19th Street April 2019

Sharky’s Scuba

Underwater Fun

Reagan Rogers

Home Grown Sooner

Veteran of the Month

George Renfro

UP & coming Southmoore Sabercats Basketball

April | CONTENTS

2019

ISSUE 4 - VOLUME 2

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Mark Doescher

MANAGING EDITOR

Chip Minty

SENIOR EDITOR

Lindsay Cuomo

PHOTOGRAPHY

Mark Doescher Lindsay Cuomo

CONTRIBUTORS

08

by Kaylee Campbell

Roxanne Avery | Sharla Bardin Kaylee Campbell | Lindsay Cuomo Chelsey Kraft | Steve Marshall Chip Minty | Chris Plank

32

ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES

Tracie Gray - tracie@sportstalk1400.com Trevor Laffoon - trevor@sportstalk1400.com Perry Spencer - perry@sportstalk1400.com

PUBLISHER Randy Laffoon

34th Street Bridge Update

Project could be complete within six months, city manager says.

12 by Chelsey Kraft

World Tour

SportsTalk Media 2020 E. Alameda Norman, Oklahoma 73071 Phone: (405) 321-1400 E-mail: editor@boydstreet.com Copyright © SportsTalk Media

Farm boy from Konawa serves in India, China during WW II.

16 by Lindsay Cuomo

Building on the Past

Any articles, artwork or graphics created by SportsTalk Media or its contributors are sole property of SportsTalk Media and cannot be reproduced for any reason without permission. Any opinions expressed in SportsTalk are not necessarily that of SportsTalk management.

City considers plans to enrich Old Town district.

20 by Chip Minty

A Good Idea

Norman man invents technology for those who live alone.

24 by Sharla Bardin

Film Festival Returns to Norman

Technology center students roll out talents in red carpet event.

28 by Roxanne Avery

Underwater Fun

Sharky’s Scuba brings scuba-diving adventures to Moore.

44by Lindsay Cuomo Primary Care

Norman Regional adds West Moore clinic.

36 by Chris Plank

Home Grown Sooner

Sooner senior pays dues, takes leadership role.

Cover photo provided 4 | April 2019

COM M U N I T Y

BY: KAYLEE CAMPBELL

34th Street Bridge Update

Project Could be Complete within Six Months, City Manager Says

S

oon, residents in Moore will enjoy better traffic flow on the 19th Street bridge because relief is on the way as workers make progress on the 34th Street bridge project, which could be complete as early as September, said Brooks Mitchell, Moore city manager.

The bridge will include a lighted archway that stretches the length of the structure, as well as stonework, some of which has already been completed and can be seen by drivers passing on Interstate 35. That stonework will eventually be replicated on other parts of the bridge, Mitchell said.

When complete, the 34th Street bridge will provide an additional four-lane route between east and west Moore and a walking trail. There will also be stoplights at the intersections of 34th Street and the frontage roads on either side of the bridge.

Once open, the new bridge is expected to reduce 19th Street traffic by 25 percent, primarily on the east side of I-35, Mitchell said. However, the city does expect additional development along the service roads as a result of these roads.

“When the bridge first opens on the east side of 19th Street, traffic will ease up,” Mitchell said. “I don’t see the west side changing a whole lot because of the retail stores there.”

8 | April 2019

While there have been some slowdowns along I-35 due to lane closures during the bridge’s beam installations, traffic disruptions along the highway have been minimal, Mitchell said.

The bridge project is expected to cost about $12 million, which Mitchell said is about on par for this kind of project.

As a complementary addition to the bridge project, the City of Moore is in the process of accepting and reviewing bids to widen 34th Street. Although the exact cost of the project is not yet known, Mitchell said he expects it to cost an additional $4 million.

The widening project will open 34th Street to four lanes on the west side of I-35, between Telephone Road and Santa Fe Avenue. The City of Moore expects to have the bids sometime in April and to begin work on the project in May, Mitchell said.

“The hope is to coordinate (the projects) so the bridge opening and widening happen together, with as little disruption as possible,” Mitchell said.

The great news is that both projects are expected to be complete in time to accommodate the traffic for next year’s holiday retail rush. – 19SM

COM M U N I T Y

World Tour

BY: CHELSEY KRAFT

PRESENTED BY

Farm Boy from Konawa Serves in India, China During WW II

A

farm boy from Konawa, Okla., SSgt. George Renfro’s World War II service took him around the world. Now 94, Renfro was drafted in 1943 at the age of 18.

Renfro, the fifth of seven children, served with the 10th Air Force in the China-Burma-India Theater after completing basic training in Amarillo, Texas.

“I had never flown in a plane, so I didn’t know anything about that, but I was glad I did it because I got to stay in the cadet training for a while,” Renfro said.

At the time, the military had too many pilots, so Renfro and others from his group were transferred to Gunnery School in Harlingen, Texas. Later, he was transferred to aircraft mechanic school in Biloxi, Miss., and completed aircraft engineering school in Malden, Mo. Renfro also spent time training in New York and in Indiana before being assigned to go overseas. He was placed with a crew to go from West Palm Beach, Fla., to India in a C-47, with stops in places like Puerto Rico, Brazil and Yemen, among many others.

“Going overseas, we were flying about four hours a day, and then we’d stop for the night,” Renfro said. “Some of those places, we just traveled to in our assignment, and if the planes came up with enough hours to be looked 12 | April 2019

over and seen after, we would land at some of those places and get that done, the inspections and stuff, but then we wouldn’t stay there.”

Renfro’s first overseas station was in Karachi, India, where he worked as an aircraft mechanic, before being sent to Burma. His final overseas stop was in Shanghai, China. From his time in those three countries, Renfro shared some memories.

He recalled one day in India where over the loudspeaker, they were told to drop what they were doing and go inside and lay in their bunks and not exert because the temperature was 146 degrees. While along the Burma Road, the corporal of the guard once spotted a tiger that had to be killed to keep it from getting into the compound and attacking the sleeping men in their tents.

He also shared about a pet monkey they had in India that was “so mischievous” and liked to steal packs of cigarettes out of mens’ shirt pockets, carry them into the rafters and sit there, laughing and teasing the men before bringing them back. Renfro said it sure was funny to watch.

Following their time in China, Renfro and the rest of his crew boarded the USS General R.M. Blatchford to head home.

The journey took about 14 days to reach an army base near San Francisco.

FR GR 11 ID AN :0 A D 0 Y, O am A P P E to RI NI 2: L 2 NG 00 6 t pm h

“Whew, it felt so exciting,” Renfro said.

“We didn’t know how many days it would be. We never had ridden a ship before … My bunk was right down below the water, and I would lay there, and I’d think, ‘What if that sprang a leak right there? It’d sure get me.’ I could hear the water splashing from the outside … When we finally got to the United States, we were all happy.”

Renfro and his wife, Helen, raised three children, have five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Helen passed away in June 2010, less than three months shy of the couple’s 62nd wedding anniversary.

“My wife is from a real good family, and I still miss her,” Renfro said. “I’ve known her all of my life. We went to school together, went to church together. Her family and my family were always friends. They were farmers the same as we were.”

Renfro had been drafted prior to his senior year of high school, and after he returned home, Renfro was allowed to

take an America history course at East Central University in Ada, and earn his high school diploma.

After his service in World War II, Renfro completed 18 months of on-the-job training at a bank in Konawa, which eventually led to a 41-year career in the banking business. In 1952, Renfro and Helen moved from Konawa to Midwest City.

Renfro was called back into the service during the Korean War, but he did not go overseas. Instead, he spent a year at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Ala., along with his wife and family.

Reflecting on his time in the service, Renfro said he developed a lot of good friends and realized the impact it had on him.

“It was quite a deal for me to have that part of my life,” Renfro said. “I wouldn’t have had if I hadn’t been in the service. We didn’t have any money to do any real traveling with. We didn’t even have a car when I was on the farm.

We rode in a wagon or on a horse or something.” - 19SM

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COM M U N I T Y

BY: LINDSAY CUOMO

Building on the Past

City Considers Plans to Enrich Old Town District

In fact, the area was the site of the original settlement in Indian Territory, even before the Land Run of 1889 and continued as a bustling frontier town, growing and changing until recent years.

“Old Town has been pretty stagnant for a while now, and that has led to some decline in the area,” said Ava Zrenda, assistant planner with the City of Moore. “We are working to come up with a plan that will guide decisions going forward.”

Like many other cities in the metro, Moore residents have expressed a renewed interest in revitalizing Old Town. In fact, 56 percent of those polled in an online survey said they would like to see improvements to the district.

City officials and area stakeholders are 16 | April 2019

working to preserve the unique identity, and they have put together a plan that incorporates more flexibility for the district’s businesses and residents.

“Families are moving into the area, and they want to see revitalization like in Paseo and other districts in Oklahoma City,” Zrenda said. “There are quite a few people that come through the area each day. We want to make it an area where people are staying longer, coming to several destinations and that they can get there safely by bike or foot.”

As a part of the citywide Envision Moore 2040 Comprehensive Plan, a top priority for Old Town was set to preserve the history and charm. Focal points in the district are the ‘mom and pop’ shops, the public library, various historical sites and special events including the homecoming and Christmas parades and Haunt Old Town.

Based on the findings from four public meetings, residents say they want to see more entertainment, dining and retail options.

Photo by: Lindsay Cuomo

W

hile many areas of Moore have experienced rapid growth, Old Town Moore has maintained a slower pace. Filled with rich history, the district has a distinct look and feel, one that seems more like a small town of yesteryear.

“We want to allow for more flexibility in the area so that if a business leaves, there are more options available rather than leaving a building vacant,” Zrenda said.

The city is also exploring options that include mixed-used zoning and increasing walkability, including wider sidewalks, trees or other shaded areas, lighted crosswalks with sound and safe points of access.

“There are a lot of different land uses within Old Town, but currently, our zoning doesn’t allow for mixed uses, and we are looking into that potential,” Zrenda said. “Our next step will probably be a zoning committee.”

Next year, the city plans to assemble a committee of business and land owners as well as residents and city staff to look specifically at this issue.

“We realized that change can be scary, but we want to preserve and protect what drew people here in the first

place,” Zrenda said. “We also want to support businesses by improving the livability of Old Town.”

Zrenda says it is important to understand that there are no dedicated funding sources at this time and that current street improvement projects are being paid out of the city’s general fund.

“We want to be clear, we don’t want to raise peoples’ taxes or add to that burden. We just redid Howard Avenue and our next project will be Turner Avenue.

That will look a lot like Howard and provide a sort of corridor between the neighborhoods in the area.”

While the city council has voted on the proposed plan, Zrenda says this is a long-term plan, the full scope of which is still to be determined.

For more information on the plan and the latest updates, visit www.cityofmoore.com. – 19SM

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Wednesday, April 24 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

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COM M U N I T Y

BY: CHIP MINTY

NONPROFITS WITH HEART PRESENTED BY

A Good Idea

Norman Man Invents Technology for Those Who Live Alone

T

he tragic stories go untold more often than not.

A person, usually older, is living alone and something terrible happens.

They fall, they have a heart attack, they choke, or they simply don’t wake up in the morning. No one is there to help them, and visitors are rare.

The death was unattended, so police are never sure of the details. Did they die immediately, or did they linger, incapacitated for hours, hoping someone would come and help them?

Most everyone has heard a story. The neighbor down the street. The woman across town or even a friend or a relative. Living alone can be risky, especially for older people.

David Coffman knows first-hand how risky living alone can be. A few years ago, the 67-year-old slipped on a step, went flying down and ran his head into a sheetrock wall at the bottom of the staircase. The fall knocked him unconscious, but he woke up and was able to walk away.

The Norman resident says the accident could have been much worse. His head narrowly missed a wooden stud behind the sheetrock.

“Who knows if I would have still been alive if I would have hit that?” Coffman said. “The whole thing got me thinking about my dogs, which were locked in their kennels at the time.”

20 | April 2019

“Who would have found me? How long would it have taken? Would my dogs have survived the wait?”

Coffman says those questions prompted him to develop a new technology that could reduce some of the risks associated with living alone. “I’m Up” is a smart-phone application designed to keep people connected with friends and family multiple times a day with only the touch of a button.

So, if a person become incapacitated because of an accident, help is only hours away.

The application is simple and easy to use, he says. Users can designate one, two or three check-in times a day when they can let their friends and family know they are up and OK. At those designated times, the I’m Up App shows a big, red circle on the user’s smart phone. When the red circle appears, the user simply touches it, and the circle immediately turns green. All designated friends and family then receive a brief notification.

From the time the red button appears, the user has 40 minutes to tap it green, Coffman said. If they do not touch the button within that time, a nonresponse notification is distributed to the designated friends and family members, who could then attempt to contact the user themselves.

Meanwhile, the user would receive

another prompt shortly after the first prompt expires. If there is still no response, “I’m Up” sends a notification to emergency services, and dispatchers send an officer to do a wellness check.

“Through this system, the I’m Up App allows users to stay connected continuously, and it gives them piece of mind, knowing that help will always be on the horizon if they are ever in trouble,” Coffman said.

“There are many medical alert systems out there,” he says, “but for $4.99 per month, our premium service is the most affordable. We also have a basic service, which we offer free of charge.”

“Sure, you can get a subscription and carry an ‘I’ve fallen’ button around with you all the time, but if you trip and hit your head on a stud like I almost did, how’s that button going to save you or your pets?” he said.

The app can be downloaded by going to imupapp.com and clicking on the App Store or the Google Play buttons, he said.

“We had older adults in mind when we designed the application, but it’s actually useful to anyone who lives alone or who needs to stay connected to others,” Coffman said. “Examples might be students away at college orpeople traveling by themselves.”

While dying alone at home is common in the United States, it’s an epidemic in Japan, where an estimated 30,000 Japanese die at home alone each year, Coffman said. Some go days, weeks or even months without being discovered.

“The gruesome cleanup is unimaginable, and it’s so common, there’s even a Japanese name for it. Kodokushi.”

“I’m a retired life insurance salesman, and I’m not trying to get rich with this technology, Coffman says, “but I’m working hard to get the word out because I know it will give thousands of users, family members and friends security and peace of mind.”

“And, along the way, it will save lives and help prevent broken hearts.” – 19SM

COM M U N I T Y

BY: SHARLA BARDIN

Film Festival Returns to Norman

T

Technology Center Students Roll Out Talents in Red Carpet Event

he annual Red Carpet Film Festival showcases the talents of students who aspire to become graphic design artists or pursue careers in film, TV, advertising or other multimedia platforms.

The May 10 festival also highlights the creativity and collaboration that go into making a film or developing an ad campaign.

Moore Norman Technology Center and the center’s graphic design and digital video production programs host the event, which is in its 11th year.

Students write, shoot, direct and edit short films for the festival. Meanwhile, graphic design students create the movie posters, DVD boxes and the entire advertising design campaign, which includes invitations, tickets, social media advertising and shirts.

The film festival was intended to help students interact as they would in the industry, said Amy Smith, digital video production instructor. Smith said the video students also get the experience of working on a film crew and learning more about the roles that people play in that production.

“It’s very important they learn how much collaboration goes into making a 24 | April 2019

short film,” she said.

The collaboration includes working with Freihofer Casting of Norman for talent needs in the films.

In addition, students from the Academy of Contemporary Music at the University of Central Oklahoma provide original scores for the films, said Joe Magrini, digital video production instructor.

Graphic design students also gain experience by working with clients, vendors and industry representatives to create pieces that can be used for portfolios.

The work teaches students the process of verbal presentation to others.

“Soft skills are just as important as the technical skills, and this project is a perfect combination of both,” said Trisha Marlow, graphic design instructor.

This year’s festival features seven films.

They include movies set in space, the 1920s and the 1980s, a thriller, a drama about an older couple and a romantic comedy, Smith said.

Video instructor Magrini said the varying themes are a testament to students.

“We have a variety of story ideas,” he said. “It’s just an amazing group of students who come up with these ideas and see them all the way through.”

Nathaniel Smith said he had an amazing experience when he participated in the film festival in 2015. He also met a friend and now business partner in the program, Beta Vaughn. They started a company, Rose Rock Media, in 2018.

Nathaniel Smith said he and Vaughn enjoyed the film festival experience and they said they appreciated learning professionalism in an environment that was open and creative. They said the experience helped them prepare for the real world.

Their company also is involved in this year’s festival, helping with volunteers, technical work, behind-the-scenes photos and managing social media accounts. Community engagement is vital to the event, Nathaniel Smith said.

“We love the learning opportunity and the realness this event provides to the students and having public interest in the event is extremely important. Not just for these students, but for the community to come together and enjoy the

creative productions from local creators,” he said.

The instructors said they also appreciate the community support for the festival and the interest in the students’ projects. The longevity of the festival is due to the students, actors, musicians and graphic artists, who have participated in the event and talked about those positive experiences with others in the community.

“I think it’s just grown because of that and the excitement they have for it,” graphic design instructor Marlow said.

– 19SM

B U S I N E SS

BY: ROXANNE AVERY

Underwater Fun Sharky’s Scuba Brings Scuba-Diving Adventures to Moore

S

cuba diving has followed the path of many sports in its evolution from being male dominated to one that includes not only women, but also kids, making it a family activity that can last a lifetime.

One of the metro’s newest and most complete dive shops is in Moore and features Oklahoma’s only on-site temperature-controlled, indoor dive pool.

Sharky’s Scuba, at 201 SE 4th Street, carries everything for scuba diving, including service for scuba equipment and all levels of scuba instruction and certification. Swim classes and water aerobics have recently been added and owner Shane Norwood said there’s more excitement coming.

“In three months, we will be certified to teach instructors. That’s a really big deal in the scuba shop world.”

With more than 28 professionally sanc28 | April 2019

tioned classes, there’s something for everyone at Sharky’s. In the “Fun and Adventure” category, students can learn fish identification, coral reef conservation, deep diving, digital underwater photography, night diving, search and recovery diving and wreck diving to name a few. CPR also is offered at Sharky’s.

“To be a scuba instructor, you have to be a CPR instructor,” Norwood said. “The way it usually works is in the open water training, you learn to take care of yourself. Then you move on to advanced, where you learn what’s out there. Then you go to rescue training that teaches how to help yourself and your buddy if there’s a problem. And there are a ton of specialties.”

Also offered are skill improvement classes, such as adventure diving, advanced open water diving and rescue diving. Scuba certification classes include open-water diving and scuba diving.

“There truly is something for everyone,” said Debbie Norwood, who came out of retirement to be part of the family business. “We have a lot of people come here, right before going on a dive trip, who haven’t been scuba diving in a while and want to refresh their skills.”

As a convenient opportunity to explore scuba diving, Sharky’s offers a “Discover Scuba Diving” class for $25. It is available to anyone, 10-years and older and in reasonably good health. All equipment is provided.

Sharky’s is offering two upcoming trips, which include a July 13-20 excursion to Cozumel, Mexico, and another one, Oct. 12-19, to Curacao, in the Caribbean.

“We take care of everything, so our guests can just relax and dive,” Shane Norwood said. “We just returned from 10 days in Fiji, where we were able to dive with some bull sharks. That was really cool.”

“For anyone concerned about learning to dive, if my parents can do it, anyone can,” Norwood said. “They are both great divers and no longer need me as their chaperone.”

“Our family loves scuba diving and thinks everyone should try it,” he said.

Sharky’s also offers birthday parties.

For more information, visit Sharky’s website at sharkysscuba.com or call 405-759-3759 – 19SM

S P O RT S

BY: STEVE MARSHALL

Up and Coming

PRESENTED BY

Southmoore Boys Basketball Makes Statement with Late Season Run

T

he Southmoore Sabercats served notice during this years’ 6A Boys State Basketball Tournament that they will be a team to watch out for next year.

They came within a matter of minutes of making it all the way to the finals before falling to the eventual champions, Booker T. Washington, 61-59 in the semifinals.

The Sabercats finished 10-11 last year, but third-year head coach Tim Stogsdill said early on that the goal for this year’s team was to be playing in March for a trip to the state tournament.

With a relatively young team, they made it happen. Key players included junior guard Jordan Thompson, who averaged 22 points per game, and fellow junior Sam Godwin, who averaged more than 16 points per game.

“Thompson is the little engine that makes us run,” Stogsdill said. “Godwin is our go-to guy inside and Steven Jackson really came along and did an out32 | April 2019

standing job for us. He really stepped up late in the season on both ends of the floor.”

The other key returning starter is Darrin Ryan who averaged eight points per game.

Southmoore started the season slow by dropping their first two games, then went on to win the next three in succession before dropping the opening game of the Ardmore Holiday Tournament, resulting in a record of 3-3.

The Sabercats then went on a five-game winning streak before losing to 5A runner-up Del City 58-54 in the finals of the Bartlesville Invitational. In mid-January, their record stood at a modest 8-5.

Southmoore then put together another impressive five-game winning streak, including the championship at the John Nobles Tournament at Moore, resulting in a more respectable record of 13-5.

Basketball fans began to take notice as the calendar turned to February with post-season play just around the corner.

Stogsdill noted that the team relied on strong defensive play and their outside shooting ability.

“We’ve really become solid on the defensive end of the floor and that is what helped us get through the east side of the bracket with big wins over Owasso and Jenks,” Stogsdill said. “Maybe the biggest part of the team’s success is these guys genuinely enjoy playing with each other. They were having fun and it showed.”

The ’Cats played in their second state tournament in school history and got their first-ever state tournament win in the opening round 65-49 over Putnam City, before losing to the Hornets in the semis.

With four of the five starters returning along with some other key pieces, Southmoore could be among the most talented teams playing for the coveted Gold Ball at next year’s state tournament. – 19SM

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S P O RT S

SOONER REVIEW

BY: CHRIS PLANK

PRESENTED BY

McIntyre Law is a proud supporter of OU athletics.

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Home Grown Sooner

Sooner Senior Pays Dues, Takes Leadership Role

Rogers has played a key role in the success of the University of Oklahoma softball team, serving mostly as a pinch runner in her first two seasons, totaling 10 stolen bases. As her role increased her junior season, Rogers started 10 games and posted career bests in hits, runs batted in and even hit her first career home run. As her senior season began, Rogers found herself in the opening day starting line-up and made an early statement launching three home 36 | April 2019

runs during the Sooners’ first six games.

“It’s really about always wanting more,” Rogers said. “Your attitude is going to get you more success. No matter what’s going on, you always want to work harder. You just grind and find ways to not only improve yourself but to help your team.”

Rogers has grown up on the ball field, despite a tumultuous start in her first-ever season. Her parents, who have been there from the very beginning, shared their first memories of their daughter’s introduction to the sport.

“My earliest memory was actually a little ironic,” Ronnie Rogers said. “She was 4 years old and playing t-ball on a team of boys. At the second practice, she got hit in the face with a baseball and decided she didn’t want any part

Photos by: Mark Doescher

K

ind, caring, committed, selfless, and focused. Those are just a few of the adjectives that best describe Oklahoma Sooner senior outfielder Raegan Rogers. The Blanchard product has been the prototypical teammate and has developed into an integral part of the Sooner attack, working hard to earn more hardware in her final season with the Sooners.

of playing… Luckily, she would change her mind the next year and ended up being the best player on a little team from Bridge Creek full of boys.”

“She was one of the two girls on a team of mostly boys,” said her mother, Jennifer Hoppe. “Raegan was placed in the pitcher position, and you would often hear the coaches say, ‘just throw it to Raegan.’ Softball has always been her first love, but she also played basketball, cheered and did gymnastics.”

Rogers continued to focus on softball, and she continued to improve and catch the eyes of college recruiters. Along with an all-state career as an outfielder at Bridge Creek High School, Rogers spent her summers playing for GameTime Stars Gold out of Oklahoma City under Rusty Fisher.

In two straight seasons, her squads finished in a tie for 17th at the 16 and under Premier Girls Fastpitch National Championship. She was the target of many different colleges and made her

decision early, a decision she eventually changed.

“The summer of my freshman year of high school, I committed to Arkansas,” Rogers said. “But I started developing and hitting more home runs. Then the summer before my senior year, I decided Arkansas wasn’t the place I needed to go. They weren’t recruiting pitching, and they were going to make a coaching change, so I decommitted and got in contact with coach Patty Gasso. It’s so nice to be so close to home. You grew up watching Oklahoma because you’re from Oklahoma. To actually come here and represent your home state, it has been awesome.”

The results on the field have paid off in a big way. Rogers has already won two National Championships, three Big 12 titles and made three straight trips to the Women’s College World Series. While the success at Oklahoma was special to the entire family, it was something her father had always envisioned.

19th STREET MAGAZINE | 37

“It is really special. Every little girl that plays softball dreams of playing on that field. I can vividly remember Reagan’s homeruns on that field in travel ball and thinking then that a few short years from now, she could possibly have an opportunity to do that same thing on the biggest stage,” Ronnie said. “Winning those first two titles was nothing short of amazing, especially their freshman year as no one expected them to win.

“It has been fun, I have a lot of siblings that play sports and look up to me,” Raegan said. “Getting to go out and have fun and show them how to go about life, it’s been fun to be a role model for them. My family never misses a home game. Being able to have my family close is really awesome, especially in college softball. It really takes a toll on you.”

“I am hoping for a bookend performance this year, hopefully with Raegan making a bigger contribution. But regardless of how it ends or the opportunity she gets, she will always put the team first.”

“It’s been so awesome to literally watch her dream play out. How many people can say that about their kids?” Hoppe said. “I stood in lines with Raegan waiting for autographs when she was a kid, and now, I’m watching girls stand in line to get her autograph. I don’t think it gets much cooler than that!”

Raegan is the oldest of seven kids and being the big sister is a big deal to everybody.

Part of the foundation of Patty Gasso’s program is helping girls become powerful, strong and independent woman.

“My kids literally grew up at the ball park,” Hoppe said. “Because of this, I think that makes it even more special to be able to see her succeed at something they have grown up watching her dedicate so much time and hard work to. They look up to Raegan and have so much respect for her.”

Committed to be the best she can be on and off the field, Rogers is setting an example for more than just her younger siblings. She’s also setting a high bar for other student athletes who will come to compete at OU. Hard work and dedication pay off and having the right attitude and focus can make all the difference.

Rogers is living her dream and it makes it even more special that she’s able to do it so close to her home town of Blanchard and Bridge Creek High School.

And, for the Sooner senior, the best is yet to come. – 19SM

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Primary Care

BY: LINDSAY CUOMO

Norman Regional Adds West Moore Clinic

N

ot many may see the parallels between being a primary care doctor and a military flight surgeon, but long-time south Oklahoma City physician Dr. Keith Layne finds his life’s purpose within those dual roles.

Acting as both chief of staff for the 137th Medical Group of the Oklahoma National Guard and as a family medicine provider, Layne enjoys helping his patients in a variety of ways.

“In my practice, I enjoy the personal interaction with my patients and the variety of things that I get to help patients with. I take care of newborns and patients all the way to hospice care,” Layne said. “My role in the guard has the potential to have a lot of different jobs… from routine care to emergency medicine when we are deployed.”

Layne joined Norman Regional Health System this past January when the network acquired his Southmoore Medical Clinic. The clinic’s new name is Norman Regional Primary Care—West Moore.

Despite the new name, there is a lot of history behind this clinic. Layne opened his practice nearly two decades ago, operating as what he called “an old-world sort of practice.”

“In the area of town that I service, there is a mix of city and rural patient types,” he said. “We have grown over the years, but we have remained a small practice feel.”

The clinic has called a few locations home during its operation, including the former Moore Medical Center, before moving to its current location at 14800 S Western Ave. in Oklahoma City.

Six years ago, Layne’s practice faced a hardship, one with which many in the Moore community can relate. The 2013 tornado completely destroyed the clinic’s building, leaving in its wake only a few salvageable pieces.

44 | April 2019

“The tornado took everything down to the pad. We were able to salvage one milk crate full of things and that was it,” Layne said.

But Layne knows firsthand that others in the community suffered far worse.

“More than one of my patients died in that tornado and many were hurt. I struggled to rebuild, but they suffered mightily. I still have patients who are having difficulties dealing with the impact of the tornado.

It’s not something you just bounce back from.”

But the clinic has rebuilt and Layne and his certified clinical nurse practitioner, Mandi Brown, continue working to help others. Brown sees their new connection with Norman Regional as a way to offer patients a team approach to address their healthcare needs and goals.

“It is rewarding to see people improve their health and feel better,” Brown said.

“One of the reasons, I signed on with Norman Regional is that they are local and very supportive of the local community,” Layne said. “The effort they are making to grow and serve this area is important.

They are here with us and Norman Regional is ours.”

Norman Regional Primary Care—West Moore is accepting new patients. To learn more or to make an appointment, call 9124900 or visit www.normanregional.com/ find-a-doctor. – 19SM

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NormanRegional.com/PrimaryCare

3/14/19 6:18 PM

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