February 15, 2020 Issue, Page 1 of 12

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Western Oklahoma B since1901 Weekend Edition McBride to be coach Elk City schools looking at at Global Cup By Don Munsch, Editor Former two-time PBR adding esports next year World Champion Bull Rid- By Don Munsch, Editor “We're going to ease into it,” Garrison said, noting esports er Justin McBride will be Elk City Public Schools Superintendent Rick Garrison ini- could be a before- or after-school activity and that there like- back coaching a team com- tially passed when the idea for a new extracurricular activity ly would have to be a tryout of some sort. peting at the PBR Global was brought to his attention. Garrison told the board there were some academic and so- Cup USA today and Sun- But after seeing how other schools are implementing the cial factors to be considered in adding the esports program, day at AT&T Stadium in program, he relented. which would have a curriculum, The board packet included Adlington, Texas. “I’m a guy who just because somebody else is doing it four benefit of esports: McBride, who spent part doesn’t mean that I have to do it,” Garrison told the Elk City --They can harness students’ passion for games, as more of his youth in Elk City, is school board Monday. “But when everybody else is doing than 75 percent ofhigh school students already play and love the coach for one of the two it and we're not [participating], then I think that’s probably video games, according to the Pew Research Center. Justin McBride squads ~ the Eagles — in the when our kids are going to look around and say, ‘Why can’t --They can reach students who are otherwise left behind. Global Cup. we do that? That looks like a lot of fun.’” --They can increase academic performance, as students The other team, the Wolves, is set to be comprised Still, it’s not every day schools consider adding an activity who have joined esports programs have better attendance exclusively of Native American athletes, according to that many students do in their leisure time. and earn better grades. a release from Kacie Albert, corporate communications Elk City board members during their Monday meeting --They can unlock college and career opportunities, as manager for PBR at Endeavor. gave Garrison “proceed with caution” directions to look into there are hundreds of colleges with esports programs and McBride is the lone coach to lead his nation at all four an esports program for the district. more than $16 million in scholarship money is available. editions of the Global Cup, and he was instrumental in Esports can be described as a form of competition that The board did not officially vote on the matter, as trust- the United States’ win in Edmonton in 2017. He has worked diligently at the past two Global Cups to return uses video games. Tournaments and other events have be- ees merely gave Garrison direction on investigating starting Team USA to the top of the podium, the release stated. come popular, and television coverage can now be found for the program next school year. Garrison thought the esports Tn a telephone interview this week from North Texas, esports competitions. could start at the freshman-senior level program as an alter- McBride, who retired in 2008, was excited about another Garrison said he and school board President Brandon native to an extracurricular activity. go-round at the Global Cup. Storm talked Monday about how a lot of jobs young people Southwestern Oklahoma State University built an arena “This is the one event where it’s country versus coun- will have in the future will involve hand-eye coordination, for esports and will start giving out scholarships, Garrison try,” said McBride, who works as analyst for CBS and one skill found in video games. See Esports page 2. CBS Sports Network, for which he does commentary on rodeo coverage. “The guys can make a lot of money, but it’s really more than that. It’s about the pride in your country. So it’s a really fun thing for the guys because they don’t get to be a part of a team ever. Bull riding is County unemployment an [individual sport]. So to get to put a group of guys to- gether and then for them to get represent to their country on top of that, it’s a real cool experience for me to get be rises from 2018 to 2019 a part of it as a coach, but for the guys getting to compete, By Don Munsch, Editor had the second-highest rate for the month — 6.5 percent — fol- it’s an awesome thing.” Unemployment increased in Beckham County from De- lowed by McCurtain County, 6.1 percent. Cimarron County The Global Cup is a five-nation team showdown, with cember 2018 to December 2019, according to Oklahoma had the lowest county unemployment rate of 1.6 percent in each country - Australia, Brazil, Canada, Mexico and the Employment Security Commission data. December. Unemployment rates in December were higher United States - led by a coach and assistant coach, ac- In Beckham County, unemployment shot up from 2.4 than a year earlier in 53 counties, lower in 13 counties and cording to the PBR release. The event offers record purs- percent to 4.3 percent over that period. But the unemploy- unchanged in 11 counties, data showed. es and features the world’s best riders vying for the very ment rate of 4.3 percent has been steady since November, Other local county unemployment rates from December dirt they compete on, and the title of “Toughest Nation on although it was 3.8 percent the month before. data: Dirt,” the release stated. In December, Latimer County posted Oklahoma’s highest Roger Mills: 3.3 percent See Global Cup page 2. county unemployment rate of 7.2 percent. McIntosh County Washita: 4.0 percent Greer: 4.1 percent Theater program to have Custer: 2.8 percfent “We've been going downhill since October, which is scary,” said Jim Mason, director of economic and commu- nity development for Elk City, rattling off numbers of people informational meetings no longer in the labor force. “We all know, I think the whole community is aware, that there’s been a downturn,” Mason said. “And this is kind of ‘The Sagebrush Penguin Project will have registration and cyclical, because back in the spring, we were like plus-280 informational meetings for its third season with “School [people]. In August, were plus-244. Throughout the summer House Rock Live, Jr.!” at 7 p.m. Tuesday and Feb. 25. months, we saw gains [in the labor force].” The meetings will be at the Lincoln Teen Center, 1400 S The biggest driver of unemployment has been energy sec- Franklin in Elk City. tor. Most of the energy sector people who live here are work- Artists and mentors ages 10-25 are being sought, accord- ing out of town, Mason said. ing to a Sagebrush release. The Sagebrush Penguin Project But Mason said he doesn’t think the situation here is near gives children, teens, and young adults with special needs as bad as it was in the 1980s, as the energy sector rises and an opportunity to star in a community theater production. It falls based on the price of energy. is open to any individual age 10 to 25 with a disability. This “Unfortunately, there’s not anything any of us can do to includes children with cognitive, learning, motor, hearing control that,” Mason said, referring to city economic leaders. and visual impairments, genetic disorders and neurological “Other than we try to diversify,” disorders. The young artists have a wide spectrum of special He said the city has proposals out to several companies needs including Down syndrome, Autism Spectrum Disor- that are not energy related, and he hopes some site visits can ders, intellectual disabilities, cerebral palsy and ADHD. come out of it. Some available buildings can be shown to “Participation in the program enhances social skills, com- prospects. Five developers are coming in for the city’s an- munication skills and self-esteem,” the release stated. nual turkey hunt in April. The program uses “Junior” versions of Broadway musi- “Hopefully, we can get them to do some things,” he said. aes cals that are professionally modified for young performers, He said it can be difficult to make a definitive analysis on The cast from last year’s production of “Alad- and then The Penguin Project artists are matched with peer a local jobs rebound knowing how cyclical things can be. It’s din Jr.” were, back row, David Word, Alad- mentors who guide and assist them through rehearsals and not just Oklahoma that has seen a downturn in the energy din, and Christopher Blakeburn, Kassim; and join them on stage for the production, the release stated. sector, it’s been other states, as well. front row, Emily Lamoni, Babkak, and Adrinna Started in Peoria, Illinois, in 2004, The Penguin Project He said the time could be right for those people who have Dixon, Omar. Photo submitted. See Theater page 2. See Unemployment page 2. my 128 Vol. 118, No. 13 75 cents, 12 pgs. Mail delivery 580.225.3000 View online elkcityoknews.com