Athlete of the Week: Mike Crawford

TIPTON, Ind. (WISH) - Tipton’s boys basketball season ended just short of a state championship appearance, but the Blue Devils made it to semi-state in large part to star Mike Crawford.

The senior will be missed next season when he heads to St. Louis; he’s helped them to over 90 wins in four years and surpassed the 2,000 career points mark.

“He’s been the best, and we’ve had real good ones,” said Tipton head coach Brad Dickey.  “Mike’s still got things to look forward to in his career, but the things he’s done here are mile markers.”

“Tipton is basketball,” said Crawford.  “Every Friday, everybody’s here.”

There’s no doubt Crawford will miss playing for Tipton just as much, but perhaps, not for the reasons you think.  Crawford has four younger sisters:  Lela, a high school junior, Hailee, an 8th grader, Cassidy, a 6th grader, and Emma, a 4th grader.  All are attached to the hip to big brother Mike.

“He’s with them all the time,” said Mike’s mom Laurie.  “We laugh because if he goes somewhere, he’s taking one of them with him.”

Being the only boy, Mike’s a good sport.

“I can do hair.  I paint fingernails. I do all that,” said Crawford. 

Having those four siblings has also presented him with plenty of viable basketball opponents, particularly the 17-year-old Lela, who starts for the Tipton girl’s basketball team.  

“He pushes me all the time,” said Lela.  “He won’t just let me win, and I won’t just let him win.”

“Growing up, we used to play with her every day, and we would just play each other like we were normal boys,” added Mike.  “It’s helped us mature and just become better players.”