BEGGS – The Muscogee (Creek) Nation’s Junior Olympics took place at Beggs High School on Saturday, June 28. According to the AthleticLive, 19 teams competed this year in softball throw, tug of war, jump rope, long jump, football throw, and track events. That Saturday also marked the 40th year for Irene Culley (Mvskoke) to coach the Jr. Olympics team for the Okfuskee Indian Community. She spoke to Mvskoke Media about starting out, her motivation, and what she has enjoyed the most in her decades of service.
When Culley and her late husband, Farron (Seminole/Mvskoke), moved back to Mason in 1984 from Ada, they both were very active in sports and with youth groups. They were later asked by Geneva Douglas from Mason School if they would like to help with the MCN Junior Olympics team.
“Our first year in 1985 we had 19 kids, who were all country cousins in the Mason area. The kids were from the Harjochee, Phillips, Hicks, McPerryman, West, Smith and Culley families,” Culley said.
“We started the practice in our backyard ball field, and as we started having more participants we moved them to the IXL ball field then to the Henryetta track field.”
For Culley, every child should get the opportunity to train and compete. “We have had 40 to 90 participants, they came from our alumni, friends, cousins and the kids who got left out in their community. We never turned down any kid who wanted to run,” Culley said.
Culley’s husband coached for 28 years, and he loved motivating the team and the opportunity to help kids. After Culley lost her husband to cancer in September 2008, she and their children continued his legacy with help from friends, family and alumni.
Culley’s motivation of pushing forward was to stay active and keep the kids active in sports. She explained that her community during that time didn’t have any activities for the youth throughout the year, so they wanted to help keep them active.
“Also my children and grandchildren are my biggest motivators, they want me to keep coaching ‘til my youngest grandchild is participating and he’s two years old, I can’t say I’ll still be coaching that’s a few years away. I’ve been trying to retire and they won’t let me,” Culley said.
After doing this for 40 years, Culley most enjoys seeing kids return each year until they age out. Culley sees the excitement and happiness when they are on her team.
One of Culley’s greatest memories in coaching is the team winning 1st place. Culley remembers that day very well, she saw the excitement and smiles and heard the screams when their team was announced. After that, she said that the kids became determined and motivated to win.
Culley gets help throughout the preparation and day of Junior Olympics from her family, friends, and alumni. “I want to thank all the families that have been on this journey with me, love you all!,” Culley said.
“In my 40 years of coaching I have made so many wonderful friends, and I have seen community changes with the Junior Olympics, I’ve seen community change coaches, event coordinators, even locations, and I’m so glad it is still continuing,” Culley said.
For a detailed listing of all results from this year’s Jr. Olympics, visit live.endurousa.com.
