The Frenship Tiger Girls Basketball team is undefeated in District 2-6A play this season (6-0), they’ve clinched their 17th consecutive playoff berth, they’re ranked #13 in 6A in Texas by MaxPreps, but their embodiment of the Frenship Way as they roll through another stellar season may be their most impressive accomplishment.
Often sports are described as an escape from “real life.” A place where fans and players can forget about the worries and concerns of the day-to-day and focus on the competition happening on the field, court, or pitch. For one Permian player, that escape became particularly poignant Tuesday night.
Lady Panther Forward Cyera Ortega lost both of her parents, Katherine and Brandon Ortega, in a car accident the evening of Saturday, January 25. Ortega chose to play in the game Tuesday night against the Tigers. She wanted to focus on something else, she wanted to spend time with her teammates doing what they love to do, and to do it in front of a home crowd.
Before and after the game the Tigers quietly took hands with their opponents and through the simple gesture of caring reminded all of us what athletics is really all about.
“We battle hard on the floor,” said Frenship’s Head Coach Trent Hilliard, “but outside of the game, we need to help each other. Our district has seen a lot of tragedy the last few seasons and I’m always proud to see our girls want to help. They love playing the game hard, but their perspective and priorities are in the right place.”
Since Fall 2018, District 2-6A girls basketball has had its share of heartbreaking events. Each time, teams from around the district came together to support their opponents, and this time was no different.
Following the tragic news, a GoFundMe account was quickly established to help the Ortega family pay for funeral expenses and it has been more than fully funded, but Hilliard and his team wanted to help anyway.
“Even though we knew the funeral was covered we still wanted to take a collection for Cyera and her family,” Hilliard explained. “We donated $700 from our players, families, and coaches. After the game, she [Cyera] came and found me to say thank you and tell me the money we’d donated would cover her parents’ headstone.”
Fans don’t always understand from the stands how close students, coaches, and even officials can become in high school athletics. As players go through four-year high school careers many develop close bonds with their opponents. Some compete in camps and teams outside of their school as well and a mutual respect develops for competing hard and leaving it on the floor.
On Tuesday, January 28, the Frenship Girls Basketball team did Frenship Nation proud. They embodied the Frenship Way in Odessa, TX not only by earning a victory on the scoreboard, but by embracing an opponent in a time of need and reminding it us what sports, and life, are about.