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Soccer pioneer to be honored on Tuesday
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 By
KIRK MCCRACKEN
Herald Sports Writer
The Sapulpa High School boys and girls soccer teams will honor
a pioneer of area soccer Tuesday night at George F. Collins Stadium.
The Chieftains will honor Dale Stone before the boys game against
Edmond Memorial.
Dale Stone, a champion of Sapulpa soccer, died March 1 at the age
of 74, and it didn’t go unnoticed.
“When I heard Dale passed away, I knew we needed to do something
to honor him. I wasn’t a part of Sapulpa soccer when he was,
but I’ve heard about all of the things he did for the sport,”
said Russell Ragland, Sapulpa High School head soccer coach.
“His efforts allowed me to continue my education in college,
and ultimately, my job as the high school soccer coach.”
Stone was instrumental in getting soccer implemented at the high
school and played a major role in soccer at the recreational level.
“Gosh, he was a coach,” said Colette Beil, a fellow
board member of the soccer association. She was also the chairman
of the draw and worked with Stone for many years.
“He was so positive,” she said. “He saw talent
in any kid that was wearing a pair of cleats. We’ll never
know how many pairs of cleats or uniforms he bought for kids.
“He went above and beyond the call of duty,” she said.
Dale Gene Stone was born June 6, 1931 in Checotah to Arthur and
Grace Stone.
He graduated from Hichita High School in 1948 and earned a bachelor’s
degree in mathematics at the age of 19 from Northeastern State University
in 1951.
He began his career as a teacher, coach and school principal in
Jennings, Okla.
He joined the U.S. Army in 1953 and served two years in Signal
Corps as a radio operator. After his honorable discharge, Stone
returned to teach and coach softball and basketball at Kellyville,
Indianola and Bartlesville.
He earned a master’s degree in mathematics from NSU in 1959
and was selected for a National Science Foundation fellowship and
did post-master’s research at Oklahoma State University.
He married his wife, Sandy, in 1960.
“Sandy was always at the forefront, and Dale was a behind-the-scenes
guy, and he was such a positive coach,” Beil said. “I
don’t know of any other coach at the time that would video
tape under-12 and under-14 games, and then go home and study the
film. He was that much of a coach.”
In 1985, the Stones coached a state championship under-19 soccer
team at the recreational level. Competitive soccer wasn’t
around, and the best players still competed at the recreational
level.
In the spring of 1985, the Sapulpa Chiefs under-19 boys soccer
team beat Oologah on an extremely muddy field in Tulsa for the state
title.
Dale’s son Kerry Stone owns a piece of Sapulpa soccer history
that can never be taken away from him.
Soccer was introduced to the high school in 1985, and Kerry Stone
scored three goals against Sand Springs, including the first goal
in school history.
In the latter part of his life, Dale Stone spent his retired years
coaching his granddaughter’s AAU basketball team.
He coached a countless number of athletes in several different
sports and taught sportsmanship above everything else.
1985 State Champions
Kerry Stone
Matt Stone
Lee Turner
John Gunter
Scott Thomas
Darrin Harwood
Steve Welker
Farley Fisher
Mike Crutchfield
Rob Delaney
Gary Palmer
Kris Chilcoat
Jay Bryant
Wayne Thompson
Coaches: Dale and Sandy Stone
Kirk McCracken 224-5185 Ext. 203
sports@sapulpadailyherald.com
http://www.sapulpadailyherald.com/news/local_story_084113756.html?keyword=secondarystory
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