Macks Creek School has a proud tradition of introducing young children to the sport of basketball. Our children's basketball league, fondly nicknamed "Biddyball", has been a cornerstone within our school community for many years. Participation in athletics allows young children to acquire fundamental physical abilities such as coordination, agility, and motor skills while simultaneously fostering essential social skills like collaboration, communication, and respect for teammates and coaches. Beyond physical and social development, sports teach vital emotional and character skills, including resilience, sportsmanship, and self-confidence, preparing them to manage challenges both on and off the court. Children also develop important cognitive and life skills, such as problem-solving, goal-setting, and discipline.
This year thanks to a concerted effort by two Macks Creek teachers and two parents who desired to bring back the "Biddyball" they remember being a part of when they were children, the program has grown in leaps and bounds. Thank you to Mrs. Alex Tower, Ms. Lexi Mayer, Mrs. Bethany Kinney and Mrs. Krissa Elliot who came up with a game plan to rally our entire school community this year to make Biddyball a tremendous success!
This year’s “upgrades” to our Biddyball program could not have happened without the voters of our school district! Thanks to our district’s voter-approved no-tax increase our small gym, built in 1936, was completely renovated over the summer. Several years ago, the two hoops installed decades ago had to be removed due to structural safety concerns. The new hoops, which include a safe, professionally-engineered framework above the ceiling can also be lowered to 8 feet to meet the needs of our youngest players. This remodeled space not only created a practice space for Biddyball, it also created a second practice space for the Lady Pirates and Pirates basketball teams. While this may not seem like a big deal, two courts means both of our Varsity basketball teams can begin practice immediately after school. In turn, our Biddyball teams are able to access the gym nearly two hours earlier than before, meaning our youngest athletes don't have to stay up past their bedtimes to practice!
This year Biddyball practices began in late October. The league played games every Saturday morning from November 8th through December 13th (with a break for the week of Thanksgiving). It was truly a team effort with so many people linking arms to provide support for the program including committed athletes and parents, volunteer coaches, teachers willing to staff the concession stand, high school basketball players willing to referee and run the clock as well as some highly supportive sponsors who donated funds to purchase supplies and uniforms. Thank you everyone!
Biddyball also included a delicious concession stand stocked with an array of breakfast and lunch items. Everyone appreciated the Macks Creek teachers who faithfully staffed it each Saturday. Our school is also grateful to voters who made the construction of an actual concession within our commons area a possibility!
This year's Biddyball Coaches were:
Coach Jesse Waters & Assistant Coach India Willis
Coach Ross Beehler
Coach Robert Edelman
Coach Tyler Willis & Assistant Coach Joe Webster
Coach Denise Bryant
Coach Lavery Gorsline & Assistant Coach Tom Gorsline
Coach Micah Spence
Coach Oscar Cortez
Coach Stacy Trusty
This year's generous sponsors were:
Elliot’s Contracting LLC
Hedges-Scott-Millard
RE/MAX- Magic Dragon Properties
Hellums Farm
Sacri Services LLC
JF Farms
Spence Trim Carpentry
Diamond P Meat Market
El Patron
Bates
Wisper Internet
Dream Home Construction
Jones Tile
Top Notch Dock
Ploy Lift
Zack Jordan
Ozark Ready Mix
Burger Basket
Bergmanis Law Firm
McGuire Heating & Cooling
Country Surplus
MC Stucco & Stone
Macks Creek School is grateful to everyone for their support and encouragement of our youngest athletes. We are excited that all our students were able to learn and grow through their Biddyball experience this year. Macks Creek School is blessed to have so many ardent supporters or our amazing students!
The district is also grateful to OakStar Bank, Captain Ron’s, Lake of the Ozarks Idiot’s Club and Dairy Queen for sponsoring the drop down partition that allows us to divide our large gym in half. This means two teams of children can practice or compete at the same time. Through the generosity of these businesses our Biddyball event takes half the time each Saturday, meaning volunteers and families get to spend more time at home with each other!
#MCPirates