Cage tourney has roots in Old West

GOLDEN PLAINS OF AMERICA -- When teams from eight high schools take to the courts of McCook, Nebraska for the 2013 Cattle Trail Basketball Tournament, Harold Potthoff wants them to know they are honoring a historical truth: Between the years of 1874 and 1885, Southwest Nebraska and Northwest Kansas truly were the heart of the Great Western Cattle drives.

Stretching all the way from Marion in southern Red Willow County to Haigler in southwestern Dundy County, the cattle drives cut through this area in great numbers, heading from southern Texas to Ogallala and points west and north, including the Canadian Provinces.

Potthoff, who is the Nebraska co-chair of the Great Western Cattle Trail association, says it is estimated that six million cattle and one million horses came through Southwest Nebraska and Northwest Kansas during the cattle drive days.

The large numbers were driven by the higher prices being paid for cattle up north. "In southern Texas, the cattlemen were only getting about $4 a head for steers. In Ogallala and points north and west, they could get up to $40 per head, which paid for them even though they had to drive the cattle so far."

The Cattle Trail Basketball Tournament was conceived and created by area administrators, activity directors and coaches art the start of the 2000s. Among the originators were Dr. Dallas Watkins and Dave Hendricks, The men, both superintendents, are now retired after service at Dundy County-Stratton, Arapahoe and Southwest public schools.

"I was running cattle in Dundy County at the time," Dr. Watkins said, "so I was teased a lot about the Cattle Trail name,"

Now that he's retired and has sold his cattle herd, Dallas can join Dave in taking proper credit for a very appropriate tournament title.

"This truly is Cattle Trail country," Potthoff said. "I couldn't think of a more appropriate title for a basketball tournament."