Opal Lowry

**Opal Lowry** is a character in the television series *Hoops* voiced by Cleo King. She is the principal of Lenwood High School.

## Appearance

Principal Opal is an African-American woman with curly hair. She wears a green shirt with pink fringe, large gold hoop earrings, purple eyeshadow and red lipstick, and a small gold necklace.

## Character

Opal is "Ben’s boss and principal of Lenwood High who doesn’t like her job and is nearly as foul-mouthed as Ben. She’s unlucky in love, superstitious and has a talent for singing."

## History

Before becoming a high school principal, Opal worked as a flight attendant. She claims to have been responsible for the miracle of the Hudson, but having been blackballed by the pilot, Chelsea, into letting him take the credit for it.

## Plot summary

### The Pilot

Principal Opal comes down hard on Coach Ben Hopkins, telling him that if he wants to keep is job, he can't continue to be both an asshole *and* a losing coach. She warns him that the school board is coming in a few days and that it's over for him if the Lenwood Colts don't win the game. When he tries to argue about having already tried to get Matty on the team, the only thing that could possibly make it so that they win, she tells him that it's his problem. Later, Hopkins comes to her just before the game, prepared to hand in his resignation, as he was unable to convince Matty to join the team. She tells him, however, that Matty has in fact joined and Hopkins learns that Matty was so touched by the efforts he had made trying to get him to join that he actually decided to do so. The team loses the game, but Opal allows Hopkins to stay on anyway, as the team's margin of loss was far smaller than in the past, making it clear things are already improving.

### My Two Dads

Hopkins comes to Opal, telling her that he apparently saw his ex-wife Shannon with a man other than her current boyfriend, Ron. Opal tells him to stay out of it, asking if he wants to be the Lisa Nowak of this love triangle. When he says that he does, she calls him crazy and then smokes some marijuana right there at her desk.

### Ethics

Shannon, Opal and Barry Hopkins drink together at Barry Hopkins Steakhouse, but don't find it nearly as fun as they used to. Shannon suggests that Opal liven up the vibe, noting that she used to sing. They put together a deal for Opal to sing at the restaurant, called "Barry's After Dark." Unfortunately, Opal's "heartfelt" songs are completely vulgar and put off Barry's regular crowd. The performances are quickly canceled.

### The Sponsor

Opal attends a team budget meeting for the Lenwood Colts held by Hopkins. To her surprise and disgust, the meeting is an elaborate presentation in which he presents flimsy reasoning to claim that the team needs $50,000 for a new, state-of-the-art weight room. She laughs in his face, telling him that the school's entire sports budget is $3,700. She tells him that the only way he'd get $50,000 is if he had a magic wand and declares the meeting over.

Later, Hopkins visits her again and tries a new tack, claiming he's found ways to cut money from other areas of the school's budget which can go to the basketball team instead, but Opal doesn't go for it. She instead tells him that she's found another way to solve his problem and reveals, much to his disgust, that she signed his father's steakhouse up as a sponsor for the team.

### Matty Gets a Girlfriend

Opal calls Shannon to cry about breaking up with boyfriend, Mike. Shannon tells her to not feel sorry for herself and they agree to get together and watch *The Notebook*. She tells Opal that the last thing that she wants is a loser in her life.

### Zen

After Coach Hopkins injures a mascot at a Colts game, Principal Opal orders him to attend anger management counseling. She tells him that there's still one therapist left in town that he hasn't seen: the DAWA, an unconventional therapist who is into zen philosophies. She tells him that she herself was counseled by the DAWA and it changed her life. At first, Hopkins tries to simply get the DAWA to sign off on him. However, when Opal discovers that he's ditching, he drags him back and forces him to attend the sessions. They seem to work like a charm at first, but ultimately Hopkins reverts back to his old self and Opal can only roll her eyes.

### The Strike

Hopkins barges into Opal's office, upset about not having dental insurance, but finds her more concerned about the prospect of an upcoming teacher's strike. She tells him that she's worried about being alone inside the school, fearing that it is haunted by "the ghost of Lenwood High School" and that if it's a student, it'll come after her first, being the principal.

Hopkins ends up initiating a teacher's strike himself and Opal is left with her worst fear, being alone inside the building. It soon turns out however that she is *not* alone, as the members of the Lenwood Colts team have taken to roaming about the school, finding that they quite like the school itself when they don't have to attend classes there. She ends up meeting Matty, who shows her that the ghostly noises she fears are merely him and his fellow team-members. Hopkins then races inside the building, and fearing him to be the ghost, smacks him the mouth with a bat, knocking out the bad tooth that was causing him to complain before.

### Death

Opal hosts a wake for Coach Singleton, the former Lenwood Colts basketball coach who has recently passed away. During the wake, a delivery driver, Kyle G., is killed a freak accident. She therefore calls in a grief counselor named Dr. Brooks to counsel the grieving students. She later then checks in with Dr. Brooks, who reveals that she's having trouble counseling the students because the school's adult staff keep coming in and pestering her with their own personal problems and stories of the past. Rather than solving this problem, however, Opal instead burdens Brooks with her own story of past troubles.

### The Road Game

When the Lenwood Colts are invited to a prestigious regional tournament in Cincinnati, Opal is upset with Ron for ruining her weekend by making her come along to chaperone. Hopkins has not made it due to missing the bus. When they're told that Hopkins must be there in order for the team to enter the tournament, she pretends to be him, then gives the nametag to Ron. She then poses as Shannon, enjoying a couples massage that was intended as a present from Ron for Shannon's birthday. She is later forced to apologize for the Colts when the tournament is ruined due to everyone on the teams having severe chemical burns due to the industrial grade chemicals that the team used to clean a pool before inviting everyone for a party.

### The Scout

After Shannon breaks up with Ron, Opal pays a visit to her to give her sympathy. However, she soon tries to force her back on the dating scene, causing a brief argument between them until they agree to make up. Later, both she and Shannon are stunned but happy when Hopkins leaves town with Matty to become an assistant coach at Henderson Prep.

## Appearances

Opal Lowry appears in the following episodes:

## References

1. ↑ *Deadline*: ‘Hoops’: Premiere Date & Teaser For Netflix’s Adult Toon Series; Rob Riggle & Others Join Cast by Erik Pederson. July 20, 2020.