Uphill Climb for Choctaw Yellojackets

Originally Published: Aug 27, 2009 3:31 PM CDT

Andrew Topps
Oklahoma Sports Staff Writer

CHOCTAW, Oklahoma -- It will be another uphill climb for the Choctaw Yellowjackets as they try to make the playoffs for the first time in 25 years. Head coach Billy Bays is in his second year leading the program and trying to build a football tradition is one of his biggest goals.

“What we try to do is find ways to build confidence and create a work ethic,” Bays said. “When you haven’t had success?the minute things turn negative, those winning programs find a way to overcome them. Last year was a good example. Once things went south, we didn’t have what it took to stop that.”

The Yellowjackets won just two games last season. Bays alluded to the lack of mental toughness as the biggest contributing factor for Choctaw’s sub-par season. However the coach says he has the right remedies to cure the Yellowjackets postseason woes.

“We try to put them in situations that they have to push through to be successful,” Bays said. “(We) try to establish a certain expectation and demand that they follow through. The expectation is that we’re going to do it until we do it right. We feel like if you let the little things slide then they create big problems on Friday night.”

Since the Reagan years, the Yellowjackets experienced plenty of those big problems on Friday’s.