By Robert Medley
Managing Editor
A day after an anonymous email was received by Okarche School officials that alleged abuse in the Okarche basketball program, the head girls coach and two assistants resigned at the Monday, Dec. 11 school board meeting.
Head Coach Haley Mitchel, who was an assistant for her mother and former Coach Cherie Myers from 2010-2017, and who has been the head coach since 2020, resigned as a coach, stating that the anonymous email threatened her family and her reputation. Assistant coaches Skye Tilley and Kaylene Ullom also resigned.
Fighting back tears, Mitchel read a statement to the school board Monday night.
“With complete heartbreak, I will say that I will leave today,” Mitchel said. “Evil has trumped a school district and a community that has had a tradition of excellence that in the past few years has continuously fallen under attack despite continuous prayer and the goodness that resides in this room.”
The three coaches resigned at the board meeting during the new business portion of the agenda, although the resignations were not previously on the agenda. The agenda was prepared Friday and the anonymous email came Sunday. Only Mitchel read a statement.
“When I came to Okarche 15 years ago I never dreamed there would be a day like today,” Mitchel said. “I was welcomed to the community and it was the easiest decision to work here. It is a blessing to be part of the school district as a former Lady Warrior myself in a tradition that was started before I was born.”
Mitchel discussed the email and what she said is damage to her reputation.
“The last thing I would ever want to do is leave the girls I coach and love in the middle of the season,” Mitchel said. “However, threats have been made to destroy the reputation and lives of my family, coaching staff and myself. I believe there is no other way.”
Anonymous email was received Sunday
Okarche Superintendent Josh Sumrall said the school board members, the district administration and Coach Mitchel received an anonymous email on Sunday that alleged mental and psychological abuse of girls’ team players. However, there were no names of victims mentioned. The writer of the email alluded to having evidence of abuse. The email threatened the district by referring to the recent $5 million settlement in a civil lawsuit against the Kingfisher Public School district involving football hazing allegations, Sumrall said.
“They threatened that this could turn into the Kingfisher lawsuit,” Sumrall said. “And that is what she, (Coach Mitchel) based her decision to resign on.”
He said the email was forwarded to Okarche police for further investigation.
He said if someone has evidence of a crime they should release information about it. However, he said the Okarche administration stands behind Mitchel. Sumrall said he also stands behind her decision to step down from coaching.
The board did not take action on the resignations at the meeting Monday night.
Meanwhile, the girls basketball team finished fourth in the South Canadian Classic tournament played Friday and Saturday, Dec. 8-9. The girls were ranked #11 Monday, Dec. 11 in Class A with a 4-4 record.
School Board President Ryan McIlvain said the coaches will be missed. All three will continue teaching.
“All three coaches are wonderful people and are loved by the community,” McIlvain said. ”This has been a tough three or four days,” McIlvain said.
The girls next basketball game is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 15 at Watonga.
High school social studies teacher Larry Black will assume the coaching duties with assistant David Sanders in the interim.
Sumrall said, “We are just trying to get through this week right now. And then we will work on a plan moving forward. Our priority is to look out for our players and our students throughout this ordeal and we will focus on taking care of them.”
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