The Dallas County Board of Education met Monday at Keith High School to honor the Lady Bears on their state basketball championship.

The team’s championship rings will arrive in July, but the board didn’t want to put off recognizing the team, said Dallas County Superintendent Don Willingham.

“The board wanted to see them face to face and let them know how proud we are,” he said.

Board member Leroy Miles congratulated the team on its success.

“What you guys accomplished is very hard to do,” Miles said. “It’s hard to do what you did. You’re young, and you have a great group coming back.”

Willingham said people don’t realize how influential a sports team can be for school morale.

“The enthusiasm that’s built from the school when your team is winning or playing a rival are some of the things people who criticize sports as being too important don’t ever see,” he said.

He also emphasized what the championship may mean for the girls’ futures.

“You can look back the rest of your lives and say we were the best team in the state of Alabama.”

Keith defeated Spring Garden 38-25 to win the 1A state championship in February.

It was the school’s third girls’ basketball title in program history.