For Trandy Birch, athletics has never been about trophies, although he does love a trophy.
The championships, banners, and victories matter. They always will. But when Birch talks about sports, his mind doesn't immediately go to scoreboards or record books. Instead, he talks about people.
He talks about a coach who changed the trajectory of his life.
He talks about the lessons that athletics taught him as a young man: discipline, toughness, sacrifice, accountability, and the importance of being part of something bigger than himself.
Most of all, he talks about relationships.
Now, as Claremore Public Schools' new Athletic Director, Birch hopes to help create those same life-changing experiences for the next generation of Zebras.
"The influence of a coach got me into athletics and education," Birch said. "The impact he had on me is hard to put into words. Through his influence and my dad's, I learned discipline, toughness, sacrifice, accountability, how to handle adversity, and how to be part of something bigger than myself."
That experience ultimately became his calling.
Throughout his career, Birch has studied leadership, culture, and what separates good programs from great ones. While many people focus on wins and losses, he has spent years focusing on the people behind them.
"My background has really been the study of people," Birch said. "I love the study of leadership, culture, relationships, and building programs the right way."
Over the years, he has learned that successful athletic programs are not built on talent alone.
"They're built on consistency, accountability, communication, and trust," he said.
Those beliefs are part of what attracted him to Claremore.
Drawn to Zebra Nation
When Birch first began exploring the opportunity to join Claremore Public Schools, one thing immediately stood out.
The people.
"There's a pride in Claremore that's obvious," he said. "It's tangible how much this community cares about its schools and athletic programs."
He saw a community that rallies around its students. A district with a proud tradition. Coaches who care deeply about kids. Families who invest their time and energy into supporting student-athletes.
In many ways, he felt like the foundation was already in place.
"Strong tradition, passionate support, good people, great kids. What an incredible list of ingredients, and Claremore has them all."
Now, before making major changes or casting a new vision, Birch wants to spend time learning what makes Claremore special.
"The opportunity to build deep, genuine relationships is what excites me most," he said. "Every successful athletic department is built on trust and connection."
His first year will focus on listening, learning, and understanding the traditions, values, and people that have shaped Zebra Athletics for generations.
"Before you can truly lead, you need to understand the people, the culture, and the traditions."
The Standard
As Birch discusses the future of Claremore Athletics, one phrase continually surfaces.
"The Standard."
It is more than a slogan. It is a philosophy.
Birch describes The Standard as the relentless pursuit of excellence by closing the gap between what is and what can be. It means refusing to settle for average. It means creating daily habits, expectations, and relationships that elevate athletes, coaches, and programs to their highest potential.
"The Standard is how we compete, how we treat people, how we represent our school and community, and how we pursue excellence every day," Birch explained.
What excites him most is that many of those foundations already exist within Claremore Athletics.
He credits former Athletic Director Brian Young and the district's coaches for building a culture centered on consistency, communication, and accountability.
"My job isn't to start from scratch," Birch said. "It's to help strengthen alignment, support our coaches, and continue moving forward together."
At the heart of The Standard is a simple belief: excellence is not occasional. It should become the expectation.
"I want Claremore Athletics to be known for toughness, unity, pride, and doing things the right way."
Developing Champions for Life
While Birch wants Claremore teams to compete for championships, he believes the greatest victories often happen long after the final whistle.
Some of his proudest accomplishments have little to do with trophies.
Instead, they involve former students who have become successful parents, business leaders, educators, coaches, and community members.
"We don't coach positions or teams," Birch said. "We coach kids, parents, and each other to be the best versions of ourselves."
That philosophy aligns naturally with Claremore Public Schools' core values of Grit, Community, Innovation, Excellence, and Purpose.
For Birch, athletics serves as one of the most powerful leadership laboratories available to students.
Sports teach young people how to overcome adversity. They teach accountability, teamwork, sacrifice, and resilience. They teach students how to respond when things don't go according to plan.
Most importantly, they help students discover who they are.
"A successful program develops people," Birch said. "Yes, we want to compete and win at a high level. But beyond that, I want programs where athletes are learning discipline, leadership, accountability, resilience, and teamwork."
Because ultimately, he says, those are the qualities that shape great future husbands, wives, mothers, fathers, employees, and community leaders.
One Team, One Vision
As Birch steps into his new role, he sees an athletic department filled with opportunity.
His vision is simple.
Every sport matters.
Every program matters.
Every athlete matters.
He hopes to foster greater collaboration across all programs while ensuring coaches feel supported, athletes feel valued, and families feel connected to the mission of Zebra Athletics.
"I want Claremore Athletics to feel united," he said. "The success of one program should strengthen the entire athletic department."
For Birch, that unity begins with relationships and a shared commitment to excellence.
The scoreboards will continue to matter. The wins will be celebrated. Championships will always be pursued.
But if you ask Claremore's new Athletic Director what success truly looks like, his answer remains rooted in something deeper.
Success means growth.
Success means relationships.
Success means helping students leave the program better prepared for life than when they entered it.
And in Claremore, Birch believes the opportunity to do exactly that has never been greater.