Boyd Street Magazine July 2022

Citizens Advisory Board

OU Coaches Luncheon

Sooner Football’s

SOUL Mission

Normanite in the Spotlight:

Carol McDade Conley

July 2022 • Issue 7 • Volume 21

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Features

JULY CONTENTS 2022

ISSUE 7– VOLUME 21 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Mark Doescher

MANAGING EDITOR

Citizens Advisory Board

20 by Rae Lynn Payton

Lindsay Cuomo

PHOTOGRAPHY

CAB will soon host their annual OU Coaches Luncheon.

Mark Doescher

CONTRIBUTORS

Lindsay Cuomo | Kathy Hallren Shannon Hudzinski | Chelsey Kraft Bill Moakley | Rae Lynn Payton Chris Plank

20

Summer Learning

24 by Lindsay Cuomo

Norman schools host educational camps to combat learning gaps.

ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES

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PUBLISHER

Casey Vinyard

Normanites in the Spotlight:

28 Carol McDade Conley

by Chelsey Kraft Being kind has guided Carol McDade Conley’s approach to life.

24

Stuff the Bus

32 by Lindsay Cuomo

United Way partners with student groups to collect school supplies for kids in need.

Boyd Street Magazine 2020 E. Alameda Norman, Oklahoma 73071 Phone: (405) 321-1400 E-mail: editor@boydstreet.com Copyright © Boyd Street Magazine Any articles, artwork or graphics created by Boyd Street Magazine or its contributors are sole property of Boyd Street Magazine and cannot be reproduced for any reason without permission.

Any opinions expressed in Boyd Street are not necessarily that of Boyd Street management.

Spotlights 15 Community Calendar What’s Happening

Queens

38 by Chris Plank

Staff

Sooner softball wins their sixth national title.

High School Sports Review

46 by Staff

2021-2022 school year ended up being highly successful for the Tigers and Timberwolves.

Norman Regional Hospital:

32

by Lindsay Cuomo

58 Ashley Battiest

Service Spotlight:

by Bill Moakley

64 this Summer

3 Ways to Stay Financially Fit

by Shannon Hudzinski - OUFCU

S.O.U.L. Mission

50 by Chris Plank

68 by Kathy Hallren - Joe’s Wines & Spirits Unwind with Wine

Venables creates mentorship program for Sooner football student-athletes.

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Citizens Advisory Board Annual OU Coaches Luncheon

20 | July 2022

BY: RAE LYNN PAYTON

“We do anything we can to help foster kids along their road that provides stability, normalcy and safety.”

P

roviding for children in need in Cleveland County remains the Citizens Advisory Board’s main mission (CAB). Their annual OU Coaches Luncheon helps to fund the vital services that they provide to children in the local foster care system.

This highly anticipated event will feature new OU Football head coach Brent Venables, along with some of his staff.

Attendees will hear exciting details about the upcoming season and can participate in the event’s live auction and a 50/50 raffle, the Randy Laffoon Honorary Raffle.

Mama Rojas will once again cater the meal.

LifeChurch of Norman will be graciously hosting the live in-person event on July 25 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

50 tables will be available, and tickets can be purchased online at cabok.org.

Their annual Secret Santa project allows the community to come in and view the generosity of those that have donated prior to delivery, spread out over the entire floor of the Cleveland County Fairgrounds.

“It’s a beautiful gift that we can give to a very sad number. It’s a sad situation that we have 3,000 kids that we need to serve in foster care, but it’s wonderful that we can do that,” Fourcade said.

Sue Durrett and Jaci Williams founded the organization with the goal of providing Christmas to children within the foster care system. Its creation was the bright outcome of a tragic event during one Christmas season in 1989.

Additional speakers will share about the non-profit organization’s mission, as well as a guest speaker that once benefited from the group’s impactful services as a child, highlighting his or her history with the organization.

The group had been gathering gifts for 69 children in need for Christmas. After finding that all of the gifts had been stolen from their truck, their story was featured on the news thanks to a news crew that had been just around the corner. Their story prompted donations within two days, that not only replenished what was lost but brought in an additional $10,000.

A special announcement is expected at the luncheon, with exciting news about the future of the organization and changes to come.

The organization and their goals only grew from there.

Now, they serve just under 3,000 children in Cleveland County.

Proceeds are used to fund CAB’s various services throughout the year, including Luggage with Love and Secret Santa, and to provide for basic needs that help children in the foster care system, as well as those associated with the system.

CAB always welcomes donations of brand-new items such as clothes, car seats, shoes, clothing and duffle bags, for example. Monetary donations can be made on their website as well.

“Ideally we’d like to be out of business, but until we can get there, we’re going to do what we can,” joked Chris Fourcade, who serves as the service delivery chair and has served on the Coaches Luncheon committee for the past 10 years.

The organization provides items such as beds to keep siblings together, medication before medicade benefits becomes active and new clothing for children that are suddenly in new care.

Additionally, they now provide for enrichment activities, such as receiving aid for band uniforms, sports equipment or business attire for children working as pages at the capitol, for example. boydstreet.com

“There are times throughout the year when we need hands and feet to fulfill the mission. We need volunteers and welcome anyone who has a passion for helping children. We’re always looking for additional board members as well if they have that desire,” Fourcade said.

CAB is grateful for the support of the community and for all who spread the word about their mission and goals. Learn more about their story and access links to donate and purchase tickets at cabok.org.– BSM

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S umme r Le ar ning Norman schools host educational camps to combat learning gaps

S

ummer enrichment camps are back for Norman students. In the program’s second year, Norman Public Schools is expanding its’ offering of educational camps to even more students in the district this summer.

“For many years, Norman has offered an extended school year program and credit recovery courses,” shared Holly McKinney, executive director of student services.

“But in a response to learning gaps due to COVID, the district is offering summer enrichment camps as part of an effort to provide support and resources for all students throughout the year.”

Weekly sessions started in June and will continue through July. This year, camp options expanded to add options for middle schoolers and now includes camps for kids currently enrolled in kindergarten through 8th grade. McKinney said there are plans to incorporate job shadowing and internships opportunities for high school students in the future.

Courses are taught by NPS teachers who submitted curriculum ideas in the spring aimed at “closing learning gaps with targeted, engaging instruction,” said Hannah

24 | July 2022

Stinson, assistant principal at Madison Elementary and one of the camp directors.

“Our camps are designed to promote all learners in a setting that offers kids choices that align with their interests,” Stinson said. “These are passion projects for our teachers, and they work very hard creating the camps so kids have opportunities to explore, investigate and create life-long memories.”

An additional focus of the camps is to provide kids the opportunity to be connected to a community school year-round. Stinson said that many of the students participating in the programming are experiencing a camp environment for the first time.

Thanks to support from community organizations such as Norman Public School Foundation, the Office of Indian Education, OECU and even NPS alumni, camp scholarships are available for students who wouldn’t be able to afford to attend camp otherwise.

“Our goal is that every student that wants to attend is able to,” McKinney said. “Our camps give students a safe space to connect to school and continue learning.”

BY: LINDSAY CUOMO Stinson shared that about 25% of students attending received some level of financial assistance.

Students can attend one or all of the six camp weeks and options include cooking, art, dance, guitar, game design, bottle rockets, coding and more. Camp cost $100 per week and free lunch is available.

Stinson said she intentionally focuses on student, parent and teacher feedback in order to meet the needs and wants of the families involved.

“Kids benefit when we are working together,” she explained. “It is important to bring parents and the community into the process, so they know that NPS supports them too.”

Stinson pointed to community support as a key element of the camps’ success. From food and materials to financial support for scholarships, Stinson said that she has not had “a need left unmet.”

“We know that change happens when resources and support are inclusive. Kids see that support,” Stinson shared. “We are so thankful for the generosity of the Norman community.”

Stinson and McKinney welcome additional community partnerships as they plan to continue offering camps each summer and encourage those interested to call district administration at 405-364-1339. To learn more about NPS summer enrichment camps, visit normanpublicschools.org/summerprograms. – BSM

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COM M U N I T Y

C

arol McDade Conley’s approach to life is simple - what can she do each day to share God’s love?

For Miss Carol, the answer is to be kind.

That’s a philosophy that influences various parts of Carol’s life, including her work as the director of gymnastics at the First Baptist Church of Norman’s Family Life Center. Carol’s past jobs have also included being a cheerleading instructor and a PE teacher, and throughout all these roles, she estimates she has taught at least 90,000 children throughout the years.

Carol adopted this mantra of kindness at a young age.

She recalls being in the seventh grade and getting bullied. Carol shared that she had braces and buckteeth at the time, and one of the popular kids took lipstick and wrote “Bucky Bucky Beaver” on the window of the school bus.

“I said to myself, ‘If I ever get popular, I am never going to say an unkind word to anybody ever,’” Carol said.

Now, Carol aims to teach future generations the importance of kindness as well. She is entering her 40th year of directing and teaching gymnastics, and while she is undecided on her future plans, she is considering making it her last year and retiring soon. Often, Carol has taught children of her former students.

“They always say, “I am so glad you’re still here. I was hoping you’d still be here,’” Carol explained. “My thought is as soon as I have kids of kids of kids, then I will quit. I am not quite there yet.”

Carol shared that she could never have children, so her gymnastics students “are my kids.” Carol now also has children in her family because her second husband, Phil, has a son named Jason, who has two kids of his own. Carol and Phil married in 1983.

Prior to teaching gymnastics, Carol worked for the National Cheerleaders Association (NCA) in the summers, a role she started after graduating from Norman High School. Through this, she traveled around the country and conducted clinics in at least 25 states.

Carol cheered all throughout junior high, high school and at the University of Oklahoma, where she studied physical education. She later taught in Moore Public Schools for about five years and then went back to OU to teach “Promoting Healthy Lifestyles” to future teachers.

In her job with the NCA, Carol met “so many wonderful people,” including one of her best friends, Paul Ziert, who is co-owner of the Bart Conner Gymnastics Academy. Carol says she is so lucky to have been able to go to several gymnastics conferences with Ziert.

At a gymnastics workshop in California, there was a man who owned gymnastics equipment that he took around to daycares, public schools and churches. He called it “Gymnastics on Wheels.” After hearing about this endeavor, Ziert encouraged Carol to start a similar program.

28 | July 2022

BY: CHELSEY KRAF T

NORMANITE IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Ca rol M cDade Co nl ey

She did and took her traveling gymnastics classes around Norman and surrounding communities to teach classes.

When her church built the Family Life Center, Carol was asked to start a gymnastics program, so she gave up the traveling classes and has been doing that ever since.

Carol’s Oklahoma roots run deep. Two of her grandparents came to the state during the Land Run, and her family has lived here ever since. For about a year, Carol lived in Tulsa but quickly realized she wanted to return to Norman.

FBC’s gymnastics classes are open to children ages 3 to 14. Carol said schedules for fall classes will be posted online at fbcnorman.org at the end of July. Enrollment will begin in August, and classes will start the first of September.

“I couldn’t even imagine moving anywhere else,” Carol said. “When I went to Tulsa, I just felt like a fish out of water, so I came home.”

“We don’t do any competition at all,” Carol explained.

“It’s just kids from all walks of life. We don’t try to make Olympians out of them, but we try to make them feel like they’re Olympians.”

In addition to her work at the Family Life Center, Carol used to be active with both the Junior League of Norman and Assistance League of Norman. Whenever she retires, Carol plans on playing golf again. boydstreet.com

Although the world of gymnastics was new to Carol when she first entered it, she discovered a career where she could make a positive impact on others.

“Quite frankly, I didn’t know much about gymnastics when I started,” Carol reflected. “But after I started teaching kids the basics of gymnastics, I learned the main thing that you can’t be taught is when you love and respect children, they will love and respect you back.”– BSM

BOYD STREET MAGAZINE | 29

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S tu ff th e Bus

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nited Way of Norman’s youth initiative, Student United Way LEAD, and the Rotary Interact Clubs of Norman North and Norman High are partnering to “stuff the bus” with much needed school supplies for area students.

Their goal is to collect enough school supplies to help more than 800 students in the Norman, Noble, Little Axe, Lexington and Robin Hill schools. And they invite the community to help.

“So many families are having to make hard financial decisions right now,” shared Daren Wilson, United Way president/CEO. “We know just how important it is for kids to show up for the first day of school, new supplies in hand, and ready to learn. The first day of school is so full of emotions and excitement. I promise you it makes a difference when they are ready to learn and not worried about not having the supplies they were supposed to bring to class.

“We want to make sure every student is well prepared to begin school, excited and ready to learn!” he encouraged.

“Stuff the Bus allows our entire community to come together to help our students within our entire service area.”-BSM

32 | July 2022

United Way partners with student groups to collect school supplies for kids in need

BY: LINDSAY CUOMO

TWO WAYS TO HELP: 1. Drop off elementary backpacks and schools supplies at the Stuff the Bus collection event on July 23 at the southwest corner of the Sooner Mall parking lot, near Main and 36th Ave NW. Normanites can stop in any time between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Needed supplies are: •

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2. Make a financial donation If you can’t make it to Stuff the Bus event on July 23, you can still help out by making a financial donation online at unitedwaynorman.org/stuffthebus and they will get the needed supplies for you. boydstreet.com

BOYD STREET MAGAZINE | 33

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S P O RT S

QUEENS

Photos by: Mark Doescher

F

or the sixth time in program history, Oklahoma Sooner Softball sits atop the college softball world.

The Sooners have won four of the last six titles, five of the last nine.

perceived smooth ride of a 48-1 regular season was rocked when ace pitcher and the National Freshman of the Year Jordy Bahl was injured during the Sooners final regular season series against Oklahoma State.

Simply put, the Sooners are a dynasty.

The Sooners swept the series and went on to win its 10th straight Big 12 Title, but the journey to OKC would have to be made without the fiery young ace.

But the 2022 Sooners took the dynasty a step further.

The 2022 National Champs may just be the greatest softball team in the history of college softball.

THE PATH The entire season for the Sooners was heavy with expectations. OU started the preseason ranked number one and stayed there the entire season. However, the

38 | July 2022

Even though the Sooners fell to the Oklahoma State Cowgirls in the Big 12 Tournament Championship game, they still held the number one overall seed heading into the post season, marking the third straight season in the top position.

BY: CHRIS PLANK

SOONER SOFTBALL WINS 6TH NATIONAL TITLE

Patty Gasso stayed firm in her belief in this team and pitching staff despite the injury.

“Our mindset is everybody steps up, let’s do our thing.

If she is available to pitch, it will just be a bonus for us,” Gasso said before post season play began.

The Sooners proved Gasso right during the Norman Regional and Super Regionals. OU cemented its spot in the Super Regionals outscoring its opponents 37-2 over the span of three games including a 20-0 Sunday rout over Texas A&M. The victory marked an NCAA record for largest win in tournament history, eclipsing 2015 Georgia’s 17-0 regional win over Western Kentucky. boydstreet.com

OU backed up its incredible regional performance with a solid all-around performance against the University of Central Florida. Solid pitching from Hope Trautwein and Nicole May eliminated UCF in two games. Trautwein threw a complete game no-hitter in the Sooners’ run rule, 8-0 win in game one and Nicole May backed it up with a complete game 4-hitter shutting down the upstart Knights and clinching the programs sixth straight trip to the WCWS, the 15th in program history.

The win over UCF in game two also marked Home Run Queen and back-to-back Player of the Year Jocelyn Alo’s final home game as a Sooner. Fittingly, she homered in her final at bat.

BOYD STREET MAGAZINE | 39

“It’s been the quickest five years,” Alo said. “It’s gone by in the blink of an eye and I’m sad I won’t get to play another game here again, but I wouldn’t want to go out any other way. Even if I didn’t go out with a home run, I still went out with a dub (win) and that’s all that matters.”

With a lot of the buzz still circling around the potential return of Jordy Bahl, the Sooners were absolutely rolling heading into the WCWS opener in OKC against Northwestern. After 56 games played, the Sooners led the nation 138 home runs, 515 runs scored on 508 hits and 486 RBIs as a team. They were outscoring opponents 515-48 and only 37 of those runs were earned.

The team was slugging .731, held a .476 on-base clip and had swiped 59 bases on 76 attempts. The pitching 40 | July 2022

staff held a nation-best 0.80 ERA and had 435 strikeouts, allowing opponents to bat just .139 on the year.

The staff had also thrown a program-record eight no-hitters and 32 shutouts on the year.

Those numbers would continue to grow in the Women’s College World Series. OU run ruled Northwestern to win game one as Jordy Bahl returned to the circle and registered the final out. Even with Bahl back in the mix, the Sooners continued to ride the hot arm of Hope Trautwein and the even hotter bats of the Sooner offense.

In the winner’s bracket game against Texas, the Sooners jumped out with a 2-run first inning home run from Jocelyn Alo and never looked back, beating Texas 8-2. The two

teams would meet again in the WCWS Championship Series after Texas fought their way through the loser’s bracket, but the Sooners had a big fight on their hands against UCLA to clinch a spot in the Championship Series.

The Bruins shut down the Sooners in game one to force an “if necessary” game. The Sooners never wavered.

The loss to UCLA seemed to spark something in Oklahoma. The Sooners proceeded to run rule UCLA 15-0 and then hit the gas even harder.

Behind solid work in the circle, incredible defensive plays including a homerun stealing leaping catch from Jayda Coleman, and the always hot offense, the Sooners swept Texas in two games by a combined score of 26-6.

“They don’t realize how good they are,” said Gasso after her sixth National Championship. “Maybe I don’t realize how good they are. We just play. We love to have fun and love to play. You ask me to compare, you ask me what it feels like ... It feels like something we do every day at practice.”

THE GREATEST EVER Patty Gasso deferred to the media when the question surrounding the greatest team of all time was asked.

“I’m going to let you decide,” Gasso told a roomful of reporters afterward. “You guys all have the stats and all that stuff. I could rank them very, very high, if not the

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highest, because everything they do looks so easy to me, and they do it so fast.”

The Sooners disposed of opponents in a dominant manner that included 41 run-rule victories, 33 shutouts, eight no-hitters, holding opponents to one run or fewer 49 times, hitting home runs in 56 of 62 games, and many other mind-boggling numbers.

“I think you have to put their offense with some of the best ever, right up there with some of the Arizona teams from the mid-90s,” Michelle Smith from ESPN said in a roundtable interview. “Their power numbers are off the charts. Jocelyn Alo will be known as the best power hitter ever -- and she hit over .500.”

The competition for “greatest of all time” includes teams like 1994 Arizona, which went 64-3 and was part of the dynasty that won five titles in seven years. The 2008 Arizona State Sun Devils outscored opponents by 356 runs over the course of the season. The 2001 Arizona team slugged a then-Division I record 126 homers and was led by a dominant Jennie Finch in the circle.

The 2021 Sooners set the record for most home runs in a season.

But this year’s Sooners made a strong claim for the greatest of all time mantra. They went 59-3 and led the country in batting average, scoring and ERA.

BOYD STREET MAGAZINE | 41

“They’re at their best when the lights are bright and the stage is big,” Gasso said during the week of the WCWS. And she’s right. Be it blowout or backs against the wall, the moment was never too big for Oklahoma. OU only dropped three games in 2022, one to Texas, one to Oklahoma State and one to UCLA, meaning every single loss Oklahoma sustained this year came to a team that reached the semifinals in the WCWS. Fifty-nine wins, the best batting average and the best ERA in college softball this season speaks for itself. But looking at the WCWS on its own, Oklahoma set a record for home runs (17) and runs (64). Look at those three losses on their own, then consider what happened the next time out. The Sooners won all three follow-up games via the run rule and a combined score of 39-0.

In fact, in other contests against the Longhorns, Cowgirls and Bruins this season, the Sooners went 10-0, outscoring the trio by a combined score of 82-14 in those 10 contests.

“I would say with me being a senior, I think this is the best team,” Alo said with a smile.

THE SUPER SENIORS

And then, there is Lynnsie Elam.

“Lynnsie Elam is our captain and is the glue that makes this team stick,” Gasso said. “What I love about her, she’s not always in the game, but she is still our captain in the dugout. What she’s done for this program, I don’t know how I could ever repay her, but she is one of those players that will be associated with greatness forever.”

The Oklahoma native completed her career with the Sooners as a 3-year captain and provided leadership that helped propel the Sooners to a WCWS in every season she was on campus and, of course, two National Titles.

“You won’t meet a better person or better player,” Alo said, “she’s worked really, really hard for what she’s accomplished these past five years, and she deserves every accomplishment that’s coming her way.”

The leadership the group of seniors provided will be a foundation they continued to build upon.

“The super seniors taught me the power of being a good teammate,” Kinzie Hansen said. “Everybody has that super senior that takes them under their wing, and mine was Jocy. To see her go, she’s going to pass the baton down.”

The Sooners will be back amongst the favorites to win the WCWS again in 2023, but the impact of the five super seniors will never be forgotten, including the obvious impact of Alo both on and off the field.

2023 AND BEYOND

“One of the biggest things that I’ve learned from (Alo) is to just really just leave it all out there,” true freshman pitcher Jordy Bahl said after OU won. “You’re never going to regret putting in the extra work. She’s one of the hardest workers, and for her it’s all paid off. Also, with all the spotlight she’s gotten, she is still the humblest teammate ever. She handles everything with grace.”

“I’m really going to sit in (this feeling) for a little bit,” Jordy Bahl said after the title. “But then as far as our team’s future, we’re all competitors, and when you are a competitor, if there’s something else out there you can get, you’re going to want to go get it. So, I don’t ever worry about us ever losing our hunger to win more national championships.”

“She loves the Sooners,” head coach Patty Gasso said about Alo. “She loves the state. She loves everything about OU, and she just wanted to feed the OU fan base everything that she had. She left it all on that field, and she left it in the history books forever.”

But it wasn’t just Alo and her redefining of the NCAA Record book. Without Hope Trautwein, the Sooners would not have won the WCWS. As the fans chanted “Hope is Dope,” the North Texas transfer proceeded to finish the WCWS with a 4-0 mark in the circle including one shutout, two complete games and 16 strikeouts.

In fact, every single super senior played a massive role in the Sooners winning a title. Taylon Snow busted out of a slump just in time to provide the Sooners with some clutch hitting including a game-changing, 3-run homer in the first game of the Championship Series and the game-tying RBI in the decisive second game.

Jana Johns continued her stellar defense at 3rd base and started the WCWS with a 5-RBI game against Northwestern including a 4th inning Grand Slam home run that propelled the Sooners to a run rule win in the first round.

42 | July 2022

2022 Oklahoma Sooner softball is in the category of alltime greats. So, what can the Sooners possibly do for an encore? For now, it’s time to celebrate.

Bahl will be counted on to be the ace again after finishing the year with a 22-1 record. Bahl closed out her first year in Norman with the fifth best ERA in the country (1.09). But help is there and on its way.

The Sooners will welcome in the top player in the country in lefty pitcher Kierston Deal and secured a transfer from Michigan ace Alex Storako. Storako finished the season 25-8 with a 1.71 ERA and 300 strikeouts. Add to the mix Nicole May and the Sooner rotation may be as deep and as talented as it’s been.

There will be challenges in replacing the defense and timely hitting of Jana Johns and Taylon Snow, but perhaps no void is larger than the absence of Alo from the lineup. But Alo herself has no worries in how the Sooners can replace the production.

“One thing about Sooner softball -- and I’ve seen it year in and year out -- is they just continue to get better,” Alo said. “I don’t know what next year holds, but I know that they could make a run for the best team, too, and years to come.”-BSM

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S .O . U. L . M iss io n Venables creates mentorship program for Sooner football student-athletes

W

hen Brent Venables was hired as the head football coach at the University of Oklahoma, his vision for the program went far beyond the field.

The vision of what an Oklahoma football player would represent goes beyond athletic ability or sport.

The ‘holistic’ approach to what he wanted in a Sooner required a group similar to a program that exists at Clemson, where Venables spent 10 years as defensive coordinator.

Venables envisioned the S.O.U.L Mission. Standing for serving our uncommon legacy, a four-man team consists of Josh Norman, Curtis Lofton, Caleb Kelly and Ryan Young. Zulaikha Losman serves as coordinator.

“It’s a leadership initiative program,” Venables explained. “It’s all encompassing. Their manhood, mentorship, there’s a spiritual aspect.”

“I’m not here to save everybody, but I do have values in that I’m a Christian,” he added. “It’s all voluntary.

The staff is at every practice and meeting. They’re very intertwined in our players’ lives.”

Venables reflected on his time as a player and how a program like the S.O.U.L Mission could have impacted him.

“I remember as a young person getting ready for my last year in college, I was so scared,” he shared. “There wasn’t somebody I could go to and say, ‘How do I know what I’m good at?’ The answer to that was to go see the career development officer but I don’t know them.

Having an in-house staff that can manage those areas, not just the career, but a lot of things. There is a mental health aspect that’s very real.”

In the building of his foundation at Oklahoma, Venables has likened the S.O.U.L Mission to the front porch for the football program.

50 | July 2022

“If you make it all about winning and chasing championships, that’s going to be a very empty, unfulfilling journey,’” he said. “You can be dysfunctional and really good. When some of the best of the best programs only focus on winning, they’re exactly that.

“We have an opportunity to have some generational change if we can keep the main thing the main thing… equipping these young people and pouring life into them, making sure that we’re not just asking the right questions but putting the right resources and people where they need to be.”

Current members of the OU coaching staff have raved about the early response and benefits of the S.O.U.L Mission.

“I think it brings a more cohesive unit together and more of a family atmosphere,” Sooner legend and current running backs Coach DeMarco Murray said.

“We’re letting those guys depend on us because we’re not just here for football. We’re here for life, school, academics, girlfriends, whatever the case may be.”

Offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh agrees there have been positive impacts already.

“You’ve got 100-something kids on your team and guys are going to have issues, whatever they may be,” Bedenbaugh said. “These are four guys they can go to that have sat in their seat and understand what it takes to be successful.”

Former Sooner linebacker Caleb Kelly acts as the lead on the professional and career development side for the Mission. It was a no-brainer for Coach Venables to get Kelly as part of S.O.U.L. “The first time I met Caleb Kelly, I was like ‘That guy’s

BY: CHRIS PLANK got a story that needs to be heard.’ He’s a connector,” Venables said. “His best asset is he’s a relational person.

He’s got this amazing story, but he also has a heart for people. The light inside of that guy, I saw that within the first 30 seconds. I said, ‘I gotta get that guy in the S.O.U.L. Mission.’”

Kelly’s personality is infectious, and he has poured himself into his new role.

“It’s basically developing the man, not the football player,” Kelly said. “If you handle your business in every aspect of life, whether it’s on the field, off the field, in the classroom, in relationships and just life in general interacting with other people, then the football portion will come on its own.”

Josh Norman, who was a valued member of the 2000 National Championship squad, helped engineer the first mission trip. In addition to the S.O.U.L members, 24 Sooners volunteered their time to travel to Scott Lake Elementary in Miami Gardens, Florida. The volunteer group helped to mentor students of Scott Lake and helped with the school’s beautification by painting walls, landscaping, and other necessary upgrades. To help with the mentoring process, OU players were partnered with students.

“Every single one of those 24 guys volunteered their own personal time to serve,” Norman told SoonerSports. com. “They finished school on Friday (May 13), and we flew to Miami on Sunday. A lot of guys could have gone home, but they chose to sacrifice their own time to go and serve somebody else.”

Ryan Young has quickly embraced his role with the Mission. Young graduated from Kansas State and had a solid NFL career. Venables was a graduate assistant on Snyder’s staff when Young arrived at Kansas State, and he was promoted to linebackers coach before Young graduated.

“Coach Venables, as the leader of our program, he’s creating a culture in which he says, ‘It’s OK to not be OK,’” Young said. “Life happens. [There can be] mental health issues and mental wellness issues, especially when you talk about the immense pressure that a lot of our athletes and our coaches face [to] perform on the field, off the field, in the classroom. Life doesn’t just slow down because we’ve got a football game. Coach Venables has created an environment where our guys can reach out and let us know or let someone know that they need help.”

Curtis Lofton, the soft-spoken, hard-hitting former Sooner, brings a wealth of experience from the NFL after spending eight NFL seasons with three different teams.

The life experiences the leadership group shares and the vision for what Venables wants in this program have gelled instantly. The S.O.U.L Mission has shown in a short amount of time that it adds an immeasurable value to the Sooner football program.

“Life’s going to bring you to your knees, and we’ve got to do everything in our power to make sure they’ve got a foundation that’s sustainable, that can handle the storms, that can pull us through the tough moments that are going to happen,” Venables said. “And they’re there. You are going to have the mountain top experiences. You’re going to be down in the mud, in the valleys.” – BSM

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Norman Regional Health System celebrates construction milestone of hospital expansion

N

orman Regional Health System recently celebrated reaching the highest point of construction on its expansion of the HealthPlex hospital. The expansion is part of Norman Regional’s Inspire Health Plan, which will modernize facilities and increase access to healthcare for people in south central Oklahoma.

The Inspire Health Plan will consolidate inpatient acute care services to the newly expanded Healthplex in an effort to increase hospital operations efficiency and provide a consistent patient experience.

The expansion is tentatively set to be completed in 2023 and will include: •

A new patient bed tower

•

Expanded emergency department

•

Roundabout entrance for convenient entry into the hospital

•

New parking garage

•

Ambulatory care center

•

Comprehensive cancer center

To learn more about the new patient bed tower and the Inspire Health plan, visit InspireHealthOK.com. – BSM 54 | July 2022

BY: LINDSAY CUOMO

boydstreet.com

BOYD STREET MAGAZINE | 55

S ERV I C E S P OT L I G H T

BY: BILL MOAKLEY

Service Spotlight: Ashley Battiest

S

tillwater native Ashley Battiest was working parttime at a Norman Wal-Mart when she came across an advertisement for a position with the Norman Animal Shelter. She took the job as a part-time kennel technician and hasn’t looked back. After all, she says, she gets to be around animals all day.

“It’s always the best part of the job,” Battiest said. “It’s not all playing with puppies and kittens, but there’s quite a bit of that. That is totally enjoyable. It can also be heartbreaking. You can get in some very fearful animals or some really sick or really injured animals, so that can be really tough.”

Battiest, now the animal welfare shelter supervisor, pointed out a lot has changed in the nearly 10 years she has worked with the shelter. In addition to new responsibilities, Norman opened a new shelter and adoption center, added staff and expanded all they do for Norman’s animal population.

“There’s a lot that we provide,” Battiest said of the shelter’s operation. “The big services are adoptions and intakes of strays. That is what takes up a lot of our shelter staff’s time. All our adoptable animals are all spayed or neutered and microchipped and vaccinated.

We have a full-time veterinarian on staff. That makes it easier to treat and to process animals and get them the care that they need.”

The shelter is regularly running at or above capacity, with around 200 animals right now. In addition to fulltime staff, a small army of volunteers assists with walking dogs, playing with cats, doing dishes and laundry and all the necessary work that comes with caring for pets waiting for adoption.

Currently, Battiest oversees a staff of five animal welfare technicians, with a sixth being added. Norman also has six animal welfare officers in the field. With a full-time veterinarian on-site, the facility can conduct all care, including surgeries, at the shelter.

As with most shelters, Norman’s has seen its share of challenges post-COVID pandemic “Our shelter is seeing the same kind of challenges that nationally you’re seeing. We’re finding a lot of people who, for many reasons, can’t keep their animals, so they bring them here and surrender them,” Battiest said. “Also, some people are maybe not in a place to adopt. We have fewer adoptions, so you have animals that are staying longer at the shelter. You really have to

provide enrichment and time out of their kennels for them to be happy and healthy while they’re here.”

Battiest said about the time she was getting into the field, there was a real push for more humane treatment of animals no matter what resources a shelter might have.

“When I first started, we weren’t able to treat a lot of medical issues that would come in,” she recalled. “Part of that was because we didn’t have a vet on staff. When this building was finished, and we added a vet, it was a huge change. Previously, with lots of medical issues, we would have had to euthanize but now we can treat them here.”

“Across the board, this isn’t just our shelter, there is a real push to make sure that when animals are here in our care, they’re getting the most humane care possible, and that we are trying to meet their needs. That’s why you see a lot of push for playgroups for dogs, and you see a lot of push for enrichment for dogs and cats. I think we have a lot of community trust, especially since this building was built (in 2015).”

After beginning school at the University of Oklahoma in 2004, Battiest took some time off. She completed her degree in 2018. A mother of two, when she’s not taking care of animals at the shelter, Battiest spends time with her two young daughters, often at museums around Norman. She also takes her “work” home with her, serving as a foster mom for kittens regularly.

This is a continuation of our series on public servants in Norman.

58 | July 2022

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3 Ways to Stay Financially Fit this Summer

A

hh…summer! The season of flip-flops and sunscreen, lemonade and baseball games. What’s not to love about summer?

Unfortuntately, though, summer is also the season of overspending for many. But nothing kills summer fun like a busted budget and a mountain of debt. So, how can you stay financially fit this summer?

Keeping your finances intact throughout the summer is well within reach if you’re ready to plan ahead and make responsible choices. Here are four hacks for a summer of financial fitness.

PREPARE FOR A POSSIBLE CHANGE IN INCOME If you’re a freelancer, business owner or you get paid per diem, you can expect to see a drop in income during the summer months. Business is notoriously slower across a wide range of industries during the summer, so it’s best to be prepared for this reality. To avoid dipping into savings or going into debt, you can trim your discretionary spending and use the extra funds to cover non-discretionary expenses. You can also choose to find a side hustle for the summer to cover the gap in your income.

GET YOUR BUDGET READY FOR SUMMER Your budget will see some changes in the summertime, and it’s a good idea to prepare in advance instead of being caught unaware. Here are some changes you can anticipate: •

Higher utility bills. With the AC blasting, your energy costs will likely be higher. Water costs can rise, too, especially if you water your lawn and any outdoor plants and flowers on a regular basis.

•

Increase in fuel prices. Just when you thought it couldn’t go any higher, the price of fuel is likely to jump again in the summer.

•

Travel expenses. Of course, if you’ll be traveling this summer, it’s going to cost you. If you haven’t yet budgeted for your getaway, start saving up and/ or trimming costs from other categories in your budget now.

•

Social events. It’s wedding season, and they don’t come cheap, even if you’re not the one in the white gown. You may also receive invites or host other

64 | July 2022

events during the summer months, such as family reunions, block parties, anniversary celebrations and more. It’s best to budget for gifts, the travel costs of attending these events and of course, for the expense of hosting, if applicable.

•

Activities for kids. School’s out, and the kids need to be kept busy. Aim for free activities whenever possible, but you may want to set aside some funds in your budget for occasional activities that have a price tag attached.

•

Create a vacation budget. Aside from adjusting your monthly spending plan, you’ll want to build a workable budget for your summer getaway to avoid overspending. Attach a dollar amount for your hotel stay, car rental, food costs, transportation expenses, entertainment and outings, gifts, and any other cost you might have. Leave a bit of wiggle room for miscalculations but try to keep your budget as close to the actual cost as possible.

REVIEW AND ADJUST AS NECESSARY Like going off a diet, blowing a budget is never an excuse to go all out and overspend without sparing a thought to the consequences. To avoid falling into this trap, resolve to review your budget and your overall spending on a regular basis throughout the summer.

You can choose to do this weekly, or bi-weekly, but be sure to take a careful account of every dollar in and every dollar out. Being aware of the state of your finances in real-time i will make it easier to make responsible choices going forward.

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Unwind with Wine

D

o you enjoy having a glass of wine at home, on the patio or around the pool but have questions about how to store and serve wine?

Questions like how long will it keep, do I need a wine refrigerator and what temperature do I serve wine are frequently heard by your local wine merchant. So here are answers to your wine questions and some suggestions to help you unwind with wine.

First, you do not need a wine refrigerator. Most wine can be stored in any properly air-conditioned, dark space. But a wine refrigerator will extend the life of wine and has the added advantage of keeping white wine at a proper serving temperature. Most wine sold at local wine merchants and virtually all wine sold at grocery stores are released for consumption within a year and will not age well, even if properly cellared.

If you are interested in cellaring wine, then a space that is maintained below 60°F will be necessary. A small wine refrigerator is a start, or there are a range of options available. Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast are good publications for information on wines to purchase for cellaring and options for small, medium or large cellars.

68 | July 2022

Sparkling wine should always be served cold, at 42°F. Other white wines should also be served cold, the sweet ones also about 42°, others 48°-50°. This means removing them from your regular refrigerator about 20 minutes before you serve them.

Red wines should be served about 10° warmer than cellar temperature, at about 65°F. This means placing your room temperature (72°F) wine in the refrigerator 20 minutes before you are going to serve it. And please never leave your child, your dog or your wine in the car!

If you’re sipping your wine on the patio or poolside, there are very nice acrylic wine glasses available.

There are also disposable glasses. Stemless, gel-filled wine glasses that will keep your wine cold are a good investment, and covers that keep pool water and flies out of your wine are handy too.

I hope you have a great summer and enjoy some great wine, beer or cocktails if you prefer.

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T HE DI N E G U I DE

the DINE guide

72 | July 2022

Legends Restaurant & Catering

The Meating Place

Legends has served the Norman community and

Located on Main St, just East of the railroad tracks,

the University of Oklahoma for over 50 years.

The Meating Place’s permanent location serves

Legends is a stunning, intimate, casually up-scale

delicious high-quality barbecue, local beer, craft

family-owned restaurant that is perfect for business

cocktails in a lively atmosphere. Join them for trivia

meetings, gatherings, romantic dinners or casual

night or stop by their food truck when you see it out

meals. Private dining rooms and catering available.

and about around town.

1313 W Lindsey St. • 405.329.8888

121 E Main St. • 405.857.7431

The Turn Grill @ Westwood Golf Course

405 Burger Bar

Located at the Westwood Golf Course on the SE

Do you like big buns and real meat on your burgers?

corner of NW 24th and Robinson, The Turn Grill

Then 405 Burger Bar is the place for you and your

offers a good meal at an affordable price to keep

family. Featuring an extensive burger menu, full bar

your energy up for your next round. Check out their

and multiple TVs to catch the game, all just a short

Launch & Lunch special including $2 range tokens

walk from OU’s stadium, 405 Burger Bar is perfect

and Happy Hours every weekday.

for both pre and post-game celebrations.

2400 Westport Dr • 405.360.7600

1429 George Ave • 405.500.6750

Gaberino’s Homestyle Italian

Scratch Kitchen & Cocktails

Gaberino’s is a family-owned Italian restaurant

Scratch’s menu is crafted entirely from scratch

located on Ed Noble Parkway. They feature

and features smokehouse bacon, pan-seared fish,

homestyle recipes made from scratch, with gluten-

farm-fresh veggies and slow-roasted meats. They

free, vegetarian, vegan and low-carb options.

have a plethora of custom cocktails that will leave

Gaberino’s provides in-house dining, patio dining,

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Spare Time Sports Grill

The Mont

Spare Time Sports Grill is inside Sooner Bowl and

You won’t find a better spot for lunch, dinner,

features delicious food beyond what you’d expect at

or drinks than The Mont’s famous patio. Enjoy

a bowling alley. Great burgers, salads, sandwiches

enticing entrees, burgers, Mexican delicacies and a

and appetizers enhance the bowling experience or

world-famous swirl. Is it your birthday? The Mont

provide a great lunch or dinner spot. Carry out or

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Service Station

Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar

The Service Station has been Norman’s favorite

Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar specializes in preparing

neighborhood restaurant for 43 years. Stop by and

simple foods - such as the quintessential hamburger

try one of their famous burgers, sandwiches, salads,

- with a culinary passion to satisfy restaurant-goers’

steaks or seafood and grab a drink from their full

cravings like never before. The bar features an

bar. Enjoy a nice meal on the patio, inside the

ever-rotating selection of regional draft beers and

historic dining room or grab your food to go.

cocktails that are well beyond ordinary.

502 S Webster Ave • 405.364.2139

2050 24th Ave NW Ste 101 • 405.561.1067

Interurban

Penny Hill Deli Bar & Char

Interurban is a casual and fun concept featuring a

100% fresh meat. Handcrafted sandwiches. All-

wide variety of menu items catering to families, busy

natural ingredients. That’s what customers will

business professionals and baby boomers of all ages.

find when visiting Penny Hill Deli. Voted Norman’s

Their commitment to customers back in 1976 is the

favorite Deli for 14 years, the menu extends far

same today: good, fresh, quality food; reasonable

beyond normal deli offerings, with a full bar and

prices and friendly and attentive service.

multiple grilled entrees to entice all patrons.

1150 Ed Noble Dr. • 405.307.9200

1150 W Lindsey St. • 405.366.8767

Mr. Sushi

Thai Thai Asian Bistro

Mr. Sushi believes in quality and consistency, using

Thai Thai is a family-run restaurant serving

only the freshest ingredients to prepare and present

delicious, authentic Thai food in Norman for over

every dish with care. From Yellowtail Sashimi

a decade. Everything on their menu is made fresh

to their creative Captain Crunch Roll, there is

daily. Join them for dine in at their location on 24th

something on the menu for everyone. Dine-in, take-

Avenue NE near Tecumseh or take home a meal for

out and delivery options are available.

you or the entire family.

1204 N Interstate Dr. Ste 130. • 405.310.6669

3522 24th Ave NW Ste 100 • 405.310.2026

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