BO BRACKETT
Sallisaw Black Diamonds Track
By Buck Ringgold
Track definitely runs strong in Bo Brackett’s family.
So Brackett seemed to be destined to pick up the sport himself.
“My dad ran the 100, 200 and 400-meter dash and my mom ran the 800, mile, and two-mile,” Brackett said. “They both qualified for state while they ran. My sister also ran track in high school.”
And now, Brackett is the latest member of his family to be racing around the oval. A sophomore at Sallisaw, Brackett competes in three different events – the 100-meter dash, the 200-meter dash and the 800-meter relay.
Of those three events, Brackett has a strong preference for the shortest distance of the three runs.
“I like the 100 the best because you don’t get as tired and I feel like it’s the most competitive,” he said.
Brackett turned in a solid performance for the Black Diamonds as a freshman last spring, which included the 100 meters.
“I have been somewhat successful for being a freshman last year and my time was 12.00 last year,” Brackett said.
But Brackett knows full well the need to become even better, so that was a priority for him during the summer, fall and winter months.
“I have been working on explosiveness and maintaining speed this offseason,” he said. “My current track season has been going very well so far and has been fun.”
In fact, Brackett got to compete in his first meet of the 2026 season on March 27, when Sallisaw participated in the Clark Bass Invitational at McAlester. There, he placed ninth in the 100 meters (12.84) and 15th in the 200 meters (26.89), while the 800-meter relay squad finished sixth (1:39.88).
Though Brackett comes from a strong track family, he didn’t immediately take to the sport from a very young age. He noted it was several years before truly getting involved in track.
“My family has always done track and they persuaded me to do it in middle school, and I’ve liked it ever since,” he said.
“I really like how competitive it is and pushed me to be better.”
Brackett’s coach, Richard Pratt, also added more responsibilities for Brackett entering his sophomore year. He’s also taking part in the 400-meter relay squad, which also was sixth at the recent Clark Bass Invitational (47.04).
“He has gotten stronger and faster and has earned a spot on the two short relays,” Pratt said.
“Bo is a great young man; he works very hard and puts a lot of effort into anything he does. He is a high character young man that will do anything that’s asked of him.”
Track isn’t Brackett’s lone outlet. He also plays football at Sallisaw along with competing on the Black Diamonds’ powerlifting squad.
Brackett added that he makes it a point to find time to hang out with friends, while fishing is one of his hobbies. He’s also an avid fan of University of Oklahoma sports, especially the Sooners’ football program.
And then when it comes to academics, Brackett definitely excels.
“Currently, I have straight A’s and my (grade-point average) is 4.0,” he said.
With the track season now under way, Brackett is seeking to improve on his times with hopes that it can pay off down the road in the form of a trip to the state meet.
“I am tending to reach new (personal bests) and hopefully qualify for state,” he said.
