By Ron Holt
Despite a lack of varsity playing time, Bixby High’s 5-8 senior forward Sadie Beltran embraces her role within the Lady Spartans’ basketball program.
Beltran, who has attended Bixby schools since elementary school, pushes herself in practice to not only improve her skills but to also help prepare starting teammates. A productive Lady Spartan practice benefits everyone.
“If I do good in practice it helps others, if I do bad in practice it doesn’t make anyone better,” said Beltran, the daughter of Gabriel and Sandy Beltran. “I feel like I’ve gotten better on my shooting, but I still have things to improve on.
“I have the mindset to be ready to play whenever they need you because you never know. It is fun being a part of this game. I enjoy the games and my teammates … they’re amazing,” she added.
Beltran, who is joined on the Lady Spartan squad by younger sister Sarah, a 5-2 sophomore guard, is a valued teammate, appreciated by her teammates and by the coaching staff.
“Sadie is one of the best program kids you could ask for … she’s steady, shows up and is very supportive of her teammates,” Lady Spartan head coach Tina Thomas said. “She’s just the type of kid you want in your program. Her character is impeccable, she’s loyal and she just gives her best every day.
“We really need more Sadies on a team. In her role it’s hard to find kids with the character to persevere and embrace that role and understand its value … her role is one that doesn’t get as much attention and press. She’s just one of the finest young ladies you’ll find,” coach Thomas added.
Beltran is emotionally attached to the highs and lows associated with the Lady Spartan program. She relished the journey to the Class 6A state championship game the past two seasons and she was disappointed along with her teammates in failing to capture the state title.
And she was dejected when Bixby went on a recent two-game losing streak before getting back on track with a dominating home Frontier Valley Conference victory over Union.
“Winning state is another of our goals this year. It’s tough getting there but we’ll get there. We just had some rough spots that we need to fix but we’ll get that done … we’ll get it going,” she said following a recent home loss to Booker T. Washington.
Beltran also is involved in Bixby’s track and field program. She threw the shot put the past two seasons, narrowly missing qualifying for state last season. She plans to compete in track and field again this season. “I really want to make it to state this year,” she noted.
In her spare time, the personable Beltran enjoys drawing. She played the piano when she was younger. “I got that from my mom, she’s very creative. Drawing helps me calm down if something’s not going right. I started playing the piano when I was 10 but it’s been off and on since,” she said.
In the future, Beltran, who lists English as her favorite high school class, plans to attend college and major in early childhood education. “It’s gone by fast, the first semester went really fast,” she said of her time at BHS. “I swear it feels like I was a freshman last year.”
She, however, has unfinished business prior to graduation – like helping the Lady Spartans bring home a gold ball while also qualifying for the state track and field meet.
