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Veteran of the Month
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January 2021 • Issue 1 • Volume 4
20 Years Later
Don’t Medical Distance The COVID-19 pandemic has many people worried about their health. Please don’t be afraid to seek essential medical treatment. It’s important to still: • Call 911 or visit the Emergency Room if you experience chest pain, stroke symptoms or other urgent medical needs • See your physician for wellness visits and routine exams • Take your child to the doctor for well child checks and stay up to date on immunizations • Talk to a provider about your mental health and seek help if you experience troubling signs of depression, anxiety or thoughts of harming yourself Norman Regional’s team is taking extra precautions to ensure your safety including masking, enhanced disinfection measures and staggered appointment times. We also offer several options to see a provider virtually through your phone, tablet or computer. Call us today at 405.515.5000 to be matched with the perfect physician for you.
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Features
JANUARY CONTENTS 2021
ISSUE 1– VOLUME 4 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Mark Doescher
A Heart for the City
10 by Chelsey Kraft
MANAGING EDITOR Lindsay Cuomo
Moore Chamber president Kathy Gillette retires after years of service to local businesses.
Veteran of the Month:
14 Jeff Van Dorp
by Bill Moakley Retired U.S. Air Force mechanic chooses Moore Oklahoma to raise his family and retire.
PHOTOGRAPHY
Mark Doescher
CONTRIBUTORS
14
Roxanne Avery | Sharla Bardin Callie Collins | Lindsay Cuomo Chelsey Kraft | Steve Marshall Bill Moakley | 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
Fitness Tips
18 by Roxanne Avery
NEXGEN Fitness aims to help people meet their fitness goals in 2021.
22
A Network of Resources by Sharla Bardin Free workshop offers resources for advocates for justice-involved population.
20 Years Later
26 by Chris Plank
18
19th Street Magazine 2020 E. Alameda Norman, Oklahoma 73071 Phone: (405) 321-1400 E-mail: 19thstreetmagazine@gmail.com Copyright © 19th Street Magazine Any articles, artwork or graphics created by 19th Street Magazine or its contributors are sole property of 19th Street Magazine and cannot be reproduced for any reason without permission. Any opinions expressed in 19th Street are not necessarily that of 19th Street management.
Memories, insight and updates from members of the national championship team.
Norman Regional Hospital:
36 Strengtherning the Fight
provided New clinic offers infusion treatment for COVID to keep patients out of hospital.
Norman Regional Hospital:
40 Healthy Habits that Stick
by Lindsay Cuomo Helpful tips for success with your New Year’s resolutions.
26
From Senegal to the Gridiron
44 by Steve Marshall
CCS Royal Bai Jobe.
Out-of-the-Box Service
48 by Callie Collins
Local pharmacy serves the community through customized medicine, knowledgeable service.
sportstalk1400.com
48
Cover photo by: Mark Doescher
B U S I N E SS
BY: CHELSEY KRAF T
A Heart for the City
Moore Chamber president Kathy Gillette retires after years of service to local businesses
K
athy Gillette is a hugger, so much so that there’s a joke she’d hug a wall if she thought it was going to hug her back. For those who work with Gillette through the Moore Chamber of Commerce, it’s clear she feels the same way about the city, too. “That’s why we are where we are in the chamber is because of that mentality of, ‘I’d hug a wall if the wall would hug me back,’” said Kim Brown, director of development and relations for the chamber. At the end of 2020, Gillette retired from the Moore Chamber, an organization she joined in October 2006 as the membership director before moving into her role as president and CEO in 2014. For Gillette, a focus on fellowship and networking has been key to her leadership approach. When she started working at the chamber, the organization had a membership of about 200. Now,
10 January 2021
that number is over 700 because of Gillette’s due diligence, Brown said, adding that the chamber has remained solid despite the pandemic because of her stewardship.
tioned she often hears business owners saying how easy it is to work with the City of Moore, and that relationship is also strong between the city and the chamber.
Gillette entered the chamber industry from a publishing company, where she created directories for chambers in various territories. One city she worked with was Moore, and as someone who was born in Oklahoma City, Gillette was drawn to working in the area. Gillette also has deep roots in southeast Oklahoma, specifically Eagletown where she has several family members. Even though she was still living in Oklahoma, her publishing job required frequent travel, and Gillette was looking for a career that would allow her to be more settled in her home state.
“We built so many different and new places that now people want to come to Moore, they want to eat in Moore, they want to shop in Moore,” Gillette explained. “We as a chamber work great with our city. We work very hard to make things compatible so people will want to be here.”
During her years at the chamber, Gillette has also seen the City of Moore itself grow, both in terms of population and number of businesses. She men-
Gillette’s efforts earned her recognition as recipient of the 2013 Outstanding Chamber Leader from the Oklahoma Chamber of Commerce Executives and the 2016 Sheila Lee Executive of the Year. She also completed the Institute of Organization Management, a four-year program through the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, attending the Winter Institute in Tucson, Arizona.
As president and CEO, Gillette oversaw a close-knit chamber team that includes Brown; Carole Motley, director of membership sales; and Cheryl Patterson, administrative assistant. Brown, who is in her sixth year with the chamber but has known Gillette for 15 years, said that what you see is what you get with Gillette. “You can’t find a board member that has served under her leadership that does not respect what she has done for our chamber. In the chamber industry as a whole, fellow chamber executives and presidents feel the same way about her,” Brown said. “She is an impactful person who leaves a lasting impression on everybody that she meets. She really does.” John Ireland and Dee Ann Gay are two such members of the Moore Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors who have worked closely with Gillette throughout the years. Ireland, of John M. Ireland Funeral Home and Chapel, said the group has been fortunate to work with Gillette and called her dedicated and one of a kind. “I said this at one of the board meetings that Kathy is all over the map, and it’s all about chamber,” Ireland stated. “Without any question, she wants everybody to succeed. She would do anything for you within her power to help your business succeed.” Gay, senior vice president at First American Bank, said Gillette is best described as passionate about both local businesses and the community, adding that she will “forever cherish” her friendship with Gillette.
12 January 2021
“Kathy’s focus has been right on what we need, and her drive is really to help everyone grow and to be successful,” Gay explained. “Kathy’s also easy to like. She has a magic effect that makes people really like her, whether it’s the twinkle in her eye or the smile on her face, you always want a hug from Kathy. She’s also a very transparent person and creates a culture of empowerment to her office and to the community and to the board. Even in our ups and downs, she always projects this support and is always behind the businesses, the local government, the schools and the individuals who make up our community.” In retirement, Gillette plans to spend time with her husband of 40 years, Gerry, and their blended family that includes six children, 10 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. She also hopes to serve the chamber as an ambassador soon. “I would love for my ambassador job to be going to visit so many people,” Gillette said. “That’s what I am hoping to do, to come back and see all the people that I love and care for. “I tell people that I have loved every single day that I come to work, the good and the bad days,” she continued. “We have some days where we work long and hard. Most people think that, ‘I’d love to work for the chamber, that’s easy. It’s fun. Look at all that they’re doing,’ not knowing the behind the scenes of all the things that there are to do. But I’ve never one day said I didn’t want to be here.” -19SM
COMM U N I T Y
BY: BILL MOAKLEY
Veteran of the Month: Jeff Van Dorp Retired veteran recounts career in the Air Force
R
etired veteran Jeff Van Dorp remembers the days of maintaining mountains of physical copies of manuals as an airplane mechanic in the U.S. Air Force. Let’s just say things have changed a bit. “I had over 800 technical manuals to supervise, plus 15 others that were each carried on the airplanes so when they went somewhere, the crew had the tech data,” Van Dorp recalled. “We went from having manuals to what they call crew chiefproof laptops. You know they’re going to drop it or drop stuff on it. It has everything you need to know about the airplane right in that laptop. Everything is current. You plug it in at night and it gets updated.” The change reminds Van Dorp of conversations he and fellow mechanics had in the 70s. “We would talk about everything in the Air Force being like ‘The Jetsons’ (the popular futuristic cartoon),” Van Dorp laughed. And while some things have changed for those who maintain the nation’s military aircraft fleet, some things have not. “You’re drilling holes and replacing rivets, stuff like that. That will never change,” Van Dorp predicted. Born in Denver and raised in Toledo, Ohio, Van Dorp graduated high school in 1971. After working a few different jobs, he decided to join the Air Force in 1975 and become an airplane mechanic. He stationed in North Carolina, Virginia, Utah and Texas before moving from active duty to reserve status and filling out what the Air Force called a “dream sheet” on which soldiers listed where they’d like to work. Van Dorp was contacted by Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma City and, having spent time in Tulsa at Spartan School of Aeronautics following high school, he decided to head back to the Sooner State. “I liked Oklahoma,” Van Dorp recalled from his days in Tulsa. “I had been stationed in North Carolina and Oklahoma was a lot like it. Great people, friendly people. Food is great. So, I came here in 1981 and I’ve now lived here longer than anywhere I’ve been stationed.” Van Dorp worked at the 507th Air Refueling Wing at Tinker with fighter planes, which was a dream. His assignment included lots of heavy maintenance.
14 January 2021
PRESENTED BY
CENTURIONCG.NET
“I love fighter planes, so I was right at home with the F4s and F16s they had,” Van Dorp said. “We then converted to the KC-135s (military aerial refueling aircraft).” He retired from the Air Force reserves in 2005, but the retirement “scenery” didn’t change much. “I turned 55 and the military makes you retire at 55,” Van Dorp explained. “I had networked across the base and one week I was working with the reserves and the next week I was over with the civilian folks.” Van Dorp’s career has afforded him the opportunity to work on a wide array of military airplanes, including what might be his favorite, the F4. “I spent many years on that jet,” Van Dorp recalled. “It was a plane of the Air Force in the 60s and 70s, and even the 80s. “I like the planes from World War II. I love the air shows. The B-17s and P-51s. I love the sounds of those old prop jobs.” Van Dorp and his wife, Deb, raised four children, all of whom graduated from Moore High School. His son, Joe, is now in the Air Force reserves and a fellow member of Moore’s Albert F. and Harold A. Herd (184) American Legion Post. The older Van Dorp is active in post activities including traveling to local schools for American civics lessons and helping with the post’s annual oratorical contest for high school students. He currently serves the post as chaplain and is a past commander and first vice-commander. Van Dorp said he is grateful for the path the Air Force took him. “It was a great career,” he concluded. “I loved it.” -19SM
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HE A LT H
BY: ROXANNE AVERY
Fitness Tips NexGen Fitness aims to help people meet their fitness goals in 2021
I
t’s that time of year again…making New Year’s resolutions that invariably include losing weight and getting into shape. As 2021 rolls around, not only is fitness topping many priority lists, but health and safety as well, especially when many of us feel trapped at home, unable or unwilling to go to the gym. Welcome to NexGen Fitness, an elite private workout studio located at 480 24th Avenue NW Suite 114 in Norman. But don’t confuse this with a traditional gym. NexGen is not a gym, but rather a unique approach to fitness that is revolutionizing the personal training industry. Starting with customized, private results-focused training, clients work out with a certified, experienced personal trainer in their own private, state-of-the-art personal training suite. Each NexGen suite offers fully equipped cutting-edge weight training and cardio equipment and clients never share the
18 January 2021
suite with another client. There’s no waiting on equipment, other people watching, distractions or wasted time. Every program begins with a comprehensive fitness assessment where a unique training program is put together by the client and personal trainer. And the first workout is free! Studio Managers Gabi Coleman and Pablo Fisher say the best tip for getting into shape is consistency. “Consistency in showing up for your workout is one of the most important parts of getting into shape,” Coleman said. “NexGen holds all clients accountable for their workouts and makes sure clients reschedule if they miss a workout.” Fisher added, “the hardest part about working out is just getting to the gym. Go, even on the days you really don’t want to.”
Where to begin? Coleman said the best way to get into shape is not only consistency but also guidance. “It is easy to get lost in the process,” she said. “A personal trainer is always helpful when getting back on track.” Fisher also suggests writing goals down on paper. “Everything you do should reflect the goals you set for yourself. Don’t dwell on mistakes. Every day is a new opportunity to move towards your goals.” With COVID-19 still around, most people are concerned about health and safety and Coleman and Fisher say because NexGen offers private work-out suites, not only are workouts at least six feet apart, there’s a wall in between too. “Every trainer is masked at all times and equipment is sanitized between every session,” Coleman explained. “An additional five minutes has been added to allow time to disinfect between clients.”
Benefits of going to the gym are clear. Regular exercise staves off depression, improves sleep and staying fit may be a way to avoid COVID-19. But there are risks. When a lot of people gather together indoors, share equipment and air, and breathe heavily, a viral spread could occur. Here are some tips to stay healthy while working out during the pandemic:
• Maintain social distancing and “No Contact” training. • Wear a mask. Your trainer needs to wear one too. • Assure equipment is properly sanitized before using it. • Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds and use hand sanitizer as needed. • Do not touch your face, mouth, nose or eyes while taking off your mask.
Fisher said clients are asked to wear a mask, social distance and wash their hands while in the facility. “NexGen was COVID-friendly before COVID-19 was here,” Coleman said. Certified cleaners disinfect NexGen twice a month and multiple facility cleanings are done throughout the day. Some people become anxious and intimidated when going to a new gym but NexGen has created a fitness studio that people should not be intimidated to come too. “It is 100% private training, so all clients have a training suite to themselves,” Coleman explained. “They get to show up to our studio and just enjoy the workout. (We) understand that everybody starts somewhere. “It has changed my life and I am glad to be a part of it as it continues to change the lives of others.”. –BSM sportstalk1400.com
• Bring your own personal water bottle with your name on it. • Avoid sharing personal items with other patrons. • A safe facility is one that monitors the number of people inside at the same time. • Cleaning towels should be disposable or laundered after every session. • Staff and clients should not be in the facility if exhibiting any COVID symptoms. 19TH STREET MAGAZINE | 19
COMM U N I T Y
A Net wo r k of Re sou rces
BY: SHARLA BARDIN
Free workshop offers resources for advocates for justice-involved population
M
oore Norman Technology Center offers a free workshop that can foster communication, cooperation and connection for people who work with and on behalf of justice-involved individuals. The Re-Entry Employment Specialist certification training is a three-day workshop that gives participants an opportunity to learn more about resources, organizations and programs in the area that assists people with a criminal background who are re-entering the workforce. “We become aware of each other and collaborate,” said Jared Williams, career connection specialist and a certified Re-Entry Employment Specialist Trainer. Williams said the training is offered to anyone who works with the justice-involved population, whether as a professional, volunteer, an employer or anyone interested in the field. The next workshop is in February and will be virtual. Moore Norman Technology Center is the only place in the state to offer the training. The workshop was created by the National Institute of Corrections but has been tailored to focus on specific needs in Oklahoma, Williams said, and will include guest speakers from agencies and groups in the community. Recent speakers have included representatives from the Department of Corrections, library system, nonprofits and colleges. “We make sure that every single one of our classes have a lot of different organizations represented,” Williams said. Subjects covered in the training include services that can be provided before people are released from prison, addressing barriers and how to help individuals obtain and retain employment. Williams said the training also can promote encouragement and motivation among advocates who are working toward the same goals. “It’s always rejuvenating to be in a room full of people who share in the same passion as you,” he shared. That camaraderie and sharing of ideas and practices were some of the highlights for Brittany Hussain, who attended the workshop in November. “It was really neat to be connected with people who serve the same population but in different facets,” said Hussain, employment navigator with TEEM at Diversion Hub. TEEM stands for The Education and Employment Ministry, a nonprofit that aims to break cycles of incarceration and poverty through education, personal development and work readiness training, according to the organization’s website. The Diversion
22 January 2021
Hub is a multi-agency network for Oklahoma County to assist justice-involved individuals, according to the network’s website. Hussain said she gained valuable insight from her fellow participants and more awareness about other groups that assist justice-involved individuals. “There were a lot of really good tools,” she said. “I think that this is something that is going to help me really serve my clients better.” Hussain said some of the reasons she works with the population are personal. She has relatives who have been justice involved and has watched as some have succeeded, while others have had a harder time. She sees her work as a way to offer support to those re-entering society and looking for opportunities for employment and education. “I can be a part of that journey that instills some hope in their lives. … I just feel so fortunate to be able to encourage people,” she said. Hussain said she was impressed with the certification training, the facilitators of the program and the presenters. She encourages others who work with justice-involved individuals to attend the workshop and said the information presented can offer more awareness about needs they face and how to “come together as a community to help these individuals succeed.” To sign up, visit mntc.edu/reentry. Registration is on a firstcome, first-served basis. -19SM
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S P O RT S
BY: CHRIS PLANK
20 Years Later SOONER REVIEW PRESENTED BY
McIntyre Law is a proud supporter of OU athletics. Contact McIntyre Law for all your personal injury needs 26 January 2021
T
wenty years ago, the University of Oklahoma shocked the college football world when second-year head coach Bob Stoops and the 2000 Sooner squad ran the table and secured their seventh National Championship. An underrated and underappreciated group of underdogs provided Sooner Nation with memorable moments that will never be forgotten from Red October to the comeback at Kyle Field and Quentin Griffin running all over Texas. Now, all these years later, many of the stars of the 2000 National Championship team are still making an impact off the field, but the immense legacy they left for Oklahoma Sooner football and its fan base is immeasurable. While the years have passed, the memories have not dimmed.
THE MOMENT THEY KNEW The Sooners entered the 2000 season with minimal fanfare. Oklahoma started the preseason polls ranked in the top 20 which was the first time they had shown up in preseason polls in five years. The second preseason camp with Jerry Schmidt, Sooner strength and conditioning coach, had helped set expectations and, for junior fullback Josh Norman, it was then and there they decided it was championship or bust. “I’m a firm believer that belief doesn’t come when you’re down against Nebraska. If you try to find that belief at that time, it’s too late,” Norman said, looking back on the moment when he felt the 2000 team could be special. “After a long grueling day of summer workouts... it was hot... we were put through the wringer and we were dead tired. Andre Woolfolk, Damian Mackey, Curtis Fagan... we were sitting there dog tired. We all had the same thought at the same time, somebody said ‘if we don’t win the National Championship, I’m not coming back next summer. If we gotta do all this hard work, we gotta win the title or it’s all for not.’ “That mentality… that belief started then. If we were going to put in this much work, it was worth the National Championship.” Torrance Marshall was the leader of the Sooner defense in 2000. As a senior captain and the starting mike linebacker, Marshall said he felt there was no single moment that led them to believe they could win a title. “I’m not going to say one particular play here or there made that season,” Marshall said. “I’m always going to look at the whole journey of how everything ended after the Independence Bowl and what we did from that day moving forward until we played the National Championship game. A lot of guys worked their tails off and the coaches coached their tails off... We just believed in each other.”
RED OCTOBER The Sooners introduced themselves as a national contender during the month of October--or what has become known in Sooner Nation as “Red October”- when the team would face No. 11 Texas in Dallas, No. 2 Kansas State in Manhattan and capped the month off at home against No. 1 Nebraska. “Our team had a great deal of character throughout the entire locker room,” Norman said reflecting on the October run. “It
“If we were going to put in this much work, it was worth the National Championship.”
The Sooners rolled the Longhorns 63-14, shocked the Wildcats 41-31 and rallied from a 14-0 hole to beat then the topranked Cornhuskers 31-14. “We were down 14-0 halfway through the first quarter and we were doing math and thinking we’re going to be down 70
before we know it,” Andre Woolfolk said. “But the defensive guys came over and said … we got our stuff handled, just do your job. They just decided they weren’t giving up anything else and we decided we could move the ball now and everything clicked from there. That is the day I found out where the National Championship game was because oranges were raining down and I’m like... oh my God... I guess we’ve got a shot at the National Championship.” Teddy Lehman was a true freshman in 2000 and had the same moment of clarity when the fans were storming the field after the win over the Huskers. “I think it all really hit whenever the Nebraska game ended when the oranges started flying onto the field,” Lehman said. “Up until that point, it was just head down... grind. It was that moment where all the sudden this team finally looked at themselves and said we’re pretty good, we can beat anyone we’re lined up against.” sportstalk1400.com
THE COMEBACK AT KYLE FIELD That belief was challenged when the Sooners traveled to College Station. After sweeping through Red October, the Sooners, ranked No. 1 in the country, were greeted by a raucous crowd of 87,188 at Kyle Field. With 7:18 to go in the game, the Sooners trailed 31-28 when Marshall made a standout play. His first interception turned into a pick 6 giving Oklahoma the lead for good. “That play they ran a lot, and they were really successful on
it,” Marshall said looking back on the play that led to his first career interception. “We went into that week knowing that... we practiced that play a lot. Coach (Brent) Venables got on me a lot about it. He told me, ‘They are going to run this play, and you must be ready for it … because if you cover it right, the quarterback is going to throw it and you’re going to intercept it and run it for a touchdown.’ I just wanted to make sure I knew that play and, if the opportunity presented itself, I wanted to make a big play and dig.” For senior safety JT Thatcher, the win over A&M was the moment where he realized how special this team truly could be. “They didn’t go away,” Thatcher said. “Playing in College Station is not a normal atmosphere. They are into the game. On the sidelines standing behind someone, I couldn’t hear them talk. I had to yell at them. When the offense was on the field for A&M, you could hear a pin drop.”
Photos by: Mark Doescher
takes a great deal of character to be down 14-0 against the number one team in the country and come back to win. It takes a great deal of character to go into Manhattan and win, to be down against Texas A&M at Kyle Field and win. We were disciplined. We had respect for one another and we worked our tails off.”
19TH STREET MAGAZINE | 27
THE ORANGE BOWL The Sooners finished the regular season undefeated and secured its first-ever Big 12 Championship with a win over Kansas State in the Big 12 title game, the first conference title for Oklahoma Sooner Football since 1987. But, for Sooner senior captain Chris Hammons, the goal was even bigger than a conference title. “I remember the Big 12 Championship in the locker room, the Orange Bowl Committee comes in and tells you you’re going to the Orange Bowl,” Hammons said looking back on the post-game celebration. “I remember thinking, well we won one and they can’t take this away from us. But I remember thinking, forget this. We must go win the whole thing. We genuinely believed there was no chance we were going to lose against Florida State. Our team was so tight at the time we didn’t let the outside influences affect us.” As Oklahoma prepared for a showdown with Florida State in the Orange Bowl, the media and Vegas did not give OU much of a chance. Oklahoma was a 13-point underdog and Stoops joked that if the Sooners listened to the oddsmakers they would be 7-4. “I remember distinctly hearing a lot of Miami people talking about how they should be in the game,” Andre Woolfolk laughed while thinking about the build-up to the game. “Hearing about the way that we play football isn’t real football and you can’t judge Big 12 vs other conferences. We had worked to do all these things and of course, we’re hearing about Chris Wienke and how they would shred through our defense and I was like... man… there is no way we can come out here and lay an egg to the nation. At that point, we were playing in front of Game Day and the nation week in and week out and I knew we weren’t going to come out and get embarrassed.” “We played Kansas State twice, Nebraska, Texas and Florida State and we were underdogs every game,” Thatcher said. “There was really no underdog talk, but you thought about it. When you have Torrance Marshall, Rocky Calmus, Ramon Richardson, Ryan Fisher, Dan Cody, Cory Callens, Ontei Jones, 28 January 2021
Derek Strait, Book (Brandon Everage) and me... you have those guys on the defensive side hearing the media say you’re going to get blown out. You saw what the score was… and we gave them two points.” OU would roll the overly-hyped Seminoles 13-2 and secure their seventh National Championship, but before the game even kicked off, a moment in Sooner History played out, unlike anything we had ever seen before. The coin toss set the tone for the entire game. “I wasn’t planning on saying anything specifically to him, but a lot of pent-up frustration... a lot of disrespect thrown our way as a team… by the time kickoff started, I was dead serious about it,” Marshall said As the captains were preparing for the coin toss, Marshall yelled across to the Florida State captains and let Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Chris Wienke know that he was coming “to get his boy’s trophy back.” “A lot of people think I thought about what I was going to say... I wasn’t like that,” Marshall added. “It wasn’t a joke for it to be on YouTube... I said it because I meant it and I knew our team was going to play like that and I wanted to let them know it wasn’t going to be a cakewalk like they thought it was going to be.” “We had a bit of superstition, so we went out with the same captains pretty much each time,” Hammons said of the moment at midfield. “We were certainly fired up before the game. We were about to tear the doors off before the game. Coach Stoops was always an even-keel guy, but he gave one heck of a pregame speech. We go out there and it’s surreal. All I could think about were the games I watched with my dad and brother when I was a kid... Those were famous football players I was watching as a kid and now I’m standing at midfield and Denzel Washington was there and I love Denzel and Torrance starts up on Wienke and at that moment I was thinking, oh boy this thing is really on right here. It’s on. And I agreed with him. Josh should have won the Heisman.” While Hammons was digging the fact that Hollywood Superstar Denzel Washington was a part of the opening coin toss, it never even registered with Marshall.
“I didn’t even know Denzel was out there,” Marshall recalls. “We were zoned in as a team... laser-like focused on Florida State. I was in the moment. I had no idea Denzel was tossing the coin until after the game when my mom asked if I saw Denzel.” When the game kicked off and Oklahoma dominated, it was evident that the message for the week had been received and the Sooners were champions. “The whole message for the entire week was do your job, win your one-on-one,” Woolfolk said. “As long as you’re doing that play after play, you’re fine. As the game wore on you could see the confidence grow. It didn’t matter how close it was, we knew someone would make a play. “It was surreal but I wish I could have taken more joy during, before and after,” he remembered. “I told somebody afterward I was empty and lost because there wasn’t another goal. We won a championship and all we had been told was let’s just worry about this and we’ll work on it next week when we get there. But there wasn’t a next week and I didn’t know what to do except wonder now what. Over time I have taken a ton of joy in it... the more people talk about it to me, the more joy I find in it.”
THE UNDERSTUDIES The 2000 National Championship team laid a foundation for Oklahoma Sooner football in the modern era. The Sooners would play for the national title three more times over the next eight seasons including a 2003 showdown with LSU featuring many of the young players that were learning the ropes in 2000. “The 2000 season was one of my favorite years besides 2003 and 2004,” Jason White said. “Not too many quarterbacks can say they were the best scout team quarterback in the nation. I dubbed myself that because that’s what I was that year.” Jason White would eventually quarterback the Sooners to back-to-back national title appearances and won the Heisman Trophy during the 2003 season.
while Josh Heupel wrapped up his third season as the head coach at UCF. Three of Stoops’ assistants from that team landed head coaching jobs at other division one programs. Brent Venables, who was co-defensive coordinator, is now the defensive coordinator at Clemson and has won two national championships with the Tigers. Josh Norman is currently the head football coach for the Southmoore SaberCats and just finished up his first season. “A large chunk of my coaching mindset is from my time at OU,” Norman said. “It really hit me as I was interviewing for this position at Southmoore. Each one of my coaches at each level was a Hall of Fame football coach. My high school coach, Bob Stoops and I played for Marty Schottenheimer. I picked up something from each one of those guys. I was fortunate to play for great football minds, great offensive minds like Mike Leach, Mark Mangino, Chuck Long, Cam Cameron, Norv Turner.” Lehman is an analyst on the Oklahoma Sooner Radio Network and has an afternoon show on SportsTalk 1400 and 99.3FM. Derek Strait lives in the Austin, Texas area, and is involved in a home remodeling business. Meanwhile, Marshall lives in Tampa Bay, where he works for Trinity Services Group and also teaches jiu jitsu. Thatcher is the finance director at Big Red Sports while White currently is just about everywhere in Oklahoma telling you about Air Comfort Solutions. Woolfolk is enjoying ‘the dad life’. “I’ve got four little ones ranging from five to 13,” he said. “I’m adapting to being an adult basically where I must set my own schedule. I’ve had a lot of years of stuff that was planned for me, so I enjoyed setting goals for myself.” But perhaps no path has been more incredible than that of Hammons. After wrapping up his college career, he became a lawyer and eventually turned into a reality star.
“It was amazing to be a part of that team,” he said. “That’s the team that turned the corner for OU to get back into the national spotlight. All that scout team were the same guys I threw to in 2003 and 2004… Mark Clayton, Brandon Jones… and we took pride in trying to pick apart the best defense in the nation that year. That was a big deal to us.”
“When the show Survivor started, I was immediately drawn to it,” Hammons said. “It’s the ultimate game. I tried out for close to 16 years straight, and in 2015, I finally got a call from a producer and went through this month-long process. Then in January of 2016, I was sitting in my law office... I was preparing for a jury trial and I got a call from a Boston number to tell me I was no longer an applicant, but I was a contestant.”
Lehman would eventually win the Butkus and Bednarik award and was named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year in 2003. But in 2000, he was simply figuring out how to be a college football player and had a great role model.
From reality shows to radio and coaching… the list of post-football paths is diverse. But one thing still binds this group together, the grind that it took to win a national championship.
“It was great honestly,” Lehman said. “I came from a small town and whenever I came to Norman I had no idea what I was getting myself into as far as big-time college football. To watch those guys do it at such a high level… I don’t know where I would have gone or what I would have become had I not watched those guys.”
“More than anything, as the years go by, for numerous reasons, it just becomes even more special,” Norman added. “The championship I use as an example talking to my own team. How nothing in life worth having or keeping comes without hard work. We are celebrating 20 years now and if I’m still around in 20 more years we will be celebrating 40 years. It’s not just the memories that were gained but more than that the relationships that you form are what makes it so cherished.” – BSM
TODAY Several members of the 2000 team are still involved in football. Seth Littrell is currently the head coach at North Texas sportstalk1400.com
19TH STREET MAGAZINE | 29
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HE A LT H
Strengthening the Fight New clinic offers infusion treatment for COVID to keep patients out of hospital
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klahomans have a new weapon in the fight against COVID-19. Norman Regional Health System opened an Outpatient Infusion Treatment Center to administer a new drug for high-risk COVID-19 patients. The clinic offers the infusion, Bamlanivimab, a new drug from Ely Lilly, which has been granted an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the Food and Drug Administration. This medication is a monoclonal antibody designed for use in patients with mild to moderate COVID-19 symptoms early in the infection, and who are at high risk for progressing to severe COVID-19 and/or hospitalization. Another monoclonal antibody medication, Rengeneron, was granted EUA in December and will be added to the center’s infusion treatment regimen. Dr. Aaron Boyd, an intensivist who treats patients with COVID as well as the chief medical officer at Norman Regional, is hopeful this new clinic will provide options for patients. “The most likely candidate will be somebody who’s tested positive with symptoms recently, that is at high risk for the complications of COVID-19,” Boyd said. “There are age criteria and chronic medical problem criteria that we will use to determine who can receive the infusion.” This clinic is open to established patients with Norman Regional Primary Care Clinics. “We have a limited number of doses, but as our experience has shown with other medications, as we start using those doses we are then sent more so that we can continue to give the medication to other patients,” Boyd said. In addition to helping patients, this new method of treatment may also alleviate the strain on hospitals. “This is a method that may help prevent people from being admitted and help with bed availability. I think the capacity of the health systems in our state are reaching a maximum and we are investigating all types of treatments, modalities, management that can be done as an outpatient, this is just one of them,” Boyd said. – BSM
36 January 2021
Dr. Aaron Boyd
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HE A LT H
BY: LINDSAY CUOMO
Healthy Habits That Stick Helpful tips for success with your New Year’s resolutions
A
fter an especially challenging year, many of us are ready to shake the dust of 2020 off and start the New Year with a new stride. Abby Banks, a dietitian at Norman Regional’s Journey Clinic, has some tried-and-true tips to help Normanites turn their resolutions into lasting change. “When it comes to New Year’s resolutions, we tend to be all in and then all out,” admitted Banks. “It is really hard to make big changes all at once and translating that to the long term is really hard.” Instead of following a highly restrictive diet or intensive exercise program, Banks suggests setting smaller goals such as making fruits and vegetables a priority, drinking more water or creating an exercise routine, even if it’s just for five or 10 minutes a day. “The very best thing is to keep some sort of structure when it comes to food, meal time and exercise, especially when we are home so much,” Banks said. “Spend a few minutes at night or in the morning thinking about what you are going to do that day, nothing super rigid but a guide. If we go on the fly, we will go back to what we are used to.” Set yourself up for success by creating written goals that take into account your lifestyle. “When you are trying to create new habits, you have to look at the big picture,” Banks cautioned. “Our jobs don’t change. Our families do not change. We live in the world we live in.” But that doesn’t mean you can’t create new habits, you just need to find a plan that works for you. “Life is very seasonal so review goals weekly to check in with yourself and when you think you’ve master a goal, move onto something new,” encouraged Banks. “If you make a mistake, you just have to learn from it and move forward. Look at why you didn’t follow your plan and make a game plan for next time. “If you have a rough week, be okay with that and modify and move forward.” Each success usually builds into another success, Banks said. “When you make nutritious food a priority, you feel better and overall that helps you stick with your plan,” Banks explained. “The more buy-in you have, the more it becomes your new normal.” Wondering where to start? Here are four healthy goals that Banks put at the top of her list.
40 January 2021
Abby Banks
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S P O RT S
BY: STEVE MARSHALL
From Senegal to the Gridiron
CCS Royal Bai Jobe I
n a year full of the unusual and unconventional, 15-year-old Bai Jobe’s story maybe one of the most extraordinary.
potato chips and practiced basketball as much as possible. Because of his size and athletic prowess, he was often asked if he was interested in playing football.
Norman residents, Drs. James and Sue Bond have welcomed exchange students from Argentina and France in recent years. In 2018, they were contacted about a potential exchange student that loved basketball and wanted to interact with a family that shared his passion for the sport. Because the Bond family believed strongly in the value of the exchange student program and had a passion for basketball, they agreed to serve as a host family and Bai Jobe (6’4”, 205 lb) soon arrived ready to learn about America and hit the courts.
“At first, my classmates kept calling me a big teddy bear and I was offended,” he said. “I asked my family why they called me a bear because I was not a bear, but a lion, the CCS mascot.”
Almost from the beginning, Jobe became a member of the Bond family. He worked to become more proficient in English, enjoyed school, grew to like American food especially French fries and 44 January 2021
American football was a completely new phenomenon to Jobe and seemed a rather crazy game that bore little resemblance to his brand of football (soccer) so he shrugged, insisted he was a CCS lion and continued to focus on basketball. A month after Jobe came to live with the Bond family, his mother passed away unexpectedly in Senegal. Since his situation in Senegal changed dramatically, there were fewer options for him to return to so the decision was made for him to stay with the Bond family indefinitely.
As an orthopedic surgeon, specializing in sports medicine, Dr. James Bond is frequently on the sidelines providing medical coverage during football games. Jobe often accompanied him to games, enjoyed the atmosphere and after some encouragement from his friends on the football team, he began to wonder if he might actually want to play football. After a call from his family, the CCS coaching staff agreed to have Jobe come out and practice with the team. The initial idea was to have him practice a lot and just learn the game this season. During his first practice, Coach Prestidge was asked a question he had never been asked in 48 years of coaching. “We were working hard on teaching Bai a route and finally asked him to just run six yards and stop. Bai nonchalantly said, ‘Ok, but what is a yard?’” Prestidge remembered.
about quitting. My family supported me and told me if I started something, I must finish it and now I’m very glad I did!” Jobe soon exceeded all expectations on the gridiron and began to understand the game especially on defense. He kept one piece of simple straightforward advice from his coaches in mind at all times. See the ball and go get it! Because of his size, determination and athleticism, this mantra helped him achieve success on the field in a very short amount of time. Six weeks after playing football for the first time, Jobe had a breakout game where he recorded nine tackles, three for a loss, to go along with two touchdowns, one on a fumble recovery and the other an interception he returned for a touchdown to help the CCS Royals win over Bethel 27-7. For this performance, the staff of the Oklahoman named him Player of the Week. “We couldn’t wait to hug Bai at the end of that game,” shared Sue Bond. “We were all so proud of him!” He had to ask for clarification as Senegal uses the metric system. Fortunately, the CCS turf field has every yard marked. “At first I would get very frustrated because I didn’t understand the game at all and it was hard,” Jobe said. “Sometimes we would use Google translate to try to help. My coaches were encouraging, but there were a few times I even thought
sportstalk1400.com
The future is undoubtedly bright for Bai Jobe. He has adapted to life in a new country, mastered a new language, learned a complicated new sport and continued to play basketball as much as possible. As a sophomore, he has several years to decide if his ultimate goal is to pursue a college athletic career on a football field or a basketball court. But what is certain is that he will have the full support of his American family behind him whatever he decides. –BSM
19TH STREET MAGAZINE | 45
COMM U N I T Y
BY: CALLIE COLLINS
Out-of-the-Box Service
Local pharmacy serves the community through customized medicine, knowledgeable service
S
mall business owner and pharmacist Chris Phillips prides himself on being available to answer customer questions. It’s important to him and a hallmark of the customer service that helps set Chris’ Drug apart, a compounding pharmacy at 12032 S. Western in Oklahoma City. Not just the man behind the curtain, Phillips is a familiar figure in the pharmacy that bears his name. He often steps out from behind the counter to reassure parents, talk with patients of all ages and make sure customers are taken care of in a way that keeps them coming back. “Building within the direct community allows me to get to know people better that way. I intend to serve within a threemile radius and maybe out to five miles,” said Phillips. “It’s a different mindset as an independent pharmacy, which is to take care of what you have really well and slowly add to that. That’s the attitude I’ve used to build the business.” Chris’ Express Drug is a hybrid pharmacy, which means it is both a compounding pharmacy and a pharmacy that features traditionally manufactured medications, in addition to over-the-counter medicines and sundries. “Generally, most pharmacies open to the
48 January 2021
public dispense what comes from a manufacturer but unique people and problems need something outside of that box. That’s where compounding pharmacies come in,” Phillips explained, who compared the concept to eating in a restaurant versus eating at home. While both provide a product, one is tailored to the individual.
as built more on convenience than on service. A graduate of Western Heights High School, he attended Oklahoma Panhandle State University on a baseball scholarship before graduating from OU College of Pharmacy. During his tenure as a student, Phillips saw sports injuries that made compounding pharmacy’s application relevant to him and he has returned to serve his home community.
Compounding pharmacies can sometimes adapt adult medications for children’s use into a liquid, for example, or offer another solution for patients that can help bypass side effects to treat a problem more directly or more comfortably. Another example is treating pain with a specially-compounded cream that provides a localized response rather than a systemic one that would otherwise come with a pill.
Chris’ Express Drug celebrated its eighth year on Jan. 1, 2021. What has worked for Phillips is his willingness to listen as well as his knowledge of the field. He works with two other pharmacists onsite who also prioritize one-on-one care, a factor that also helps set the business apart. Chains may be convenient but an independent pharmacy like Chris’ Express Drug often has more personable service.
“It’s really customized medicine,” he said. “We can help in ways that other pharmacies just aren’t set up to, between the fact that we’re a compounding pharmacy and then the kind of personalized attention we can offer as a service-oriented business where customers have less wait time, they’re greeted quickly and they can talk to the pharmacist.”
“People don’t always know there can be a dramatic difference,” said Phillips. “If I had a child being prescribed medication, I would have a lot of questions and parents should be able to get those answered. If I can reassure people or if they need to make a change, I want to help make that possible. I’ll take the time.”
Phillips describes chain pharmacies as adequate for many but considers them
Find more information at chrisexpressdrug.com. –19SM
