good deal."
The most recent mayor, the present mayor and soon to be former mayor, Marilyn Andrews, agrees with the past mayors.
"As far as I am concerned my role as an elected official is not to be involved with the day-to-day operations of the city - that responsibility lies with the city manager and city staff," Andrews says.
"I tell people I am the chief executive officer and the city manager is the chief administrative officer and I have my area of responsibility and the city manager has his."
"It is the development of policy that is one of the primary roles of the mayor," she says. "And I feel the implementation of those policies should be passed onto the city manager."
"It can't work if anyone steps out of those parameters of responsibility."
With the mayoral election fast approaching, only time will determine if "other" mayoral duties, roles and functions exist.
Wal-Mart employees invite area residents to take a break from shopping to help local patients by donating blood with the Oklahoma Blood Institute, Ponca City Center on Tuesday. Donors can give blood from noon to 7 p.m. at the Ponca City Wal-Mart Super Center.
Every three seconds, someone in the nation needs blood. By hosting four blood drives each year, Wal-Mart helps the Oklahoma Blood Institute maintain an adequate blood supply for Ponca City patients. The upcoming drive is especially important because of the increased need for blood products.
"We are grateful to Wal-Mart for their outstanding support of the community blood supply," said OBI Ponca City Center Manager, Pixie Rowland. "Donating blood is such an easy way to help those patients in need. It is a safe and simple way to help save lives."
The Oklahoma Blood Institute is the exclusive supplier of all blood products for St. Joseph Regional Medical Center, St. Joseph Cancer Center and the Outpatient Surgery Center.
"I encourage area residents to join our employees in donating blood products with OBI to help local patients first," said Gary Gregg, Wal-Mart Blood Drive coordinator. "When you donate blood, you truly give the gift of life to a patient in need."
In addition to helping patients, all OBI donors receive free checks on blood pressure, temperature, iron and cholesterol level. OBI also offers prostate-specific antigen blood testing for men at a fee of $15 for donors and $20 for those unable to donate. All donors will also receive a special T-shirt.
In order to donate, you must be 17 years old, weigh 105 pounds and be
in relatively good health. If you would like additional information, you
may call the Oklahoma Blood Institute at (580) 762-9488. OBI is a regional,
not-for-profit blood collection center, serving more than 65 hospitals across
Oklahoma including all hospitals in Oklahoma City and Enid.
DEATHS
TONKAWA - James Walter McAninch, longtime Tonkawa resident, died at his home Sunday, March 8, 1998, after a long illness. He was 84.
The funeral will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, March 12, in the First United Methodist Church. Dr. Brian Kovacs, pastor, will officiate. Burial will be in the Tonkawa IOOF cemetery under the direction of McCafferty-Bolick Funeral Home.
James Walter McAninch was born Jan. 29, 1914, at Mountain View, Okla., to James Henry and Hazel Sophia (Kem) McAninch. At age six, he moved to Tonkawa, where he attended rural schools in the Tonkawa-Blackwell area. He graduated from Blackwell High School in 1932 and attended University Preparatory School there. He attended Oklahoma A&M, where he was on the wrestling and swimming teams. After graduation in 1936 he moved to Madison County, Ark., where he served as County Agent.
On Sept. 18, 1938, he was married to Ada Vaughn at Huntsville, Ark., and a short time later the couple moved to the Tonkawa area to farm. McAninch was a member of the Tonkawa First United Methodist Church where he taught the Mens Sunday School class for many years. He also served on the board of directors for Kay Electric, Commerce Bank of Tonkawa, and was past-president of the Farmers Co-op. McAninch had received numerous awards for his works in soil and water conservation and in 1992, received special recognition from the National Endowment for Soil and Water Conservation. He had traveled extensively around the world.
Survivors include three sons, Mike and Ken, both of Tonkawa, and Joe of Meridian, Texas; three daughters, Sharon Roth of Tonkawa, Jimmie Upham of Grand Lake Stream, Maine, and Janet Humphrey of Springdale, Ark.; two sisters, Ethel Anderson of Eagle Lake, Texas, and Jewel Rice of Port Angeles, Wash.; 13 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Ada, on Nov. 30, 1990; one daughter Teresa Ann; a grandson; his parents; and four sisters.
Memorial contributions may be made in Mr. McAninch's name to the First United Methodist Church, 410 East Grand Ave., Tonkawa, OK 74653.
Anne Petronella Hall, resident of Ponca City, died Friday evening, March 6, 1998, at the St. Joseph Regional Medical Center. She was 86.
A graveside funeral and burial was to be held at 2 p.m. today, at the Sunset Memorial Park Cemetery with the Rev. Dr. Bracy Hill, pastor of the First Assembly of God Church officiating. Burial was under the direction of the Trout Funeral Home.
Anne Petronella Hall was born Aug. 9, 1911, in Ladysmith, Wis., the daughter of Sjoerd and Etje (Heitmeyer) Bylsma. She attended Winfred, S.D. schools.
She was married to Charles E. Wells, in 1930, and the couple lived in South Dakota and later in Chicago, where they raised their two daughters. Mr. Wells died in 1937.
In 1949, Anne married Ernest W. Hall in Chicago, Ill., and the couple moved to Ponca City in the early 1950s. Mrs. Hall opened the first paperback exchange store here in the latter 1950s, called the West-side Magazine Exchange, located on South Perry. She operated the store until 1976. Mr. Hall preceded her in death on July 7, 1980. Mrs. Hall enjoyed reading, and playing the accordion and piano. Nursing home residents and staff were entertained by her playing. In earlier years, she was a member of REACT, a CB radio operator's organization.
Surviving are her two daughters, Irena Hanchett and Georgene Winters, both of Ponca City; 10 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild. In addition to her parents and two husbands, she was preceded in death by one brother.
No viewing or visitation is planned at the funeral home. The family will be at 5 Sherman Lane.
Mildred T. Keen, longtime Ponca City resident, died Saturday morning, March 7, 1998, at her home. She was 85.
The funeral will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, March 10, at Grace Memorial Chapel with the Rev. Don Stanton, presiding. Burial will be at Resthaven Memorial Park Cemetery. Friends and family may call at the funeral home until 1:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Mildred T. (Shaw) Keen was born Oct. 6, 1912, in Quinlin, the daughter of Arthur Lee and Edna Estelle (Pratt) Shaw. As an infant, she moved with her family to Ponca City, where she grew up and attended school.
She was married to Cecil T. Keen in January 1959, in Marland. Mrs. Keen was employed as a clerk for several years, working at the Hollywood Style Shop, C.R. Anthony's, McDonald's Department Store and the Gunn Brothers stamp store. She was a member of Faith Tabernacle Church. Through the years, she had enjoyed fishing, traveling, crocheting, knitting and visiting with her children.
She is survived by her husband, Cecil, of the home; one son, Jack Beller of Costa Mesa, Calif.; two stepsons, Donald Keen and Tom Keen, both of Newkirk; two stepdaughters, Kathleen Martin of Ponca City and Margie Robinson of Newkirk; one sister, Ernestine Beller of North Highlands, Calif.; four grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents and one son, Hal Beller.
Casket bearers will be Floyd Pomeroy, Leo Shook, Jay Matthiesen, Dean Stolhand, Randy Scott, and Mike Riggs.
The family will be at 1501 Cleary Drive.
BLACKWELL - Randy Murray, former Blackwell resident, died at his home in Newkirk on Saturday, March 7, 1998. He was 46.
The funeral will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, March 11, at the Hackler Funeral Home Memory Chapel, Blackwell, with Dan Cornish, pastor of Newkirk Church of Christ, officiating. Burial will be in the Blackwell Cemetery. The family will be at the funeral home for visitation at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Randy Murray was born Jan. 26, 1952, in Blackwell to Rudy and Dolores (Kekahbah) Murray. He grew up and attended schools in Blackwell, graduating from Blackwell High School in 1970. He was married to Becky Mooring in 1973.
In 1980 he was married to Janette Myers, in Blackwell. Murray had been employed as a welder at Mertz Corp., in Ponca City until 1991, when failing health forced his retirement. He moved to Newkirk in 1995.
Survivors include his wife, Janette Murray of the home; one son, Jason Murray of Wasilla, Alaska; two daughters, Jennifer Murray of Wasilla, Alaska and Lacy Murray of Newkirk; one brother, Kevin Murray of Blackwell; and four grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, and a brother, Ricky.
Casket bearers will be Kenny Ramhorst, Bob Hood, Larry Humble, Ralph Gose, Ray Ball and Rick May.
FAIRFAX - Alfred Lee Elsberry, retired Fairfax area rancher, died Saturday morning, March 7, 1998, at the Fairfax Hospital at the age of 72 years, seven months, and 25 days.
The funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, March 10, 1998, at the First Osage Baptist Church in Fairfax with the Rev. Robert Glasgow, presiding. Interment will be at the Fairfax Cemetery under the direction of Hunsaker-Wooten Funeral Home.
Alfred Lee Elsberry was born July 10, 1925, in Havana, Ark., the son of Colin Cruth Elsberry and Maiden Arminta (Armstrong) Elsberry. At an early age he moved with his family to the Fairfax Community where he attended Fairfax Public Schools. While attending the Fairfax schools he was very active in sports, especially football, baseball and wrestling. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy on Oct. 5, 1943, serving at various naval bases around the country prior to his honorable discharge on Nov. 24, 1947.
He was united in marriage to Helen Nadine Faust on May 22, 1948, in Pawnee and the couple made their home in Fairfax. Mr. Elsberry was employed as a rancher for several years as well as being employed as a Fairfax city mail carrier for the U.S. Postal Service. He retired from the post office on July 31, 1985, after 15 years of service. He had also served for several years on the Fairfax School Board, holding various offices. He was a member of the First Osage Baptist Church and the Men's Sunday School class. He enjoyed traveling and was an avid sports fan, especially enjoying Oklahoma State University sporting events.
He is survived by his wife, Nadine, of the home; two sons and daughters-in-law, Steve and Annie Elsberry of Pawhuska and Max and Lynn Elsberry of Fairfax; five grandchildren, Heather Mashburn, Clark Elsberry, Jill Elsberry, Marianne Elsberry and Zach Elsberry; and one great-grandson, Blayne Mashburn.
Also four brothers, Wendall Elsberry of Chouteau, R. G. Elsberry of Irvine, Calif., John Elsberry of Moore and Jim Elsberry of Tulsa; three sisters, Anna Fay Sharp of Dayville, Ore., Lucille York of Fairfax and Foy Willaford of Ponca City; numerous nieces and nephews and many, many friends. He was preceded in death by his father, Colin Elsberry in 1964; his mother Maiden Elsberry in 1997; one son, David Elsberry in 1993; and one brother, Huey Elsberry in 1993.
Casket bearers will be David Keeling, Larry York, Ryan York, Garth Ray Willaford, Kenny York, and Darren York. Honorary casket bearers will be Charlie Crabtree, Tom Daniels, Clyde Moore and Clarence Stevens.
Memorial contributions may be made to the First Osage Baptist Church, Sound System Fund, P.O. Box 217, Fairfax, OK 74637.
The family will be at 201 South Seventh Street in Fairfax.
paid obituary
Greta Teel Frazier, longtime Ponca City resident, died Saturday evening, March 7, 1998, at Shawn Manor Nursing Home. She was 101.
A graveside funeral and interment will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the Ponca City Odd Fellows Cemetery with the Rev. Dr. Monty Fey, pastor, First Presbyterian Church, officiating. Burial is under the direction of Trout Funeral Home. Friends may call at the funeral home until 9 a.m. Wednesday.
Born Jan. 17, 1897, in Bellevue, Texas, she was the daughter of William H. and Pauline (Hickey) Teel. She attended schools in Bowie and Fort Worth, Texas. Her family had lived in Henrietta, Texas, Bowie, Texas, and later at Fort Worth, where her father owned a furniture store.
She was married to J. Clifford Frazier on June 30, 1923, in Weatherford, Texas. The couple moved to Ponca City where Mr. Frazier was employed by Marland Oil Company and later Continental Oil Company. She joined the Presbyterian Church in 1933, where she taught Sunday School for many years, assisted with the youth choirs and was an active member of the women's organization of the church. Mrs. Frazier was a member of the 20th Century Club for many years. She enjoyed cooking and homemaking.
Survivors include her sons, James C. Frazier Jr. and William S. Frazier, both of Ponca City; one grandson, James C. Frazier III of Washington, D.C.; one niece and one grandniece. Her husband preceded her in death on Oct. 29, 1960. She was also preceded in death by her parents, four brothers, three sisters and an infant grandson.
Memorial contributions may be made in her name to the First Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 1442, Ponca City, OK 74602.
paid obituary
Juanita Myers, longtime Ponca City resident, died Saturday evening, March 7, 1998, at Tender Heart Health Care. She was 87. The funeral will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, March 11, 1998, at the Trout Funeral Home chapel. Memorial contributions may be made to Southside Baptist Church, 1518 South Fifth Street, Ponca City, OK 74601. Other arrangements will be announced later by Trout Funeral Home.
Ilo M. Connelly, former resident of Ponca City, died early Sunday morning, March 8, 1998, at Hillcrest Manor Nursing Home in Blackwell. She was 70. Survivors include a granddaughter, Shirley Hallmark of Austin, Texas. The funeral will be held in California. Local arrangements are under the direction of Trout Funeral Home.
NEWKIRK - Opal Merz, longtime Newkirk resident, died early this morning,
March 9, 1998, at Wesley Hospital in Wichita, Kan. She was 87. Arrangements
are pending with Miller-Stahl Funeral Service, Newkirk.
NEWS BRIEFS
Rock Throwing - At 6:15 a. m. Saturday police were notified of several juveniles throwing rocks at a van in the 300 block of West Broadway Avenue. An officer was assigned.
Arrest - Police arrested a 31 year-old man at 12:35 p.m. Saturday from the 1100 block of East Prospect Avenue for driving under restriction.
False Alarm - At 1:03 p.m. Saturday fire units responded to a report of smoke in the 2200 block of Jane Street. However no smoke or a fire was found.
Vandalism - Extra patrol was required in the 2300 block of North Fourteenth Street at 2:14 p.m. Saturday due to a telephone being vandalized.
Stolen Bike - At 3:40 p.m. Saturday a bike was reported stolen from the 400 block of North Peachtree Street. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.
Gas Drive-Off - A $7 gas drive-off was reported at 4:07 p.m. Saturday at Conoco Convenience, 1613 West South Avenue.
Juvenile Shoplifters - At 6:01 p.m. Saturday police were notified that two juveniles had shoplifted at AutoZone, 2104 North Fourteenth Street. An officer was assigned.
Arrest - Police arrested a 20-year-old man at 8:17 p.m. Saturday from the 900 block of North Second Street on a Kay County warrant for knowingly concealing stolen property.
Drug Deal - At 9:34 p.m. Saturday police received a call from a person on Monument Road that had reportedly seen a drug deal "go down." An officer was assigned and a report was taken.
Attempted Break-In - Police were called to the 1500 block of North Fifth Street at 10:38 p.m. Saturday after receiving a call from a resident reporting an attempted break-in.
Arrest - Police arrested a 28-year-old man at 11:49 p.m. Saturday from South Waverly Street and West South Avenue for domestic assault and battery.
Arrest - A 43-year-old woman was arrested at 1:55 a.m. Sunday from Oak Street and West Grand Avenue for driving under the influence.
Dog Targeted - A man in the 1700 block of Ann Avenue called police at 11:25 a.m. Sunday to report that a juvenile had shot at his dog with a BB gun. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.
Burglary - A woman in the 400 block of South Oak Street called police at 12:51 p.m. Sunday to report that her home had been burglarized. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.
Wind Damage - At 3:24 p.m. Sunday police were notified that the door to the ATM building at North Fourteenth Street and East Highland Avenue was open and the glass had been broken. It was determined that the wind had caused the damage.
Arrest - Police arrested a 19-year-old man at 4:17 p.m. Sunday from the 2300 block of North Fourteenth Street for domestic assault and battery.
Arrest - A 23-year-old man was arrested at 6:14 p.m. Sunday from the 1400 block of West Highland Avenue on a city warrant for failure to pay.
Hit and Run - At 9:15 p.m. Sunday police located a pickup truck in the 600 block of West Emporia Avenue that had been involved in a hit-and-run accident. A report was taken.
Arrest - Police arrested a 41-year-old woman at 4:17 a.m. Monday from
Fourteenth Street and East Grand Avenue for driving under the influence,
no driver's license and no head lights.
LIFESTYLES
The Kay County Alumnae club of Kappa Alpha Theta met March 2 to close the business year. The meeting took place at the home of Jane Johnson and was preceded by a salad supper. There were 11 members present and one guest, Miss Madeleine Nickles.
Barbara Hoover, president, presided at the meting and reports were heard from Jane Johnson, treasurer; Marilyn Leming, Panhellenic representative and Elizabeth Nickles, secretary. All current officers were re-elected for 1998-99 with Mrs. Nickles assuming duties as Panhellenic representative and Mrs. Leming remaining as Rush Recommendation Board chairman.
The meeting schedule for the new year was set and a discussion was held on fund-raising projects. Information related to the grand convention was also presented. The event will be held in Dallas in June. The local group will resume activities on Aug. 31.
Nicholas Patrick DeLauri is the name selected by Scott and Tina DeLauri of Round Rock, Texas for their son born Feb. 3, 1998 at 11:20 p.m. at the Austin Diagnostic Medical Center in Austin, Texas. He weighed 6-pounds, 5-ounces and measured 19 1/2-inches long.
Maternal grandparents are Rayma Brewer and the late R. T. "Rick" Brewer. Paternal grandparents are Joyce DeLauri and the late Patrick DeLauri. Great-grandparents are Jeanette Brewer, Dot Hutson, the late Dr. Merlin Brewer and the late Harry Hutson.
The Kay County Chapter of the Oklahoma Anthropological Society will meet
Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Ponca City High School cafeteria. Speaker will
be Dr. Cameron Wesson, assistant professor of Anthropology at the University
of Oklahoma. His topic will be "The Mississippian Culture of the Southeast."
Interested persons are invited to attend.
SPORTS
by FRED HILTON
News Sports Editor
It may take a village to raise a child, but it also take a community to raise a high school team to its highest level.
That is the thinking of Frontier coaches Bob Weckstein and Greg Jackson, who have had no small success, leading the Frontier basketball teams to the state level.
Weckstein, who has been the boys coach at Frontier for all nine years of its existence, has had the Mustangs in the state tournament five times. including the last four years in a row. The Mustangs have two gold ball sitting in the school's trophy case. They came close to threepeating this past weekend, losing to eventual champion Vanoss, 60-56, in the Class A semifinals.
Jackson, who has been at Frontier eight seasons, has slowly built the girls program into a state power. After two stops in the regional finals, the Lady Mustangs reached the area quarterfinals last year and took bigger steps this year by reaching the state playoffs. They lost in the first round to Canton.
It was a first appearance in the state tournament for the Frontier girls, but not for Jackson, who took Dover to the state tournament three times in five years before following school superinentant Steve Schiever to Frontier.
This year's double does not figure to be the last for Frontier.
Asked the secret of their success, both Weckstein and Jackson sited community support as the biggest reason for their teams' rise to the top.
"When we go to the playoffs, there aren't many people left in either Red Rock or Marland," Jackson said of the two small towns that feed players into Frontier schools.
But even more important is the day-to-day support the players receive from family and friends.
Jackson agrees that is it probably easier to get that dedication in a smaller community.
"Participation in sports is a big part of this school system," the girls' coach says. "Everybody knows the players and their parents. Everybody knows everybody."
But Weckstein feels the same formula that brings success at a small school can bring success at larger ones.
"It is my feeling it will work on any size team," Weckstein said. "First you have to sell your kids on a dream. They have to be excited about participating and willing to make sacrifices to succeed. You just have to have kids who are willing to work real hard and who are committed to that dream."
"Then the parents and everybody else get involved. It's contagious.
"But," Weckstein adds, "it's not only in sports we get that kind of support. The community supports the kids in everything they do, in Vo-Ag, in 4-H, in all the school activities. The school is the focus of the community."
And it starts early.
Jackson points out that this year's fifth and sixth grade girls' team went 20-0 this season while the seventh and eighth graders were 19-0.
"Bob and I are involved with then kids at all levels. We coach the fifth graders, too. It's important that those kids get use to our style of coaching. That they know what to expect when they get up to the high school. They know then when we yell at them, it's because we're trying to make them better."
While basketball is not quite a year around sport at Frontier it comes close.
Both Weckstein and Jackson take their teams to off-season tournaments, even if it means playing at Beaver in an un-air conditioned gym in the middle of summer.
The two coaches also hold summer camps for basketball that draw teams from across the state.
"We had eight of the top 10 Class 4A teams in here last summer for our team camps," Weckstein notes. "Ponca City sends their JV and sophomore teams."
The coaches hold day camps for individuals early in June. The girls camp is the first week in June while the boys' camp this year is June 8-11.
The team camps start the middle of June and run through most of July.
This year, the junior high girls' team camp will be June 21-25. The junior high boys camp is June 28 to July 2. There are two high school girls' team camps, July 5-9 and July 19-23. The high school boys' camp is sandwiched in between, July 12-16.
"We have approximately 20 to 25 teams in here for each sessions," Weckstein notes.
"We had to break the girls camps into two sessions because we had so many teams coming," Jackson said. "We house the kids in the class rooms and we were running out of rooms."
While the basketball activities are frequent, they are not entirely all-consuming.
"We're taking some time off to allow the kids to think back on the season and for the senior, who have been to the state tournament four straight times, to reflect on their accomplishments," Weckstein said.
"Then it's time to start feeding the monster again."
The return of winter weather has sent Ponca City High School sporting events into hibernation.
Today's scheduled Ponca City Invitational golf tournament, Wildcat baseball against Sand Springs here and boys' tennis at Pryor have been canceled by the cold weather,
They join several events that were canceled over the weekend, including a baseball tripleheader against Yukon and Tulsa Hale here and Wildcat track in the Tulsa Union Relays at Jenks High School.
Still scheduled for Tuesday are Wildcat baseball against Sapulpa here (4 p.m.), Wildcat boys and girls' soccer against Tulsa Union here (6 and 8 p.m.) and Lady Wildcat tennis at Pryor.
Also scheduled for this week is baseball at Blackwell Thursday, girls soccer against Putnam City North here Thursday at 6, boys and girls tennis at Westmoore Thursday and Wildcat track at Catoosa Friday.
The Spring Break starts March 16 and runs through March 20