By Howard Packowitz

NORMAL – Unit 5 students and teachers need only look at eight members of Normal West High School’s girls basketball team for inspiration as the district focuses this year on improving mental health.

The school board is honoring team members and coaches, almost 10 months after that fateful night when the bus they were riding collided head-on with a wrong-way semi on Interstate 74, near the Twin-Cities.

Beloved Normal West volunteer Charlie Crabtree died in the crash, along with the semi driver. Coach Steve Price and the school bus driver were badly hurt, but Price is teaching and coaching again.

Crabtree’s wife Kathy attended Wednesday night’s tribute, saying the girls inspire her and deserve recognition.

“On that fateful day, December 5, I think it brought us all together,” Kathy Crabtree said.

“We are bonded together for life. I love the coaches. I love the girls. I know that Charlie’s watching down from heaven and cheering them on right now,” she said.

Varsity Girls Head Basketball Coach Corey Ostling told board members the girls represent all that coaches teach about character.

“All of them could have gone into a really dark place, both psychologically and physically, and they continued to work together,” said Ostling.

“They were selfless because they kept each other going. When one was kind of down, someone else was up, and they picked each other up constantly,” Coach Ostling also said.

The girls also showed self-awareness, reaching out when they needed help, according to the coach.

“Sometimes, you can’t do it by yourself,” Ostling said.

Meantime, Kathy Crabtree received another honor in her husband’s name, this time from neighboring District 87. Charlie Crabtree was inducted Thursday night into the Bloomington High School Hall of Fame. He graduated from BHS in 1964.

Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]