DEAR FRIENDS AND SUPPORTERS,
SUPPORTERS
Ask any student what their favorite part of middle school or high school is, and more often than not, their answer would be “sports.” Tulsa Public Schools is aware of the important role interscholastic athletics play in the development of the student. The Legends Foundation (501c3) was established in 2019 to help build on the rich traditions of Tulsa Public Schools athletics.
The mission of the Legends Foundation is to support and enhance the Tulsa Public Schools athletic programs through public relations, fundraising and special events. The purpose of our foundation is to provide an additional means of support to our student-athletes through tax-deductible donations. Funding for athletic programs falls far short of the actual cost of supporting our 19 secondary schools athletic teams. The Legends Foundation works to raise funds to cover this gap in order to help our coaches and student-athletes achieve their goals.
We believe that athletics is an integral part of the education system. We need your help to fulfill our mission and urge you to consider an investment of financial support to the Legends Foundation. Let’s keep athletics alive in Tulsa Public Schools!
Mick Wilson
Executive Director of Secondary Schools Student Athletics and Activities
Cathey Barkley
President, Legends Foundation
WHY GIVE TO THE LEGENDS FOUNDATION?
WHY GIVE
The primary purpose of our secondary schools is to academically prepare students for graduation so they can be productive citizens. Athletics can play a crucial part of a student’s growth and development. Students who play competitive sports in middle school and high school demonstrate more confidence, leadership and self-respect.
Tulsa Public Schools believes that through participation in athletics, a student gains various skills and experiences that are helpful in developing a well-rounded student.
Middle School and High School Athletic Program Offerings Include:
- Baseball
- Cheer
- Football
- Softball
- Volleyball
- Wrestling (girls & boys)
- Basketball (girls & boys)
- Cross Country (girls & boys)
- Swimming (girls & boys)
- Golf (girls & boys)
- Soccer (girls & boys)
- Tennis (girls & boys)
- Track (girls & boys)
OUR STUDENTS
OUR CORE VALUES
The Tulsa Public Schools Athletics Department believes in the following core values:
EQUITY is a given not withstanding our commitment to TITLE IX but also in the selection of the very best opportunities for all our student-athletes and staff.
CHARACTER is an imperative trait that must be exhibited by each of our participants and staff members
EXCELLENCE is not only measured in wins and losses but also in the progress that our students make during their time in our program.
JOY is watching our student-athletes grow, mature and move on to the next phase of their lives with the tools we have given them through participation.
TEAM is the foundation of our success. Working with multiple teams within the Tulsa Public Schools system, we are able to effectively communicate the mission of our athletics department.
OUR FUNDRAISING EVENTS
Tulsa Public Schools Athletics Department Golf Tournament
Friday, June 14, 2024
8:00am Shotgun Start
SOLD OUT
Lunch and prizes following your round!
LaFortune Park Golf Course
Our annual golf tournament was established in 1998 to raise additional funds for the Tulsa Public Schools Athletics Department.
GOLF TOURNAMENT SPONSORSHIP LEVELS
Event Title Sponsor, 5 Foursome Teams, Signage and Special Recognition at Tournament Site, Recognition on Legends Foundation Website, golf carts and green fees for 20 golfers, range balls, tee favors, food and prizes
3 Foursome Teams, Signage at Tournament Site, Recognition on Legends Foundation Website, golf carts and green fees for 12 golfers, range balls, tee favors, food and prizes
2 Foursome Teams, Signage at Tournament Site, Recognition on Legends Foundation Website, golf carts and green fees for 8 golfers, range balls, tee favors, food and prizes
1 Foursome Team, Signage at Tournament Site, Recognition on Legends Foundation Website, golf carts and green fees for 4 golfers, range balls, tee favors, food and prizes
Golf for One, golf cart and green fees, range balls, tee favor, food and prizes
GOLF LEGEND
$9,000
Three foursomes of golf; tee favors; exclusive hole sponsorship; company name included on all tournament promotional materials; breakfast and lunch, or lunch and hors d’oeuvres; and Awards Ceremony.
GOLF PLATINUM
$6,000
Two foursomes of golf; tee favors; exclusive hole sponsorship; breakfast and lunch, or lunch and hors d’oeuvres; and Awards Ceremony.
GOLF GOLD
$3,000
One foursome of golf; tee favors; exclusive hole sponsorship; breakfast and lunch, or lunch and hors d’oeuvres; and Awards Ceremony.
GOLF SILVER
$1,600
Two players in the tournament; tee favors; signage; breakfast and lunch, or lunch and hors d’oeuvres; and Awards Ceremony.
GOLF BRONZE $800
One player in the tournament including ee favor; breakfast and lunch, or lunch and hors d’oeuvres; and Awards Ceremony.
Sponsorship and Golf Information Contact:
Lisa Norman 918-746-6453
This year’s tournament has sold out, but payment for existing registrations can be completed by visiting this link:
Tulsa Public Schools Athletics Hall of Fame Dinner
Thursday, June 6, 2024
DoubleTree Hotel at Warren Place
5:30 Reception, 6:30 Dinner
The Hall of Fame Dinner was established in 2013 as a way of maintaining the rich heritage and tradition of the successful athletic programs of the Tulsa Public Schools. This dinner recognizes, preserves and honors the athletes, coaches and individuals who have made significant contributions to the athletic programs at the Tulsa Public Schools.
HALL OF FAME DINNER SPONSORSHIP LEVELS
DINNER PLATINUM
$20,000
VIP Seating for 40 guests / Full-page ad in program / Logo or name in event material, website and on display at dinner / Welcome address at the event / One seat at the head table
DINNER GOLD
$10,000
VIP Seating for 10 guests / Full-page ad in program / Logo or name in event material, website and on display at dinner
DINNER SILVER
$5,000
VIP Seating for 10 guests / ½ page ad in program / Logo or name in event material, website and on display at dinner
DINNER TEAM
$2,500
VIP Seating for 10 guests / ¼ page ad in program / Logo or name in event material, website and on display at dinner
DINNER PATRON
$1,500
VIP Seating for 10 guests / ¼ page ad in program / Logo or name on display at dinner
DINNER TABLE SPONSOR
$1,000
VIP Seating for 10 guests
DINNER INDIVIDUAL SPONSOR
$100
One Seat at Hall of Fame Dinner
Sponsorship Opportunities Contact:
Mick Wilson 918-746-6468
Tables or Individual Tickets Contact:
Lisa Norman 918-746-6453
OUR PRIORITY NEEDS
NEEDS
With continued cuts to school budgets and athletic programs, it is our hope that the Legends Foundation can help bring together alumni, school supporters, parents and the Tulsa community at large to foster and ignite their relationship and interest in supporting our student-athletes, teams and future programs.
The Legends Foundation Board of Directors serves to assist the Department of Athletics/Physical Education in obtaining funding for the various programs as approved by the Tulsa Public Schools Board of Education.
Athletic Program Offerings Include:
- Assist schools with equipment purchases
- Uniform basics and upgrades
- Adding Middle School Programming
- Tutorial Study Hall for Middle School Students
- Assist with Coaches Incentives Program
HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
INDUCTEES
Tulsa Public Schools athletics programs have produced standouts and notables at a head-turning pace over the years, enough to fill a hall of fame.
In fact, with so many TPS graduates having starred on the fields of competition, it seemed a foregone conclusion in 2013 that an athletics hall of fame was a necessity.
TPS grads have scaled the heights of the sports world, from the amateur plateau of the Olympics to the arenas of professional competition.
They have graced the rosters of teams in the National Basketball Association, National Football League and Major League Baseball. They have won Super Bowl titles, World Series championships, rodeo crowns.
TPS began in 2013 to honor and recognize and remember the student-athletes who rose from the playgrounds of their youth to career maturity in sports and in life with the launch of the Tulsa Public Schools Athletics Hall of Fame.
A select committee, formed by previous Hall of Fame inductees, media representatives and TPS personnel, has selected each Hall of Fame class, basing decisions on the following criteria:
- Exemplifying highest standards of sportsmanship, ethical conduct and moral character.
- Significant and/or long-term contributions to athletic endeavors.
- Acknowledged leadership in a chosen field, or community, state and national presence.
The TPS Athletics Hall of Fame, by induction class:
2013
Bill Allen, Brent Blackman, Tony Casillas, Don Chandler, Reuben Gant, Gary Howard, Randy Hughes, Rod Kilgore, Ed Lacy, Charles Mason, Luther Pegues, Grady Skillern, Spencer Tillman, Wayman Tisdale, S.E. Williams.
2014
Steve Bowling, Tatia Brown, Jimbo Elrod, Mike Fanning, Henry Johnson, Kenny Monday, Gary Moore, Gordon Morgan, Dave Rader, Michelle Scholtz, Jim Sellers, Woody West.
2015
Keith Ballard, Melvin Driver, Doug Dugger, J.V. Haney, Gene Hart, Neal Mask, Lee Mayberry, Mike Mims, Jill Most, Gene Shell, Robert Sprague, Eddie Sutton, Art Williams.
2016
Michael Bolton, Anthony Bowie, Richard Calmus, Gil Cloud, James Furch, Bruce Humphrey, Ernie Jones, Brandon Loyd, John Starks, John Henry Ward, Kathy Kraft West.
2017
Cathey Durbin Barkley, Daniel Ford, H.J. Green, Nate Harris, LaNita Luckey, Carl Morton, Julius Pegues, Shea Seals, Jackson Todd, Billy Tubbs, David Vickers, Wally Maurer.
2018
Jonita Ford Criddle, Bill Goldberg, Joey Grayson, Clint Hill, Tommy Hudspeth, Gene Iba, Terrell Lester, Granville Liggins, Clay Martin, Danny Morgan, Joey Robinson, Etan Thomas, Bill Van Burkleo, John Watson.
2019
Kenneth Bays, Kent Bays, Dan Crookham, Tommy Evans, Janice Burba Gibson, John Jackson, William C. Lantz, Larry Miller, Ulysses S. Mitchell, John Phillips, Gary Roberts, Terry Scott, Jim Shoulders, Don Undernehr.
2020
Jim Benien, Lisa Barry Berg, Ebi Ere, Emmett Hahn, Wally Knapp, Lawrence Lane, Jim Linn, Emmit J. McHenry, Vincent Orange, Jason Parker, Jim Shields, Joe Shoulders, Bobby Jack Stuart.
2021
John Admire, Jerry Billings, Amley “Popsey” Floyd, Phil Harmon, Dale Hogg, Shawn Jackson, Felix Jones, Mike Knox, Rodger Lefler, Tom MacKenna, Gerald “Corky” Oglesby, Terry Rupe, Morey Villareal, Susan Kraft Yandell.
2022
Josh Atkinson, Bob Brumble, Caleb Green, Leah Hope, John Hammond, Shardell Johnson, Adele Lukken, Robert Mayes, Sr., Tom Maxwell, Perry Moss, Allen Mullinax, Jamilah O’Neal, Grady Peninger.
2023
Rick Engles, Melvin Gilliam Sr., Janet Thomas Griffith, Gerald Harris II, Eric Iverson, Philip W. Johnson, Ron Lancaster, Barry Lewis, Weldon Tisdale, Steve Turnbo, Lance Williams, Ira Willis Jr.
STATE CHAMPIONS
CHAMPIONS
Throughout the decades, Tulsa Public Schools has enjoyed a rich and dynamic interscholastic athletics tradition.
Team championships in sports competitions sanctioned by the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association have been won by every member school within the TPS family.
Through the conclusion of the 2021-22 school year, TPS member schools had amassed a total of 259 team championships from competition in 11 varsity sports.
Central, founded in 1906, is Tulsa’s oldest high school. With 76 team championships in eight sports, Central is the TPS pacesetter.
Thomas Edison has won state championships in 11 sports and Booker T. Washington has captured crowns in 10 sports.
Central leads all state schools with 19 championships in boys cross country. Washington is the state leader with 16 championships in boys basketball.
(Team championships in OSSAA-sponsored sports through the 2022-23 school year)
CENTRAL
- Boys Cross Country – 19
- Wrestling – 14
- Boys Basketball – 13
- Boys Golf – 10
- Boys Swimming – 7
- Boys Track – 6
- Baseball – 4
- Football – 3
EAST CENTRAL
- Girls Basketball – 3
- Girls Track – 3
- Boys Track – 2
- Baseball – 1
- Fastpitch Softball – 1
- Football – 1
- Wrestling – 1
THOMAS EDISON
- Boys Golf – 6
- Boys Cross Country – 5
- Boys Tennis – 5
- Boys Soccer – 4
- Boys Swimming – 4
- Baseball – 2
- Boys Track – 2
- Girls Golf – 1
- Girls Swimming – 1
- Girls Tennis – 1
- Wrestling – 1
NATHAN HALE
- Baseball – 6
- Boys Cross Country – 4
- Boys Golf – 2
- Football – 2
- Boys Track – 1
- Fastpitch Softball – 1
- Girls Basketball – 1
- Wrestling – 1
CHARLES MASON
- Baseball – 1
- Boys Track – 1
MCLAIN
- Football – 3
- Baseball – 1
- Boys Basketball – 1
- Boys Cross Country – 1
MEMORIAL
- Boys Basketball – 11
- Baseball – 3
- Boys Tennis – 1
- Football – 1
- Girls Golf – 1
WILL ROGERS
- Baseball – 5
- Boys Cross Country – 5
- Boys Track – 5
- Boys Basketball – 4
- Boys Swimming – 1
- Girls Golf – 1
- Wrestling – 1
BOOKER T. WASHINGTON
- Boys Basketball – 16
- Girls Track – 9
- Football – 9
- Boys Soccer – 7
- Boys Track – 4
- Girls Basketball – 4
- Wrestling – 4
- Boys Swimming – 3
- Girls Soccer – 2
- Volleyball – 1
DANIEL WEBSTER
- Baseball – 8
- Wrestling – 6
- Boys Basketball – 1
- Boys Cross Country – 1
JW Emerson Memorial Fund
In honor of JW Emerson, a special fund has been created to benefit student athletic programs at Tulsa Public Schools through the Legends Foundation.
Contact Lisa Norman at the Education Service Center at 918-746-6453 to make a tax deductible contribution to the JW Emerson Memorial Fund.
