Class Acts

Maverick Gardner Keeps Busy with Classes, Sports, and FCA

CLASS ACTS

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Highland East eighth-grader Maverick Gardner says he's really enjoying his final semester of junior high before moving to high school.

"I really like my classes and my teachers," said Gardner. "They're all really nice and because I enjoy the classes, the works not too hard. It ends up being fun."

Gardner, a straight-A student, says his favorite class is math. There's just something about the simplicity of numbers and problem-solving that appeals to him.

In addition to his passion for excellence in the classroom, Gardner is involved with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes at Highland East.

"We have a meeting every month," said Gardner. "I really enjoy the speakers we have in, like the high school football coach and

Coach Cooper, our girl's basketball coach.

They help us to focus on God and how to work hard in life."

Gardner says he thinks about Coach Cooper's talk a lot because it reminds him that success can be a little tricky to recognize in some circumstances.

"Coach Cooper told us that you can't really fail, no matter how hard you try," said Gardner. "No matter what happens in your circumstances, you're always a winner in God's eyes."

When it comes to athletics, Gardner says he's passionate about many sports. He participates in football, basketball, baseball, and track. Although he enjoys all those sports, he says his favorite has always been baseball.

"I can't really say why, but I've always loved baseball more than any other sport," said Gardner.

The four-sport athlete is quick to point out that his parents play a huge role in helping him participate in all the sports that he loves.

"My mom is great, taking me to all my practices and supporting me in academics," said Gardner. "My dad coaches me in baseball, and I think I get a lot of my love for the game from him."

Gardner says his long-term plans are to excel at baseball and hopefully get a chance to play at the collegiate level. In the meantime, he's just enjoying life in junior high and looking forward to making the move to high school next fall.

"I don't think I'd be the person I am if it weren't for my parents and friends at school," said Gardner. "They all push me pretty hard to be good at sports and in my classes."

and the OSU Cowboys Target Big Finish in 2022

Photo courtesy Oklahoma State Athletics

Westmoore alum Kale Davis says February's winter blasts have done absolutely nothing to chill the excitement he and his Oklahoma State teammates are feeling for the start of the baseball season.

"It's really fun being from Oklahoma and looking out the window at the snow on the ground," said Davis, "But realizing that as cold as it all looks, we're just a couple of weeks away from getting back out on the diamond."

It may feel like wintery business-as-usual for Davis, but he says that some of his new teammates aren't used to frozen precipitation.

"We have one kid from Miami, Florida, who is in his first year here," said Davis. "And he was just wide-eyed at the show. We also had a kid from California who experienced his first thunderstorm. I was like, 'Bro, it's just a thunderstorm. Relax!'"

Davis says the new mix of Cowboy players has everyone excited about this team's potential. Last year's OSU team finished with a 36-19 record. That included knocking off top seed Texas in the Big 12 tournament before losing to TCU in the championship game. The Cowboys were bounced from the NCAA regional tournament by Cal State Santa Barbara. Expectations are much higher this year.

"We should take care of business this year," said Davis. "I think last year we got away from some of the basics at times, and when you're not doing the little things on the mound and defense, it can cost you."

Davis led the Cowboys with 26 appearances in 2021, all coming in relief. His expectations for himself are also high.

"I'm here to help the team win in any fashion," said Davis. "I mean, if it's out of the bullpen or even starting a game, I'll do whatever's asked."

In the offseason, Davis has been working on expanding his pitching arsenal.

"I had more of a cutter and a slider last year," said Davis. "Then I brought back my curveball from high school. This year I've been trying to polish up the changeup on top of that, making that five-pitch mix whole again."

As Davis settles in for another year in a Cowboy baseball uniform, he says he carries all the memories from great times playing baseball at Westmoore.

"I think looking back on it, we had a lot of talent, but we were just focused on having fun together," said Davis. "We fell short in some postseason games that we would have liked to have won, but in the end, we just really enjoyed playing the game together."

Photo courtesy Oklahoma State Athletics