State Champions
Westmoore Pom
First Ballot Hall of Famer
Bob Stoops
Veteran of the Month
Doug Carter
February 2021 • Issue 2 • Volume 4
Crock Stars Giving back to the community and bringing families together
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Features
FEBRUARY CONTENTS 2021
ISSUE 2– VOLUME 4 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Mark Doescher
Hooked on School
10 by Lindsay Cuomo
Lindsay Cuomo
Moore teacher selected as a finalist for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.
Veteran of the Month:
14 Doug Carter
MANAGING EDITOR
by Bill Moakley A Buckeye turned Okie shares his love of country and sport.
PHOTOGRAPHY
Mark Doescher
CONTRIBUTORS
10
Sharla Bardin | Lindsay Cuomo Melissa Herron | Chelsey Kraft Steve Marshall | Bill Moakley Rae Lynn Payton | Chris Plank
ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES
Tracie Gray - tracie@sportstalk1400.com Trevor Laffoon - trevor@sportstalk1400.com Perry Spencer - perry@sportstalk1400.com
In Memory of
RANDY LAFFOON
1960 - 2020
Crockstar Dinner Club
20 by Rae Lynn Payton
Local business supports other struggling small businesses in times of need.
Lifelong Learning
24 by Sharla Bardin
Metro business coach achieves new certification to enhance work with local businesses.
20
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First Ballot Hall of Famer
30 by Chris Plank
Former Sooner Coach Bob Stoops elected to the College Football Hall of Fame.
Norman Regional Hospital:
38 On the Frontlines
by Melissa Herron - Norman Regional Health System Norman ICU nurse commissioned into Army Corps of Engineers.
30
Hard work pays off
44 by Steve Marshall
Westmoore Pom wins state title.
Jet’s NY Slice
48 by Chelsey Kraft
Long-time restaurateur says pizza and people are his passion.
sportstalk1400.com
48
Cover photo by: Mark Doescher
B U S I N E SS
BY: LINDSAY CUOMO
Hooked on School
Moore teacher selected as a finalist for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching
S
tate Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister announced six finalists for the prestigious Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST). Among the six educators named was Keri Thompson, a kindergarten teacher at Byrant Elementary. Jennifer Lowery, elementary mathematics and science coordinator for the Moore school district, nominated Thompson because she said she wanted to recognize the creative and engaging ways that Thompson incorporates science into her classroom. “Ms. Thompson encourages her students to wonder about the world around them and then helps students find the answers to their questions,” Lowery said. “She makes science hands-on and memorable for students as well as teachers as she has provided several professional development sessions for teachers in Moore. She is a wonderful asset to Bryant Elementary and to Moore Public Schools.”
10 February 2021
Thompson said she uses science as a tool to get her students excited about learning. “Science is one of those things that keeps kids interested in school,” she explained. “In kindergarten, science is real life. They can apply the things we are learning and it gets them hooked on school.” The academic demands inside a kindergarten classroom are surprisingly intense, Thompson admitted. However, she has designed her science lessons to be an integrated learning experience. “Kindergarten is a whole different ballgame than it used to be,” she shared. “In kindergarten, we learn to read, write in full sentences, add and subtract. It’s a lot. Most kindergarten teachers probably don’t have a dedicated science time, but I feel it’s really important.
“We do experiments, investigations, engineering, fun, playful lessons that incorporate reading and writing.”
Thompson agreed that teaching during the pandemic has added challenges.
Thompson pointed out that play is a key to early childhood development.
“Trying to keep things feeling as normal as we can has been the greatest challenge,” she said. “We are having to wear masks and be careful about touching what others touch and that has been difficult. My classroom is pretty much all based on sharing but this year we can’t do that.”
“It is so important for people to realize the value of play and how play affects learning,” she said. “Children learn so much faster through play because it is meaningful and real to them. So many teachers feel the pressure to use worksheets, and worksheets have their place, but they are not the number one tool.” For example, each year, students in Thompson’s class learn about plants and animals. They study different biomes and the plants and animals that live in each one. “To integrate reading and writing, we research animals in the biome, and then afterward each kid draws one thing that is found in that biome. They write the sounds they hear, they best attempt to write those words and we put those together to make a classroom poster about that biome,” Thompson said, sharing an example of how she incorporates literacy skills. Students also work towards creating a “mini zoo.” Keeping a research journal, they draw pictures and write fun facts to help them become a zookeeper. “Normally, not in COVID times, we invite other classes and my kids get to be zookeepers and they get to talk about their animals,” she said.
12 February 2021
But, Thompson said there have been positives too. “I am loving the class sizes this year,” she said. “17 kids, the fewest ever, it makes a huge difference when it comes to getting to know each child. And the other thing that I really love is that families are spending more time together and investing in each other more. Kids are impacted greatly by the family that surrounds them.” As a finalist, Thompson’s application will be reviewed by the National Science Foundation on behalf of the White House. One math teacher and one science teacher will be selected from each state and territory that applied. “I felt so honored that our science coordinator nominated me, that she thought I would qualify,” Thompson said. “When I got the call that I was selected as a finalist, I actually I thought it was a spam call but something told me to answer. I was so surprised.” -19SM
COMM U N I T Y
BY: BILL MOAKLEY
Veteran of the Month: Doug Carter
A Buckeye turned Okie shares his love of country and sport
O
hio native and United States Army veteran, Doug Carter has lived in Oklahoma for more than 20 years. However, his heart is still in Columbus. Specifically, with his beloved Ohio State Buckeyes. The past few years have been both good and bad for a Buckeye in the Sooner State. In 2016, Ohio State came to Norman for a football tilt with the Sooners and took a 45-24 win back home. The next year, Oklahoma beat the Buckeyes in Columbus, 31-16. Carter was at both games. “I drove all the way back home after the game and I get on my street and I’m like, ‘what the heck,’” Carter recalled in the aftermath of the 2017 game. “As I get closer to my house, I realized I had six or so OU signs in my yard. But I let it slide. I have a good sense of humor about it.” After graduating from Grove City High School in 1979, Carter attended Ohio’s OSU. Back home in the early 80s, he was listening to his father talk about his experience in the military. Carter wandered down to the local Army recruiter, took the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) test and decided he’d sign up. “Thirty days after that, I’m on a plane to Fort Benning, Georgia,” Carter recalled. Carter finished basic training and Jump School in Georgia and was sent to Fort Carson, Colorado where he became a TOW (tube-launched, optically tracked, wire-guided) missile specialist. “I found out I kind of liked the idea of blowing things up,” Carter laughed. A history of back problems would force Carter to leave the service after two and a half years. That bad back can be blamed in part on Carter’s love of sports. He was a multisport high school athlete, earning all-district honors on the baseball diamond. His school day experiences kindled a love of competition and Carter decided to become a coach following his military service. He has coached high school and youth league sports from Ohio to California and in Oklahoma. While in San Diego, Carter served as the basketball coach at Rancho Bueno Vista High School where he coached former University of Colorado standout and current Dallas Mavericks assistant coach Jamahl Mosley.
16 February 2021
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Carter is currently coaching youth athletes in Noble. His older brother, David, is a retired coach in Ohio and the two maintain a friendly, brotherly rivalry. “He would tell me, ‘you need to come home and be my assistant,” the younger Carter brother said. “I said, ‘you know what, David, I have over a .700 winning percentage. You need to come out here and be my assistant.’” As for his coaching philosophy, Carter says he wants his athletes to take their sport seriously, learn the game and enjoy themselves. “The bottom line is we want to have fun,” Carter explained. “First, we want to learn the game, techniques and fundamentals, and everything else. We want to be good teammates and good citizens.” When he’s not coaching, Carter serves as adjutant of Moore’s Alfred A. and Harold F. Herd American Legion Post 184. That means he’s a utility player of sorts. “It’s kind of like the lifeblood of the post,” Carter said of his duties. “I take care of any needs from events to anything our members need help with.” One of the events the Moore Post puts on every year is the American Legion Oratorical Contest. Despite COVID-19 making logistics for the event tricky, Andrew Means of Mount St. Mary’s High School in Oklahoma City recently won the contest. He placed second at the district level e qualifying for the department level competition. “We’re proud of the fact that he’s still doing well representing our post,” Carter noted. When he’s not coaching metro area athletes or serving the legion post, Carter enjoys cheering on Cleveland sports teams and swinging his clubs on the golf course. -19SM
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HE A LT H
BY: RAE LYNN PAYTON
Crockstar Dinner Club Local business supports other struggling small businesses in times of need
C
rockstar Dinner Club has always focused on supporting families, but now it has increased its outreach by supporting other small businesses too. Owner Brittany Cramer created Crockstar Dinner Club five years ago with busy families in mind.
In contrast, Crockstar Dinner Club has fortunately seen growth overall despite 29 marketplaces that sell their products closing during the pandemic, as well as many of the fundraisers that they rely on. However, their store’s sales increased significantly with curbside service and delivery.
“I wanted to help families by giving people an easy way to make dinner,” Cramer shared.
Many turning to eating more at home, the need for their oneof-a-kind Crockpot meals soared.
Now she saw a new need arise amidst the ongoing pandemic. Many small businesses have suffered so she has extended her business’ outreach to help.
“Since we were blessed, I wanted to do what we could to help those in need. I feel for those businesses. You love your business, and I can’t imagine it being taken away because of something out of your control,” Cramer shared.
“It’s all about giving back to the community and to those that are in need,” she explained. Il Dolce Gelato, a small business that relies on a nearby theater’s traffic to promote their own, has heavily felt the effects of the theater’s shutdown. Crockstar Dinner Club decided to give 30 percent of all sales for a designated time to Il Dolce Gelato and they also matched the percentage of sales up to $1000. “Crockstar runs very much now on giving back to the community,” Cramer said, as community fundraisers are an essential piece of her business model. 20 February 2021
Her goal is to help people and their motto “bringing families back to the dinner table with effortless cooking” sums up their desire to bring people together. “I like to believe it truly brings people back to the table and that I’m helping moms and dads out that don’t have the time, or that don’t know how to cook, or that need to save money,” she shared. Cramer is a mom of four and she said she wanted to start a side business to bring in a little extra income to her family budget. Her husband came up with the name one night while
brainstorming and one thing led to another and the Crockstar Dinner Club dream was born. It all started several years ago when she pulled out a Crockpot. She and her husband had received one as a wedding gift years prior. After trying a few recipes, she decided it was the one and only way to cook food in their busy home. “I wondered if some people just didn’t know about the gift of the Crockpot. I wanted to let others see how easy it was to cook without having to stress about it,” she said. Her pre-prepped meals just require a protein to be added before placing all ingredients into a slow cooker for ease and efficiency. In addition to helping businesses, the company also supports their loyal customers. “Our amazing customers continuing to buy have allowed us to be able to give back so much more than I ever imagined with Crockstar just this year,” she said. They have held giveaways with random drawings for thousands of dollars in prizes, including a car. Each winner of their big items has shared heartfelt stories that make the giveaways all the more meaningful to Cramer and her family. “We get stories regularly about Crockstar and about how it’s helped people and changed their lives. These stories bring me to tears every time,” she said. You can find Crockstar Dinner Club at 12301 S. Western Ave, Ste A6 in Oklahoma City and a second location recently opened in the Yukon/Mustang area. You can also visit their website to view a menu and ordering options at crockstardinnerclub.com. -19SM sportstalk1400.com
19TH STREET MAGAZINE | 21
COMM U N I T Y
Li fe lo n g Lea r n i n g
BY: SHARLA BARDIN
Metro business coach achieves new certification to enhance work with local businesses
H
enry Dumas is a coach who mentors, motivates and elevates others. But instead of working with players to win games, Dumas coaches business owners on ways to help their companies succeed. A triumph for Dumas is watching those owners and their businesses thrive. “The most rewarding part of my job is to see (businesses) grow and prosper,” he said. Dumas is a business coach and small business management coordinator at Moore Norman Technology Center. He also is a professional certified business coach, one of only a few in the state with the designation from the International Coach Federation. Dumas has added another professional achievement with his recent certification as a master certified coach with the federation. He started working on the certification five years ago and completed the requirements in December. “I’m all about continuous improvement and lifelong learning,” he said. Dumas is the only master certified coach in Oklahoma and one of only about 1,200 members in the federation with that designation. The federation consists of members in 130 countries and territories, he said. Dumas said he believes the certification will enhance the work he does with area business owners. A focus of the master credential process is taking a transformational approach such as looking at behaviors and belief systems that can benefit or inhibit clients. The process can help clients become more self-aware and look at ways they can improve. Helping clients increase their knowledge and potential are highlights of Dumas’ job. He has worked at the technology center for eight years and came to the position with 30 years of experience in the private sector. Dumas’ clients are small business owners in Moore, Norman and south Oklahoma City who have been in business for three to five years. The clients also represent varied professions. Dumas coaches clients in how to prioritize goals, increase sales, hire and retain the right employees, find a work-life balance and discover resources that can benefit their business. Dr. Kristen Campbell, DDS, owner of Norman Smile Center, started working with Dumas when she was preparing
24 February 2021
to purchase the practice. Campbell said the wisdom she has gained from Dumas has been invaluable. “I had no prior knowledge of how to evaluate, purchase or even run a business,” Campbell said. “Henry’s knowledge and expertise aided me in the purchasing of the practice and he has continued to educate and guide me through the ebbs and flows of being a business owner.” Campbell said she admires Dumas’ wisdom, his excellent listening skills and his willingness in the coaching sessions to take the time “to make sure you understand and comprehend the information and discussions that are taking place.” Campbell said some of the lessons she’s learned from Dumas include how to understand financial and accounting principles, how to analyze cash flow, create a budget and identify areas of improvement for the business. She said other valuable lessons from Dumas have involved discussions about balancing one’s work life to avoid burnout and taking time to focus on business and personal growth. Campbell said she’s impressed and grateful for Dumas’ insight, understanding and his continuous encouragement. “With his guidance and, more importantly, his emphasis on practical applications of business, Henry gives me confidence my business can continue to evolve and grow.” Dumas offers free coaching through his work at the technology center and is accepting new clients. For more information, email him at Henry.Dumas@mntc.edu. -19SM
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TM
S P O RT S
BY: CHRIS PLANK
First Ballot
Hall of Famer
SOONER REVIEW Photos by: Mark Doescher
PRESENTED BY
McIntyre Law is a proud supporter of OU athletics. Contact McIntyre Law for all your personal injury needs
30 February 2021
T
he winningest coach in Sooner Football History was chosen as a first-ballot selection to the College Football Hall of Fame joining five previous Sooner head coaches already inducted.
The selection was by no means a surprise, instead a validation of what Sooner fans witnessed first-hand. While the award recognizes on the field success, the Sooner legend has been a Hall of Famer both on and off the field. “As a son of an all-time, lifelong high school coach,” Coach Stoops said in a statement released by the OU athletic department, “no one appreciates the game of football and the coaching profession more than I do, and so I am grateful for and humbled by this honor.” Stoops holds Oklahoma’s record with 190 career victories. Under his leadership and guidance, the Sooners won a national championship in his second season. The title in 2000 reestablished the Sooners among the elite in college football, setting a foundation for Oklahoma Sooner football for years to come. “Football is the ultimate team game with so many moving parts and players. No one does it alone,” Stoops said in an interview on Sports Talk 1400 and 99.3 FM. “I always felt appreciative of the hard work of everyone around me, administration, assistant coaches, support staff and players. “Fortunately, I’ve had a ton of great players. All the help and support and the hard work of the players truly made the difference.” The Sooners went 17-27-1 (.389) overall and 10-21 (.323) in Big Eight/Big 12 play in the four years before Stoops arrived. After going 7-5 in 1999 in his debut season, Stoops led OU to its seventh National Championship title with a 13-0 record and a 13-2 upset of Florida State in the Orange Bowl. The Sooners played in three more BCS National Championship games under Stoops (2003, 2004 and 2008) and made the College Football Playoff in 2015. The Sooners spent 30 weeks in the No. 1 spot of the AP Top 25 and ranked No. 1 in the BCS standings for 20 weeks — most in the nation. Stoops also went 60-30 against AP Top 25 teams, the best in the nation during his tenure. “You truly have to live it to understand the bond,” Stoops said. “When you’re working and striving, and everyone is putting in the sweat in the rough times, there is an appreciation and respect for one another that you get when you’re in those tough times or in the middle of the game when you’re battling it out and it’s third down and you’re trying to get a stop. To me, that’s probably the most important thing for a coach — being able to connect with and relate to your players… and if I did anything right it was always connecting wholeheartedly with them. “Ultimately, though, the dedication and hard work of the players is what wins, and I am so appreciative of all of the guys who played for me.”
“I’m so pleased to go into the Hall with Andre Tippett,” Stoops said. “We played two years together at Iowa and we were on the Big 10 Champ team that went to the Rose bowl. He was our All-American defensive end and it will be great to connect with him. I’ve heard from a lot of buddies with Tip and I both going in.” Perhaps nothing says more about Bob Stoops than his willingness to do whatever is necessary to help continue the growth and success of Oklahoma Football. When the Sooners were down coaches due to COVID-19 concerns late in the season, Stoops donned the headset and helped in preparations for the home finale against Baylor. sportstalk1400.com
Photos by: Mark Doescher
This year’s Hall of Fame class includes fellow Big Eight/Big 12 alums Kenneth Sims from Texas and Darren Sproles from Kansas State. Also names like Tony Romo, Dan Morgan and Carson Palmer will be inducted in December along with a fellow teammate of Coach Stoops from Iowa, Andre Tippett.
19TH STREET MAGAZINE | 31
The return to the Sooner sidelines was 22 years to the date from his hiring as Oklahoma’s head coach on December 1 of 1998. “He’s certainly one of the few people in my life that I know, regardless of what it is, that I can go to and get really thoughtout, honest, great advice,” Sooner head coach Lincoln Riley said. “We still talk often. This program is obviously still extremely near and dear to him. He’s been great for me. If not for him, some of these questions and things that you go through in this deal, if not for him, I don’t know who exactly who I would go to. I just don’t really have anybody else quite like that that I have that much trust in, that I know has my best interest or, more importantly, has this football program’s best interest. I probably don’t understand how fortunate I’ve been to have a guy like him in that position.” Stoops is OU’s sixth head coach in the College Hall of Fame, joining Bennie Owen (1905-26), Lawrence “Biff” Jones (193536), Bud Wilkinson (1947-63), Jim Tatum (1946) and Barry Switzer (1973-88). There are also 22 former Sooner players in the College Hall of Fame. But the retired head coach has never been one to shine the light on himself, choosing to consistently highlight those around him. “I hired great guys around me,” Stoops said. “I’ve said it a lot…from day one. I hit a home run with my first staff to start things off. Then it morphed and evolved from there. I was incredibly lucky to start off with great coaches and throughout 32 February 2021
the whole time to have great coaches and to have the support of Joe C. up to President (David) Boren and (Joseph) Harroz who was always a confidant of mine when I was coaching before he became president.” When Joe Castiglione officially hired Bob Stoops as the guy to take over the Sooners, the success was almost immediate. But through the interview process that led to hiring Stoops, there wasn’t a feeling of necessarily having a three- or four-year plan in place. “Neither one of us wanted to put a barrier in front of how quick we could get it turned around,” Sooner Athletic Director Joe Castiglione said. “We didn’t want to come in and say it is going to take us three years or five years. It was, let’s get to work. What are we going to do to get this turned around?” “I’ve always been the guy that basically felt, do the absolute best job you can at what you’re doing and if you do, other things will come,” Stoops said. “So, I didn’t have that master plan of when I became a head coach, I felt I did in my head because the great people I had been around from Hayden Frey to Bill Snyder, Steve Spurrier, Dick Krum. All these guys were great head coaches, and you know, the great assistant coaches I was around.” Stoops posted a 190-48 record (.798) and coached teams that made a school-record 18 consecutive bowl trips. He was the only coach in the BCS era to win the Fiesta Bowl, Orange
Bowl, Rose Bowl, Sugar Bowl and the National Championship, and he compiled more wins in his first 18 seasons than any coach in college football history. Before Stoops unexpectedly retired on June 7, 2017, Oklahoma amassed the most wins of any Power Five program between 1999 to 2016. He led the Sooners to double-digit victories in 14 of his 18 seasons, the most in the nation during that span, and had at least eight wins in each of his last 17 seasons, the longest streak in the nation at the time of his retirement. Seven Sooner teams finished in the top five of the AP Poll, including each of the last two. Stoops was a six-time Big 12 Coach of the Year and two-time national coach of the year. “It was very important for me to leave in a positive way where the program can continue in a great way,” Stoops said of his retirement “That mattered to me to leave the program in good shape. I felt I knew that Lincoln was the right guy to do it and move forward in a great way. I knew the players and the maturity on the team would handle it well.” The Sooners have advanced to the College Football Playoffs in three of the four years since Stoops surprisingly retired with two Heisman Trophy winners and two quarterbacks going number one overall in the NFL Draft. The run of success would not be possible had Coach Stoops not build an incredibly stable foundation for the program which was by no means on steady ground when he took over after the 1998 season. And even with the immense amount of success and the deserved accolades including selection for the Hall of Fame, Stoops always turns the credit and the memories back to the players he coached. “Fondest memories were the relationship with the players, absolutely. It remains today whenever I get to see them,” Stoops said. “The fun times in the locker room, seeing them happy and excited about their accomplishment, being proud of their accomplishment in the locker room celebrating after a game, that connection and relationship with the players definitely. Even going to practice and having fun moments, somebody gets mischievous about something and you get to laugh about it, nothing is better than that.” Bob Stoops is a Hall of Famer. On December 1, 1998 that expectation was set, and it was executed to almost perfection. “There won’t be any excuses,” Castiglione said in looking back at the career of Bob Stoops. “You know the moment on the steps of Evans hall when he uttered that phrase, for many Oklahomans to hear that… ‘There won’t be any excuses’... and then he also followed it up and said, ‘When we’re successful, not if, when we’re successful, it won’t be about me, it will be about the collective efforts of everybody else… players, coaches, the administration, the fans, the donors, everybody.’ “And you know what, Bob Stoops lived that every single day that he was the head coach, and even to this day when I hear him speak, I know he still has that same kind of characteristic in his mind.” -19SM sportstalk1400.com
19TH STREET MAGAZINE | 33
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HE A LT H
BY: MELISSA HERRON - NORMAN REGIONAL HEALTH SYSTEM
Join the Norman Regional Team On the Frontlines Norman ICU nurse commissioned into Army Corp of Nurses
A
n Intensive Care Unit (ICU) nurse fighting on the frontlines of the pandemic was recently commissioned into the Army Corps of Nurses. Ashley Wilkinson received her commission in December outside Norman Regional Hospital’s Education Center, at 901 N. Porter Ave. Her coworkers in the ICU at Norman Regional Hospital looked down from the windows as Wilkinson received this honor. Wilkinson joined the U.S. Army in 2004 when she was 17 years old. Her first duty station was at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. She also served in Germany, was deployed to Afghanistan and became an active duty drill sergeant. Wilkinson then enrolled in nursing school to further pursue her passion for helping others. “I loved working with people and helping them get better, even in the simplest of ways,” she said. She became a nurse in May 2018 and, in December 2019, she began working at Norman Regional’s ICU. It wasn’t long after finishing up her orientation that the hospital began to see patients with COVID-19. “These patients were sick, and I, as a new ICU nurse, had to summon every bit of training I had accumulated in nursing and the military to manage these difficult patients,” she shared. “Unfortunately, my team and myself are still in this fight. However, we are a team and there is no other place I’d rather be.” The United States Army Nurse Corps (ANC) was formally established by the U.S. Congress in 1901. It is one of the six medical special branches, or “corps” of officers, which – along with medical enlisted soldiers – comprise the Army Medical Department (AMEDD). The ANC is the nursing service for the U.S. Army and provides nursing staff in support of the Department of Defense medical plans. The ANC is composed entirely of registered nurses (RNs). -19SM
38 February 2021
Norman Regional Health System is hosting a recruitment event for clinical team members. They call their employees “healers” and are looking for people like Lt. Wilkinson who match their values and will excel within the system’s compassionate culture. Hiring events will be from 4-6 p.m. on the following days: • Thursday, March 4 - Norman Regional Moore’s Conference Center, 700 S. Telephone Rd. in Moore, OK • Thursday, April 8 - Norman Regional Moore’s Conference Center, 700 S. Telephone Rd. in Moore, OK • Thursday, May 6 - Norman Regional Hospital’s Education Center, 901 N. Porter Ave. in Norman, OK Please wear a mask at all times at this event. On-the-spot interviews and offers will be made, so bring a resume. Norman Regional is hiring registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, respiratory therapists and patient care techs. Full-time, parttime and PRN positions are available. For more information and to apply for a position, please visit NormanRegional.com/careers.
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S P O RT S
BY: STEVE MARSHALL
Hard Work Pays Off
Westmoore Pom wins state title. T he Westmoore Jaguars Dance Team, also known as the Westmoore Pom Squad, closed out 2020 by claiming a State Championship once again in the 6A Jazz category. They are working to add another trophy to their season by winning a National Championship. That competition will take place in April in Orlando, Florida. Natalie Zielny and Emily Shock are the coaches that have led the way for Westmoore. Zielny is in her 12th year as coach, while Shock is in her 18th year as coach and choreographer. “We had a virtual state competition,” said Zielny. “We had to do the video exactly like we would do it at the competition and then send it in. Judges would watch it live and judge it there. We were extremely excited and grateful to be named champions.” Westmoore competed at the Dance Team Union National Championship in February of last year just before the COVID pandemic grabbed the headlines. They went on to win the National Championship in both the Jazz and the Hip-Hop categories. The team has claimed 17 national titles since 2009. Zielny said a lot of their success comes from the team’s willingness to work hard and put in the extra hours including nights and weekends to make it all come together. “The biggest hurdle we have faced this year has been being able to work together in person and having to Zoom,” Zielny said. “Our routine is pretty intricate, so having to work to-
44 February 2021
gether when we had to separate and having to practice via Zoom made it more difficult. We zoomed from March until June, when we were actually able to have tryouts, and even from then we have had multiple individual quarantines, with our whole team being quarantined twice.” “We had girls zooming in their living rooms, in their garages, whatever they could do to make it work,” she said. “As coaches, we are extremely proud of how they have handled the adversity of this year.” The Pom Squad is currently gearing up for Nationals in April. Current team captains are senior Lillian Ko and juniors Shelbi Cook and Taryn Taylor. When asked about what sets Westmoore apart, Zielny said that hard work pays off. “I know it sounds cliché but it really does. When I say work hard, I’m talking about going to regular practice, then going to dance and then come back and practice again that night,” she explained. “We practice nights and weekends and holidays. Every break we ever have is not really a break. They practice every day, making sure that every single thing is perfect for when we get out on that floor to compete.” “I think some people get confused because they just see us on the sidelines cheering for other teams and don’t realize that we’re extremely competitive athletes in our own right… We work hard to make sure we are the best athletes we can be at our sport.” –19SM
sportstalk1400.com
19TH STREET MAGAZINE | 45
COMM U N I T Y
BY: CHELSEY KRAF T
Long-time restaurateur says pizza and people are his passion
M
aking pizza runs in Sandro Osmani’s family. For most of his life, Osamni has been in the restaurant business, growing up with a father who worked in the industry as well.
People who live in the Oklahoma City metro area may already be familiar with Osmani’s pizza as he was the founder of Sandro’s Pizza and Pasta, which opened in 2008 on Main Street in Norman. Before that, he worked with his dad at New York Pizza & Pasta on Campus Corner prior to opening his own restaurant. Osmani was born in Italy and grew up in Albania before immigrating to New York City when he was 18 years old. From there, Osmani’s father, Gino, moved to Dallas then to Oklahoma where Osmani decided to join his dad. Due in part to the late hours it was open, Osmani admits that New York Pizza eventually became too much for him, especially once his daughter was born. That’s when he decided to start his own business. In 2013, Osmani added a Sandro’s location in Moore, at the same spot where Jet’s now operates but sold it in 2015. He later sold his Norman restaurant and took some time off “because I was exhausted. I worked so much,” he said. However, after about nine months away, Osmani found himself getting bored and decided he wanted to return to the restaurant 48 February 2021
business. When he saw the location was still available, Osmani decided to take a chance and open Jet’s. Osmani opened his latest Italian restaurant and pizzeria in April 2020 serving up Osmani’s signature New York-style pizza at 2024 S Service Road in Moore. Osmani said the pizza at Jet’s is a traditional New York-style pizza made with fresh dough and sauce every single day. The full menu includes thin-crust pizzas, authentic Italian dishes as well as a range of appetizers, homemade pasta, calzones and desserts. Although Jet’s opened right at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Osmani said business has been going well thanks to support from customers. “People are nice and have been supporting me, and I thank them a lot,” Osmani shared. Osmani’s favorite part of running a restaurant is the connections he makes with people. “The restaurant business is hard work, but it’s a lot of fun because you get to meet and talk to a lot of people,” Osmani explained. “I enjoy talking with my customers. I enjoy meeting people.”
When asked what he’d like potential customers to know, Osmani said to come give Jet’s a try and sample the food for themselves.
To learn more about Jet’s NY Slice and to see their full menu, visit jetsnyslice.com. –19SM
“We are a family-owned business,” Osmani said. “We like to support our communities and we like for our communities to support us too.”
sportstalk1400.com
19TH STREET MAGAZINE | 49
