Tim Stewart, Zebra notes

May 10, 2008 10:39 am

— TERRELL LESTER
Sports Editor

Notes and quotes gleaned from the first day of the Tim Stewart Era in Claremore:
There is a possibility that Claremore High School could find its athletic teams — with the exception of football — returning to Class 5A after only one year in Class 6A. That, according to Todd Steidley, high school principal.
Classification for athletics is based on enrollment, or, Average Daily Membership, in the wording of the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association.
The top 32 schools in enrollment comprise Class 6A, and the next 32 schools fall into 5A.
Enrollment figures are revised each summer for the upcoming school year and classifications are defined at that time. The exception is football. Football classifications are determined on two-year intervals.
For the 2007-08 school year, Claremore’s ADM was listed at 1,259 — students in grades 9 through 12 — and that ranked No. 31. At No. 32 was Tahlequah, at 1,240.
The top school in 5A, with an ADM of 1,232, was Tulsa Washington.
Steidley said on Thursday that it is “possible” that Claremore’s enrollment might show a decrease in numbers by the time the ADM is tabulated for the 2008-09 school year.
Claremore’s enrollment, he said, “is not as high as it was last year.”
“It’s not a lot lower, but a little bit,” he said. “Ten or 15 students. And that could be a difference.
“Rumor is that some of the other schools have picked up a few.
“Definitely, there’s a chance we may be down,” he said, referring to the classification level. ...
After greeting his newest employee, Tim Stewart, Superintendent Mike McClaren was asked about the progress of Claremore’s on-campus fieldhouse, to be funded through a 2007 bond issue.
“We’re in the process right now of screening out architects,” he said. “Hopefully, we’ll get under way breaking ground in the next 12 months.
“It’s a 24-month project once we break ground. It’s almost on the same time schedule as the (Robson) Performing Arts Center,” he said.
The proposed location for the fieldhouse is to be between the high school and the Robson PAC. Those two facilities would serve as anchors.
“We want to make sure it (fieldhouse) fits on that campus,” McClaren said. “And complements it.” ...
Tim Stewart weighed in with his thoughts on a new campus fieldhouse.
“It can be the No. 1 sales pitch, if you want to call it that, for the community,” Stewart said. “It’s the first thing they see. It’s attractive when people come to our town and they see our facilities.
“When you go to Union (in Tulsa), what do you see? You see the UMAC. You see Tuttle Stadium. And you talk about the facilities.
“The kids like it. The parents like it. It’s nice. And that’s what you want for your kids.
“It’s huge to see that the community voted for this. It speaks volumes.
“A new facility doesn’t make you a winner overnight, but it doesn’t hurt in the slightest.
“It gives the kids a sense of pride that their sport is really important, and that the community’s behind us.
“You go to practice every day and you’re in that facility. It does give you a little spark. A little pep in your step.” ...