Choctaw Nation member Dalton Wood and Coach Bryan Pratt (far right) of the McAlester Buffaloes recently met with Chief Gary Batton and Assistant Chief Jack Austin Jr. at the football stadium in McAlester.
Wood commits to OU to play football
By Zach Maxwell
Choctaw Nation
McAlester, Okla. - Dalton Wood has the heart of a Choctaw warrior, with the scars to prove it.
Wood is a senior at McAlester High School, where he has helped the Buffaloes football team to a 9-1 record as the team’s quarterback.
His long and determined road to football success has guided him through injuries— including heart surgery—and now a potential career as a tight end at the University of Oklahoma.
Wood recently committed to the Sooners. OU, Oklahoma State University, Clemson, and Arizona State all recruited him, thanks to his talent on the field and an aggressive campaign by his coach, Bryan Pratt.
And a recent meeting with Choctaw Nation Chief Gary Batton and Assistant Chief Jack Austin Jr. was more like a family reunion than a formal meet-and-greet.
Batton graduated in the same class as Wood’s mother, Khris, at Clayton High School. The Woods moved to McAlester when Dalton was in second grade.
“One of the biggest things to be thankful for is family, but also being Choctaw,” Wood said.
Batton applauded Wood for being a scholar-athlete, expressing pride that so many Choctaws are excelling in the classroom and on the field.
“I don’t know if he realizes it, but he is setting a great example for Choctaw kids,” Batton said. “It’s awesome.”
At 6-foot-4, Wood has the build and the skills that attracted the attention of Coach Cale Gundy at OU. But his first three years at McAlester were tests of adversity and determination.
He collapsed during a game in his sophomore year, revealing an issue with his heart that required surgery. He was back on the field before the end of the season.
Then, in his junior year, he broke an ankle. But this season has been a breakout year for Wood.
“He has a competitive spirit and likes to win, it’s in his blood,” said Pratt. “There’s a drive in him that a lot of kids don’t have.”
That drive has Wood on the verge of something Choctaws and OU fans will love: A Choctaw on the Sooners’ roster.
“It pushes me to do my best,” he said. “For most (high school) players, this will be the last time they play football. But I’m lucky and I get to keep playing, so I want to do my best for my teammates.”