The South Dakota Peace Officers Association has decided, because of COVID-19 concerns among some of their members, not to give out a ‘Spirit of Six’ award at the state basketball tournaments this year. The South Dakota High School Activities Association has posted this statement on their website about the award.
“The Auxiliary of the South Dakota Peace Officers Association, who are in charge of the 'Spirit of Six' award, have notified the SDHSAA that there will not be a Spirit of Six award winner this year due to COVID and the safety precautions they felt were necessary for all concerned.”
The 'Spirit of Six' award has been around for just over fifty-years. It honors the six Rapid City cheerleaders who lost their lives in a plane crash returning home to Rapid City from the 1968 boys ‘A’ state basketball tournament in Sioux Falls. A crosswind gust caused the plane to lose control during its landing in Rapid City.
Terry Blanton, Shirley Landstrom, Jan Glaze, Kay McNutt, Gail Flohr, and Diana McCluskey were the six cheerleaders who perished on St. Patrick’s Day of 1968. Pilot Ivan Landstrom, his wife Mary (Shirley Landstrom’s parents), and cheer teacher Dorothy Lloyd also passed away in the crash.
The award was first given out in 1970, but it took a few years before the South Dakota High School Activities Association decided to make the award part of the state tournament experience. Each year, the ‘Spirit of Six’ award is given out at halftime of the tournament’s championship game. It’s presented by South Dakota’s Peace Officers Association and it goes to a cheer squad who best displays dedication and positivity. Members of the SDPOA are on hand at each state basketball tournament to judge the different cheer squads in person.
Last year, the 'Spirit of Six' award was also not given out, as only the quarterfinal round of the ‘B’ girls state basketball tournament saw action. The state basketball championships were postponed and later cancelled before any state champion could be crowned.
Even though the ‘Spirit of Six’ award won’t be given out at the 2021 State Basketball Championships, cheerleaders will still be allowed to attend the games and do what they do best – cheer.
