Tigerettes still deserve praise

To say it was a rough week for the Jacksboro Tigerettes softball team would be quite the understatement. It just doesn’t get more disappointing than the week they had this past week. 

The Tigerettes thought they were moving on to greater things and would continue to compete for a state championship. Instead, they learned their season was over, just like that.

Their joy of reaching the third round of the Class 3A Division II playoffs came to an abrupt end when it was announced they had inadvertently used an ineligible player. She had played more games than allowed by the UIL and this resulted in the forfeiture of four district games, dropping the Tigerettes into fifth place in the standings.

It should be stressed that this was nothing intentional on Jacksboro’s part. This kind of thing happens much more than you think, especially when players are going back and forth between junior varsity and varsity.

It’s always sad when it happens to a team that has worked hard to achieve success, and it’s even sadder when it’s not intentional—which is usually the case and definitely was with the Tigerettes. JISD Superintendent Brad Burnett made it perfectly clear it was an error and there was no intent to gain a competitive advantage.

Again, kudos for stepping up and taking responsibility. That will teach athletes more than anything they can learn on a field or court.

It’s especially heartbreaking for the seniors. However, as Tigerettes coach John Bennett said, this does not diminish the successful season they and the rest of the team had, which is still something memorable.

“It’s extremely disappointing, but it can’t take away from how hard these girls worked and what they accomplished,” Bennett said. “They are some fighters and have some amazing plays/games this year. I am very proud of them and am deeply sorry for what has happened.”

The players can also hold their heads high knowing that no one on the field eliminated them from the postseason.

While the season ended prematurely, the Tigerettes are still worthy of many congratulations. And something tells me this will inspire those returning in 2027.