MABEN — When the Mississippi High School Activities Association did a recent walk-through of West Oktibbeha High School”s basketball gym, they told school administrators and coaches they needed to replace its goals to host the district tournament this year.
For a Class 1A high school, the estimated $6,000 needed to fund new goals and installation just isn”t in the activities budget. The Timberwolves, though, were next in rotation to host and couldn”t afford to be skipped over — profits from hosting a district tournament can help fund an entire athletic program”s budget for more than a year.
West Oktibbeha Principal Leonardo Thompson didn”t have to look far for help.
The former Starkville High teacher and coach called former student Travis Outlaw, who showed up to West Oktibbeha”s campus Monday with a check for $5,700.
“(Thompson) has always been a great friend to me,” the New Jersey Nets forward said. “He used to talk to me and my cousins about certain problems, and we always had great respect for each other. So when he asked me to help, it was no problem at all.”
Thompson said it had been close to 20 years since West Oktibbeha hosted a district tournament, and after taking over as principal last year one of his priorities was to make sure the school wasn”t skipped in 2012.
Thompson said MHSAA was ready to move the tournament to a different site, but the school received an A-rating once it showed it could provide proper security and parking for a four-day tournament. The only thing it lacked was sufficient basketball goals.
Once basketball season starts in November, the Timberwolves gym will have new goals and new scoreboards, the latter of which will be funded by a donation from alum and NFL player Donald Lee.
“Our goals now are pretty old,” West Oktibbeha boys basketball coach Danny Crawford said. “It hadn”t been an issue in the past, but for the tournament they recommended we change them out. It”s blessing to have people like Travis and Donald Lee to come in and help us out when we need it.”
Thompson estimates the school will net $9,000 from ticket sales and as much as $5,000 from concession sales from the 2012 district tournament.
“It”s a great feeling to know I”m helping these kids,” Outlaw said. “I”ve got family on both sides of the county. I hope it”s an opportunity for some kids to do what I”ve done. If it helps them make it somewhere, it”s a great cause.”
Outlaw recently hosted Travis Outlaw Day in Starkville, where he gave away cash prizes for events, laptop computers to kids, and made a $20,000 cash donation to the Oktibbeha County Boy”s and Girl”s Club.
Outlaw usually spends a significant portion of his summer in Starkville, but with the NBA”s current labor stalemate and lockout, he could spend some of the fall months at home. He”s weighed the possibility of playing overseas during the lockout, like many other NBA players have opted to do. But if he doesn”t, he”ll continue to soak up the family love.
“Man, this time has been great,” Outlaw said. “You get to really enjoy your family and be thankful for the people you have in your life.”
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