MAZZIO’S ITALIAN EATERY
SMOKE SIGNALS 7
PRESIDENT’S CUP CHAMPIONS
U13B-TUSC Blitz-Thunder United ‘00 coached by Monty Frazier
U12B – NWO Xelaju USA ‘01 coached by Mario De Leon
Watts’ What
By Dale Watts, Editor
Will Rogers was often cited as the person who said: ““If you don't like the weather in Oklahoma, wait a minute and it'll change.” I’ve since learned that the statement is issued in almost every state in the union but here in Oklahoma we’ve grown accustomed to the rapid change in our weather and just live with it. Unfortunately, the weather in May of 2013 will be remembered by most Oklahomans as a year of violence and destruction by that very weather we try to “live with.” Sadly, the year is but half over and as we also know, winter in Oklahoma can be just as deadly as our spring season. What does all this have to do with Oklahoma soccer? A great deal, really. As most of you know, May 13 was a day that began as most spring days start in Oklahoma. Moderate temperatures and a chance of a spring storm – little were we aware of how the day would end. Loss of life, loss of property, loss of our sense of safety. The local weather forecasters quickly determined the seriousness of the massive storms placing many of our citizens in harm’s way, but for many the warnings came too late. And then came the reason why I now call my home Oklahoma. I was born in Kansas, but I’ve been in the state long enough to recognize that something is special about the state where the wind comes sweeping down the plains. Within
U11B-Tulsa Nationals ‘02 Black coached by Gene Mason, Jr.
minutes of the storms that struck our many cities and towns, help arrived in the form of neighbors and friends and family. The national service arrived, of course, as did government and insurance folk. But the many photos and videos shared through Facebook and TV presented Oklahomans for what we do best: help each other in time of need. I know that’s not a quality specific to Oklahoma, but we seem to do it so well and every time it’s needed. At the OSA offices during those first few days following the May 13 event, we were inundated with phone calls from all over the state and the country. “How can we help?” “Where can we send supplies?” “Are we doing anything special for our soccer folks?” And so it began. Soon OSA had a donation service set up and began collecting money that will go to the various see Watt’s What on page 8