By Robert Medley
Managing Editor
Larry Black hurried into an office to look at some surplus books in boxes at Okarche High School.
No need to get rid of the books, he said, the books could be sold. But, he would have to get back to the books later. There were other maintenance duties to tend to just three days before the first day of school for 2020.
There were times during the spring and up until August, no one knew when Okarche Schools students would return to classrooms due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On Thursday, the students and Black will be back.
For Black, 69, it is his 31st school year in Okarche. This year may be different, but Black is working as hard as his first day. He teaches part-time these days, and he no longer coaches. But he is still called Coach Black at school by the support staff and those who know him.
Another Okarche coaching legend, David Sanders, helped Black get the gymnasium ready a few days before the buildings would reopen. Sanders coached 44 years, starting in the former Skyline Conference in 1967 and winning seven girls state basketball championships, winning 1,030 basketball games and also coaching two baseball state championship teams.
Black was born in Hinton and grew up in Eakley. His father, Al Black served in the Army and died in March at age 87.
Black coached and taught at Healdton before being hired in Deer Creek Schools in 1977. He coached girls basketball, football, baseball and track at Deer Creek. He taught history and social studies.
Black started work in Okarche in fall, 1989.
Returning to school this fall is different than any year he has faced yet, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Like every school in the state of Oklahoma we’re hoping and praying that we can get our students back and that we can have school,” Black said. “We feel like our students need to be in school. They need interaction with teachers being taught.”
Black said Okarche staff members will work hard to take extra precautions, cleaning rooms and buses.
“We’re hoping that we can have school and we can make it the entire year,” Black said.
Black also helps the district with maintenance work, and he drives a bus.
“You’ve got to try to go out and carry on some semblance of normalcy,” Black said.
Black will teach world history and sociology in the high school.
In 1992, he coached the girls’ basketball team to a runner-up finish in Class A. His 2000 team was also state runner-up. His last year 2001, his girls team lost in the semi-finals.
“I always enjoyed coaching. It was a thrill to play for the state championship twice, disappointing to lose when we got beat by one point and then two points, in those games, but it is still a great thrill for those kids and for me to be a part of it,” Black said.
He said coaching was about “being fundamentally sound, keep going in a positive direction and then going out and letting them play.”
Black and his wife Marsha moved to Okarche the year he was hired. Black’s son, Joshua Black and daughter Kyndal Fairless, both graduated from Okarche. Joshua graduated in 1995 and Kyndal in 2002.
Black has made many lasting relationships over the years. And he is even seeing a second generation in the classroom.
“In the last few years in Okarche I have been teaching children of the students I taught when I first came to Okarche.”
“Kids being kids, sometimes one of them might be acting up or acting silly and about all I have to say is, ‘I taught your momma. I taught your daddy. Do I have to pick up the phone?’ I haven’t changed. I‘m still the same man,” Black said.
