A great coach and person.
Oscar Cripps (photo courtesy Click2Houston)
Oscar Cripps was a coach in the Spring Branch area of Houston, and his legacy will live in the hearts of many players who played for him at Stratford High School. Cripps led the Spartans to a 1978 Texas state title with star running back Craig James. Cripps took the Spartans back to the state playoffs, and the team made it to the 1987 state finals game.
Oscar Cripps was born in Galveston, Texas, on June 17, 1942. He graduated from Ball High in Galveston, where he played football and baseball. He then matriculated at Paris Junior College and Stephen F. Austin University.
Coach Cripps began coaching at Hemphill High School. A head coach there, he moved as an assistant coach at Westchester High School in Spring Branch ISD. When Stratford High School opened its doors in 1973, Cripps became the first campus athletic director and head coach. He worked there until 2000.
Coach Cripps was a man of faith who treated all his athletes with respect, knowing how to guide them to become better players and persons. Cripps won many accolades, including the Spring Branch-Memorial Chamber of Commerce Citizen of The Year in 1978 and the Rotary Club’s Spring Branch ISD Man of The Year in 1987. He was inducted into the Greater Houston Coaches Hall of Honor in 1998.
I ran track for the Mustangs, and one day I saw Coach Cripps while doing workouts. I went up to him, thinking he wouldn’t remember me. I said, “Hi, Coach Cripps.” He immediately replied, “Hi, Matt.”
He was a great man and football coach, and he is missed. Coach Oscar Cripps passed on September 12, 2020.
Great story about a local coach. Since I grew up in California I did not know who he was. However, in this short article, I got to know a little bit about this legend. Rest in peace Coach Cripps! Great job Mr. Paris
I grew up in Galveston, TX on the same block as Oscar, who was two years older. Oscar was a star varsity football, basketball, and baseball player in junior and senior high school. In football, the coaches had him lead the team in warm-up exercises before practice. Students marveled at Oscar’s ability to handle homework when spending so much time with team sports. Years later, I spoke to a young man who played high school football at Stratford High where Oscar was head coach. He gave Oscar the highest praise anyone could give for how Oscar inspired all to be good players and good persons. Rest in peace, Oscar.