Broken Arrow Superintendent Apologizes For Not Postponing Friday Game

Broken Arrow's superintendent is apologizing for not calling off last Friday's game. BA chose to play when many other schools postponed their games due to winter weather.

The superintendent said it was a difficult decision that took a lot of thought.

Freezing rain did not make for an ideal setting for a playoff game.

"It was cold. It was cold, a lot of ice. There was no snow, but there was a lot of ice," said Superintendent Jarod Mendenhall.

Mendenhall said, on game day, the district was on the phone with administrators from their opponent, Mustang, and the National Weather Service.

"At the time the decision was made, our football team was halfway down the turnpike and had not had a lot of precipitation or problems," he said.

The district decided the game would go on.

11/22/2013 Related Story: Friday Night Football Fans Brave The Cold, Other Games Postponed

Parents took to the BAPS Facebook page to voice their concerns.

"Our freshman son had to stay home tonight due to our worries," one parent, Janine, wrote.

Lori, another parent, wrote, "It looks like the wrong decision was made. Horrible playing conditions with ice on the field & rain/sleet falling with below freezing temps! Should have postponed it!"

Which is what some Green Country schools did. Oologah had to turn its buses around after Oklahoma City's Douglass High School called off Friday's game.

As conditions got worse, Mendenhall realized Broken Arrow should have done the same. The band, spirit groups and student trainers were sent home at halftime.

He issued an apology on the district's website, saying, "While Oklahoma weather is notoriously unpredictable, district administrators should have erred on the side of caution and requested a delay of the game."

"I felt like it was one of those things, if it was anybody's child driving in those conditions. I felt like it was the right thing to do to tell the community, if I had a decision to make over again, I would not have made the same decision," Mendenhall said.

A lot of parents have also commented that they are impressed with the apology.

Every student made it home safe, though, and the team won. The team is heading to semi-finals this week against Union.