Students, parents protest with Springer coach’s future uncertain

SPRINGER, Oklahoma (KXII) - Jerry “The Boss” Bostic burst into the wrestling scene in 2005.

“As a kid, I either wanted to be an athlete or wrestler or a coach when I grew up,” Bostic said. ““I’d say be careful what you wish for because you might just get it.”

He had success as a wrestler and a promotor --- an even produced a wrestling-focused TV series.

“I worked with almost all my childhood heroes, I headlined a show at the Hardy Murphy Coliseum, I’m the only promoter ever to work with a Division 1 college football program to produce a wrestling show, I’ve worked with Oklahoma City Thunder.” he said of his work. “I’ve lived a very blessed life.”

But after many, many years of slams, flips, and injuries, Bostic decided to step out of the ring and into roles with the YMCA and the Ardmore basketball refereeing group.

Then, in 2023, Springer Public Schools approached Bostic and asked him to coach their boys basketball team.

He does not have a degree, so he started part-time as an adjunct instructor, working a few hours each day at the school as a coach, and spending the rest of his time as the program director at the YMCA.

It did not take long, however, for Bostic to go full time with the school as allowed be Senate Bill 1119.

After some personnel changes, the school needed more help, so Bostic took over coaching the girl’s basketball team and general P.E. classes.

“I think if you’re in education, then the kids should come first every single time,” he said. “We should take care of the kids above everything else, so I did all those things.”

Bostic is in his second year with the school, but there’s talk it could be his last.

“Something just felt off through the year,” he said.

When he approached school administration to talk about next year, he said he found out they didn’t plan to bring him back in the fall.

When he told his athletes the news, the kids decided to take a stand.

“These kids have a voice, and they want to be heard,” Alisha Ross, a Springer parent, said.

Without telling Bostic, the athletes and their families organized a protest for Monday night’s school board meeting.

They showed up with signs, stood outside beforehand, and then sat through the entire meeting to make sure that this topic would be added to the agenda for the next meeting.

Ross said Bostic helped her son, a sophomore, find his love for basketball again after he lost his dad and his grandmother.

Thursday morning, Bostic was placed on administrative leave through at least spring break.

He said that won’t stop him from fighting for his job, and his students.

“Man, I have some really special kids, and once you’re around them, you come to love them as your own,” he said. “Loving them and helping them through life, that’s more important than anything that ever happened on a basketball court.”

News 12 reached out to the district, and Springer Superintendent Scott Webb sent this statement in response:

“The coach you asked about is non certified. Hiring for non certified staff will be on the April Board agenda. I cannot offer any other information on personnel at this time.”

That next board meeting is on April 14th at 6pm in the district’s administration building.

News 12 will be at that meeting, and will continue to follow this story in the meantime.

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