#Always Giving
Fill the Bus
Students Benefit from Recent Bond
Moore Strong
Veteran of the Month
Joe Connor
July 2021 • Issue 7 • Volume 4
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JULY CONTENTS 2021
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Moore Strong, 10 in Tangible Ways
Mark Doescher
MANAGING EDITOR Lindsay Cuomo
by Callie Collins How Moore Public Schools students will benefit from funding made possible by recent bond passage.
Always Giving
16by Lindsay Cuomo
Moore Chamber of Commerce needs the community’s to help Fill the Bus.
Leading by Learning
20 by Bill Moakley
PHOTOGRAPHY
Mark Doescher
CONTRIBUTORS
10
PUBLISHER
Casey Vinyard
Moore Police Chief Todd Gibson serves as a commissioner for the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs.
New aviation maintenance program expected in 2023.
Jamey Wright,
28 Oklahoma Legend
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In Memory of
Sky’s the Limit
Sharla Bardin | Callie Collins Lindsay Cuomo | Bill Moakley Rae Lynn Payton | Chris Plank
RANDY LAFFOON
24 by Sharla Bardin
ISSUE 7– VOLUME 4
by Chris Plank Former Westmoore star coaching for the Dodgers.
16
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.
Gladiators
36 by Chris Plank
Patty Gasso’s softball team wins the program’s 5th national title.
49 Groundbreaking for
Better Health
provided Norman Regional HealthPlex to open new entrance, parking lots.
28
54 The Missing Piece
by Rae Lynn Payton OKC-based tech entrepreneur seeks to improve patient self-advocacy.
Veteran of the Month:
58 Joe Connor
by Bill Moakley Navy veteran shares tales of his years serving at sea.
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36
Cover photo by: Mark Doescher
COMM U N I T Y
Moore Strong, in Tangible Ways
Moore Public Schools students will benefit from funding made possible by recent bond passage
E
lementary, middle and high school campuses within Moore Public Schools are made up of vital infrastructure. When discussing related funding, familiar names like Earlywine, Highland and Westmoore come up in conversation as landmarks, familiar sites and places important to formative years. Investing in the necessary facilities and materials critical to supporting both educators and students represents community hope and reaffirms faith that education is an investment in the next generation. The recent passage of the May 11 bond issue via special election ballot secured improvements at all 35 schools in the district, making so many essential projects possible. Proposition 1 allocated $338.7 million for construction and repair
10 July 2021
projects, while Proposition 2 designated $8 million to expand transportation services. “I would describe the community we serve as the biggest small town, with more than 24,000 students and 2,700 staff members,” said Moore Public Schools Director of Communications Dawn Jones. “Moore, Norman and Oklahoma City each factor into our attendance areas but passing this critical measure was a united declaration in support of staff, students and our broader community.” Moore Public Schools Patrons’ Advisory Committee, a group of more than 100 participants including parents, teachers, staff, alumni, retirees, business owners and other concerned
BY: CALLIE COLLINS individuals, first began discussing funding issues related to the bond in 2019. “Our PAC worked to address the needs of all students at our 35 schools, dating back more than two years to identify those issues. Then, our community stepped up in a big way,” said Jones. “We are so grateful to every PAC participant and every voter. “The Moore community stepped forward to take care of our own. With education funding questionable at the state and federal levels, one of the unique and truly amazing things about Moore is how we take care of our students and each other.” All projects are slated to be shovel-ready by 2022. Superintendent Dr. Robert Romines helped summarize resulting projects with an appeal to voters explaining the ways in which they positively impact the district’s students. Changes will take place through both small and large-scale projects, including new classrooms and science labs at middle schools and improvements to indoor practice areas for athletics and band at high schools. Currently, 20 out of 25 elementary school gyms have no air conditioning; the bond makes possible HVAC installation or upgrades at each. Safety and security will be enhanced by adding safety entrances at all 35 schools, along with intentional design elements at certain sites, like enclosing external corridors at Red Oak, Santa Fe and Winding Creek Elementary. A new roof at Santa Fe, new exterior facades at Houchin and Kingsgate and a me-
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dia center at Earlywine have all been planned and budgeted for, along with the replacement of a front facade at Highland West. Technology improvements at all 35 schools will feature classroom equipment, devices for students, licenses for software and virtual textbooks, in addition to WiFi and cyber security upgrades. “We are one of the few districts that offers a comprehensive STEAM [science, technology, engineering, art and math] programs from kindergarten through senior year. Enhancing these opportunities for our students is a consistent goal we focus on because we know that’s where our workforce is headed, with technology use only set to increase,” said Jones. Athletics infrastructure will also receive enhancement through these critical funds. Stadium upgrades at Westmoore and Southmoore will allow all three high schools to access a multi-use home field and track. With upgrades to current playing fields, the change will allow for more home games and for each high school to have its own facilities instead of sharing a single stadium. Having the home field advantage and no longer traveling to as many “away” games will be a welcome change for local players. Construction on new College and Career Readiness Centers at all high schools will also help guide students toward their future professions. While concurrent enrollment currently allows willing juniors and seniors to earn college credit for courses like math and biology, these dedicated spaces will al-
19TH STREET MAGAZINE | 11
low classroom settings for those students to engage in in-person learning for those classes, where college professors and guest lecturers can teach.
sessing the correct cost for the items needed to complete these projects with accurate estimates took time but that diligence will have proven beneficial in the end.”
“These facilities are phenomenal,” said Jones. “Students will no longer have to leave campus or do online learning only to participate in those college classes while still in high school. For our careers side, we can bring in leaders within engineering and aerospace, host plumbers and electricians on-site and host a classroom space to teach what is needed to obtain those first certificates or first classes. Bridging the gap between high school classes and career readiness will take place there. The centers will also be open into the evening hours to allow for work and study, so our students can do what they need to do.”
While bond money cannot, by definition, pay for staff or teacher salaries, the passage of the bond helps keep class sizes as low as possible and retain qualified educators.
A technology bar made possible with participation from Dell Technologies will be included in each College and Career Readiness Center, with a certificate program where students can become Dell certified then use their skills to fix technology for students and staff, with the possibility of later using those skills in a professional capacity as well.
Reaching newly-constructed neighborhoods and taking into account population growth within the area is also part of the effort.
The College and Career Readiness Centers will also include a coffee bar where students, including those with special needs, can participate to gain life and management skills. “Inclusivity was extremely important to our PAC, as we know it to be within the Moore community,” said Jones. “Having places for students of all abilities to learn those skills is absolutely critical. Being good stewards of bond monies is also something we are extremely cognizant of, with administrators overseeing ways to keep costs optimal for the district. As12 July 2021
“We want to be competitive with pay for teachers and staff and be able to both retain and recruit the outstanding professionals our students rely on each day,” said Jones. “Ensuring we meet the needs of our schools without taking from other imperative areas, such as staff, makes this issue all the more critical.”
“We owe a big ‘thank you’ to the people of Moore for making our schools safer, better and places where children can flourish at the heart of their community. Strong communities cannot occur without strong thriving schools,” said Jones. “That definitely works hand in hand but the hope is that we will have laid a foundation so strong our children can thrive and be successful. Maybe they’ll come back after they complete college to be a leading force within our city or elsewhere, but they will have had those early opportunities through Moore Public Schools.” Find more information about specific improvement plans at mooreschools.com. -19SM
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COM M U N I T Y
Always Giving
Moore Chamber of Commerce needs the community’s to help Fill the Bus
T
he annual Fill the Bus campaign may have had humble origins but the Moore Chamber of Commerce’s young professionals group, Moore Involved, has grown the effort from collecting supplies for one school to now impacting 20 of the 35 schools in the district. “(Fill the Bus) started as a smaller-scale event with a few business owners collecting supplies,” said Chamber President Kim Brown. “But we thought if you’re going call it Fill the Bus, you might as well fill a bus! We just built onto that great start.” On three Fridays this July during lunchtime, a bus will be stationed at Wal-Mart, at 501 SW 19th St, and at Moore Warren Theater on Aug. 3 from 6 to 9 p.m. during the Moore Police Department’s National Night Out community event. Brown said the district graciously provides a bus to literally fill up. The supplies collected will be distributed to ten elementary schools, all six junior highs and all three high schools as well as Vista Academy, the district’s alternative school. “Citizens and area businesses have been so helpful in donating,”
16 July 2021
Brown shared. “Every year, it just keeps getting bigger and we hope to continue to expand the number of schools we contribute to. We even increased our impact last year during the pandemic. Our schools are our biggest community partner and this is our way of honoring them.”
BY: LINDSAY CUOMO
MOST NEEDED ITEMS: •
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• Glue sticks • Crayola crayons, markers & colored pencils • Folders • Dry erase markers • Facial tissues • Clorox or Lysol wipes • 3-ring binders
FILL DATES, TIMES & LOCATIONS • July 16 - Wal-Mart (501 SW 19th St), 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. • July 23 - Wal-Mart (501 SW 19th St), 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. • July 30 - Wal-Mart (501 SW 19th St), 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. • Aug. 3 - Moore Warren Theater (1000 S Telephone Rd), 6-9 p.m. Sponsorship opportunities are also available. For more information or volunteer opportunities, visit moorechamber.com or call 405-7943400.–19SM
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19TH STREET MAGAZINE | 17
TM
COM M U N I T Y
Leading by Learning Moore Police Chief Todd Gibson (center) serves as a commissioner for the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs
M
oore Police Chief Todd Gibson believes a big part of leading is learning. As the newest member of the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Commission, Gibson hopes the axiom he believes in holds true. “Every day that I put on this uniform and carry out my role, whatever role that is within law enforcement, but especially in a leadership role, I absolutely learn something,” the law enforcement veteran explained. Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt asked Gibson to lend both his desire to learn and his law enforcement expertise to OBN’s commission earlier this year. The state senate confirmed Gibson in April. Gibson’s law enforcement experience is vast. He began his career at the Warr Acres Police Department in the 1990s. He then joined the Norman Police Department in 1998, retiring as a Captain in 2016. While with NPD, Gibson served as division commander of patrol and criminal investigations. He also served as incident commander during multiple natural disasters in Cleveland County (including the 2010 and 2013 tornadoes).
20 July 2021
Gibson was recognized as Norman’s Supervisor of the Year in 2012. He was also named Officer of the Year at Warr Acres PD in 1996 and again in 1997. Gibson served in the U.S. Air Force Reserve and earned degrees in corrections and criminal justice from Oklahoma City Community College and the University of Central Oklahoma. In 2017, Gibson was named Cleveland County Sheriff following the early retirement of former sheriff Joe Lester. He was elected to that office in 2018. The seven-member commission is the governance arm of OBN. The commission includes one sheriff, one police chief, one district attorney and four lay members. Commission members are appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Oklahoma Senate. Gibson says his chief concern as a member of the commission will be the men and women charged with carrying out its enforcement activities. “I absolutely want to make sure that the men and women of the bureau have everything they need to be successful,” Gib-
BY: BILL MOAKLEY son noted. “Not only equipment and technology, but also the right leadership and culture within the bureau so that they can be successful.” Among Gibson’s other concerns are the state’s foray into medical marijuana and the rise he believes it has given to illicit drug trade. “I would like to do my part to have a voice on the commission to help straighten out some of the dysfunctional items that were put into place through different mechanisms, but mainly through state question 788, (the voter initiative that legalized the licensed cultivation, use and possession of marijuana for medicinal purposes),” Gibson added. Among Gibson’s concerns with the medical marijuana industry in Oklahoma is how doctors are to identify patients who might benefit from the use of medical marijuana. “Personally, I’m unclear on what are the specific diagnoses for which marijuana should and could be arguably prescribed for by a medical professional,” Gibson explained. “And if it is a medical component, then why are we buying a license from the state for a medical prescription?” Gibson is also concerned with the influx of illicit activity in the state, including illegal grow operations feeding markets outside Oklahoma. “We are seeing a lot of illegal operations that are setting up and exporting products from our state to other states where it is not legal,” Gibson said. “I think OBN is doing a good job combating a lot of that, but those are some other issues that I would like to learn more about and see what I can do to help support the Bureau in making strides and stopping that activity.” Gibson also noted OBN is charged as the state’s chief investigative unit of human trafficking, a problem on the rise nationally, and one often connected to the drug trade. “Some of this marijuana trade has connections to the human trafficking component, which is also a big initiative that is championed by OBN,” he said. Gibson believes one of the most impactful learning experiences he’s had was running a county jail as a sheriff. It’s there he witnessed first-hand the impact of drug use on individuals. “I saw the opportunity for people to hit rock bottom and to be given some hope through treatment,” Gibson explained. “People came into the Cleveland County jail and we’re frustrated and upset. But families outside would celebrate. Their loved ones are sleeping in a safe place and not on the streets. I’m not trying to say there’s not the ability to get drugs inside jails, we find that all the time. But, during their moments of sobriety in sportstalk1400.com
the jail, people often have clarity of mind to actually seek treatment options they didn’t when they’re provided to them when they are on the street. “(I learned) being arrested isn’t always a negative thing. We need to shift the paradigm … to an opportunity for us to interject into that person’s life and get them directed towards the path of recovery, and a path of freedom away from their addiction.” With a wide portfolio of learning opportunities Gibson has experienced in a quarter-century of in law enforcement, he is humbled to be serving in his new commissioner’s role with a chance to keep learning. “I just appreciate the opportunity,” he concluded. “I appreciate Governor Stitt giving me the opportunity to serve on the commission. It’s an honor.” –19SM 19TH STREET MAGAZINE | 21
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COMM U N I T Y
BY: SHARLA BARDIN
S ky ’s the Lim it A
New aviation maintenance program expected in 2023
dministrators at Moore Norman Technology Center are gearing up now for a new aviation program targeted for lift off in August 2023. The program for adults will offer training in a growing field with a variety of career paths and can help meet workforce needs of commercial, military and private aerospace companies in the region, said Lee Dow, director of aerospace and transportation at the center. Students in the aviation maintenance technician program can work to achieve airframe and powerplant mechanics certification, which are through the Federal Aviation Administration. Technicians will learn skills that can be used for jobs at airlines, fixed-base operators, manufacturers, repair stations, aviation maintenance schools and in business or general aviation. Dow said the center is in the process of developing the program and working with the FAA on standards, curriculum and an Aviation Maintenance Technician School operations manual. Upcoming tasks include establishing an advisory committee of industry professionals who can offer guidance and feedback on current industry practices and needs. In addition, center administrators are determining equipment needs for the program, which will be offered at the
24 July 2021
Franklin Road campus. For example, plans include setting up a hangar for different types of aircraft and industry-specific trainers for students to gain hands-on experience. Dow said starting the aviation maintenance technician program has been a goal for center administrators for years, given the job opportunities available at aviation industries in the region, such as Tinker Air Force Base, Will Rogers World Airport and a growing number of private aerospace businesses. Additionally, Dow said economic studies have shown that aerospace is the second largest industry in Oklahoma behind the oil and gas industry. He believes the center’s program will offer students a broad base of knowledge that they can use in a variety of career paths within the aviation field. Dow said he’s excited to be involved with developing a new program, after serving as a longtime automotive coordinator and instructor at the center, because he believes the program will continue the center’s tradition of providing quality, innovative and in-demand programs. “I’m proud to be part of it and excited to know that the community and industry know what Moore Norman Technology Center is going to bring,” Dow said. “We’re coming and we’re excited to be a part of the aerospace industry going forward.” -19SM
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HI G H S CH O O L S P ORTS PRESENTED BY LARRY LEEMASTER DDS
JAMEY WRIGHT, OKLAHOMA LEGEND Former Westmoore star coaching for the Dodgers
J
amey Wright is an Oklahoma legend. After spending 19 years in the big leagues, the only Westmoore Jaguar baseball player in program history to play in the big leagues is back in Oklahoma and ready to take the next step in his post-playing career.
The Westmoore icon has taken on the role of pitching coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers Triple A franchise in Oklahoma City. The move brings Wright closer to home, but, in many ways, it is like he never left. “It’s always been home,” Wright said of his return to Okla28 July 2021
homa. “We’re Oklahoma Sooners to the core. My wife went there, my sisters went there, my brother-in-law went there. We watch every football game every time we come home. “We’ve lived in a bunch of different places… we’re Oklahoma people and we never ever forgot where we come from.” Wright was named the Southwest Region Gatorade Player of the Year as a senior at Westmoore. His prep career was so impressive, he was drafted in the first round by the Colorado Rockies straight out of high school in 1993. Wright pitched 19 years in the big leagues with 10 different teams.
BY: CHRIS PLANK He made teams as a non-roster invitee in eight straight seasons. Wright pitched for the Dodgers in relief in 2012 and 2014 and signed again with them in 2016 before announcing his retirement at the end of spring training.
around the work and finding a way to separate yourself from other guys.”
“I had a million different things going through my head, while I am on the mound sometimes, I would ask if I was looking at the glove when I threw that pitch,” Wright said at the time of his retirement. “My focus had been somewhere else. I have no regrets in this game. Everything I got I had to work really, really hard for. What I tell some of the young guys is that the hardest thing to do is staying in the big leagues, and there is no excuse for letting somebody out-work you.”
“The last six or seven years I turned into that guy, the goto-guy in the clubhouse, the veteran presence and whatever those guys needed I was willing to provide and help. That experience was fun and that was part of the reason that I got into coaching so I can continue to do that.”
The hard work is a staple of what Wright is hoping to infuse into the young Dodger pitching staff.
“(Coaching) is something I knew I would love, and I knew I would be good at this,” Wright said. “I felt like I was doing it the last four or five years as a player, being a player/coach. Dodger General Manager Andrew Freidman asked me the last time I walked out of the clubhouse to come on board.
“You blink and all of a sudden you’re that veteran guy. It goes by so quick and you’re just trying to stay in the moments,” Wright said. “The first three years, I remember bits and pieces … you’re trying to learn and trying to kind of get your footing in the league and go out there and perform all the while they draft 50 new kids every year trying to take your job. “You bury your head and try to get better in the work. That’s what I miss the most is the work I put in. What it took to get there and what it took to stay there… that’s a big message from me to these guys. Anyone can make the big leagues. You want a cup of coffee or do you want a career? All that revolves
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As a veteran, Wright became a resource to his teammates.
However, the transition to coaching was not an immediate pursuit for Wright. In fact, Wright had other opportunities he felt he needed to pursue first.
“I had it in my head that I would do the agent thing, which was a good learning experience, but it wasn’t really the thing for me. All those phone calls and stuff like that wasn’t me and, at the end of the day, I care more about helping and mentoring these guys.” When COVID-19 hit, it changed some of the plans for Wright and the Dodgers, just as it did for everyone. From in-person pitching and learning sessions to zooms and phone calls, but
19TH STREET MAGAZINE | 29
during it all, the coaching seed had been planted. “It was sooner than I anticipated becoming the pitching coach in OKC but I’m happy to be here and excited for the challenge,” he said. Wright has immediately had the opportunity to work with some of the top prospects in the organization. The top-pitching prospect for the Dodgers is Josiah Gray who is currently in Triple-A learning from Wright. “He’s been awesome, man,” Gray said of Wright. “I think he’s a really integral part of the organization and is going to be a really important guy for us Triple-A pitchers right now. It’s been really exciting to just pick his brain… let him go on his shorter rants about competing and what he’s seen and how they can relate to you.” Competition, that is the foundation of what Wright wants to instill in his young pitchers and carry with them throughout their career. “I was almost kind of pitching for my life the last 11-12 years,” Wright said. “It’s also something that helped me to keep an edge, to keep a fire. The work that’s required to get to that level and to stay at that level, even if that means reinventing yourself or inventing a new pitch, or always trying to get better, that’s kind of the message to these guys. “We’ve got some really good arms and some really good guys. I think it’s going to be a lot of fun this year.” Oklahoma City manager Travis Barbary said Wright’s transition has been smooth. “His ability to build relationships with the pitchers, you can just kind of see it from afar that these guys are really fortunate to have him,” said Oklahoma City manager Travis Barbary.
30 July 2021
“Now I think it’s just a matter of him getting into a rhythm of the game and then doing it from the dugout instead of being out on the mound. His experience is going to be invaluable for us.” While Wright continues to share his experience and expertise with the next wave of major league pitchers for the Dodgers, he can’t help but keep an eye on his alma mater. With three Westmoore alums currently on the Oklahoma Sooners Baseball roster, Wright has been playing close attention to what has been happening at Mitchell Park. And, in his mind, it’s a product of the culture that was created around Westmoore baseball. “I think it’s just a byproduct of the people at the school, the support system,” Wright said of the Westmoore influence on the Sooner roster. “I can’t say enough things about the support system I had with the coaches and the families. Everybody is rooting for everybody and that’s kind of rare sometimes. Some places people are out for #1 but not here. “I follow these guys and they don’t know it but I’m their biggest fan. Every single one of these guys that get a chance to play at the next level that’s a special thing. We’ll be retired baseball players for a lot longer than we’re players. To be able to go and do it after high school, D1 or anywhere, that’s an accomplishment and that’s a special thing to go out and lace up the spikes and play a kid’s game.” The path to get to the big leagues has a much different look now for Jamey Wright. Instead of grinding every day on his own technique, he is working to perfect the skill of others. It is a special and challenging task, but it is made even more special because that new challenge and road begins 10 miles from his hometown. –19SM
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he Oklahoma Sooner Softball team clinched its 5th National Championship beating Florida State. After losing its first games in both the Women’s College World Series and the Championship Series, the Sooners became just the 4th team to rally and win a title despite losing those first games. But the story of the 2021 Championship run goes far beyond what happened in Oklahoma City and is more about the record-setting offensive performances and dominating pitching from Giselle Juraez that showcase the Championship Mindset that is engrained within the Sooner Softball program.
THE SEASON In previous issues of Boyd Street Magazine, we have focused on both Player of the Year Jocelyn Alo and the power surge the Sooner offense put up in 2021. But the incredible season for Alo is not complete without understanding the challenging path this team took to get to a point where they could play in 2021. “I just don’t know that people understand how rough it was,” Sooner Head Coach Patty Gasso said. “I think every coach in the country could relate… week by week you’re wondering who’s going to be at practice and who might not, whether they are contact traced and they’re out for two weeks, 10 days. There was a lot of that going on.” Even the challenge of putting together a schedule created issues. The typical release date for the Sooner softball schedule is in late November, this year the schedule did not even drop until two days before opening day. Once the season started, weather played a factor too, with a crazy winter story freezing out most of the South and forcing the Sooners to find themselves in a state of fluidity. The term pivot became central to the Sooner Softball, early in the season. “Every day at practice, I was trying to get people to learn new positions in case we don’t have those players with us,” Gasso said. “It was hard. But at the same time, they were so athletic and understanding about it and saying, hey, whatever we need to do to win, put me wherever you need to put me. Some players were sitting out when they know that they’re good enough to be in. It was just such a selfless team approach the entire season. That’s what it’s about.”
Photos courtesy: Josh Gateley/OU Athletics
During the Championship Celebration at Marita Hynes Field, Gasso went even more in-depth on how difficult the challenge was to get through the season. “Four hundred fifty-five days ago, I had to look at Giselle Juarez, Shannon Saile and Nicole Mendes and tell them I’m not sure that you’ll ever play here at OU again because this season is over,” Gasso said. “There was anxiety and a lot of uncomfortable athletes, not knowing what was going on. Thank you, Lord, that we got an extension for our super seniors. “We played with masks, we had constant COVID testing…. It was really unsettling and kind of nerve wracking, but I so appreciate this team and their commitment to this sport, commitment to wanting to play and making very good decisions.”
36 July 2021
BY: CHRIS PLANK
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GLADIATORS sportstalk1400.com
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A TRUE LEARNING EXPERIENCE Despite the challenges of COVID-19 and a constantly evolving schedule, the Sooners were still excelling on the field. Oklahoma rolled through the early part of its season. Sooner softball had ascended to No. 1 in the national polls, starting the season 33-0 overall. Oklahoma dominated conference play undefeated, with an overall winning streak carried over from last season to 40 straight games. After a three-game sweep over 7th ranked Texas, with each win coming in run rule fashion, the Sooners faced a quick turnaround with a challenging trip to Athens, Georgia to battle the Bulldogs. The “Game of the Year” took place in game one of that doubleheader on a Tuesday night in Georgia. The backand-forth battle with the Bulldogs ended with the Sooners falling in 9 innings by a final score of 7-6. A 4th inning grand slam by Lynnsie Elam had given the Sooners a 5-2 6th inning lead, but it was not enough for the Sooners. The Sooners won the nightcap in run-rule fashion but the frustration from game one was still evident in the postgame comments of Gasso. “We need to get better,” Gasso said. “We’re not good enough. We need to get better, and this team agrees. I think this could end up being one of the most rewarding weekends, just from what we’ve learned from it.” The Sooners responded winning nine of its last 10 games, clinching a 9th straight Big 12 Championship and 12th in program history, while winning another Big 12 Tournament, the 7th in Sooner Softball history. The regular season put the Sooners in position to both host a Regional and Super Regional. “We had to get a loss there. We needed a loss there,” Gasso said of the Georgia game. “We didn’t deserve the win, but we felt what it felt like to be in a full-capacity stadium under pressure, that was needed.” The Sooners proceeded to roll through both the Norman Regional and Super Regional. During the Regional, the sportstalk1400.com
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Sooners clinched the title with a 24-7 win over Wichita State. OU’s 24 runs set an NCAA Regional single-game record while the Sooners’ 50 runs in three games set an NCAA regional record. The Sooners blasted six home runs on the final day, hitting four in the seventh inning. The six homers tied an NCAA single-game postseason record. In the Super Regional, the Sooners overcame Washington and its Player of the Year Finalist right-handed pitcher Gabbie Plain. In the first game ever played on ABC, the Sooners clinched its 14th trip to the Women’s College World Series and 5th straight with a run-rule win over the Huskies. The stage was set for the Sooners to make a run at National Championship No. 5.
THE SCENIC ROUTE The Sooners had put together a record-setting offense, but questions consistently surrounded its pitching staff. Many wondered if the Sooners had the pitching to match its offensive firepower. Those questions became even louder as Oklahoma lost its first game in Oklahoma City to upstart James Madison and its talented pitcher Odicci Alexander. Only three teams in the history of College Softball had lost their first game and battled through the elimination bracket. It was a challenge, it would not be easy, but the Sooners had an ace up their sleeve. Sooner Super Senior Giselle “G” Juarez had been the perceived Sooner ace for most of the season. But Juarez had not pitched an inning in the Super Regionals and did not get the start in the first game of the Women’s College World Series. Juarez had struggled giving up the long ball, having allowed 19 home runs heading into Oklahoma City, and had not been the same pitcher she was earlier this season, and earlier in her career. 40 July 2021
But as the Sooners faced elimination against Georgia on a Saturday morning, something clicked. “She had a different look… calm, confident, wanting the ball,” Gasso said. Juarez proceeded to run the table for the Sooners in games she started. She shutout Georgia in a run-rule win to advance to a Championship Series rematch with defending Champion UCLA. Against the Bruins, Juarez came out of the bullpen to pitch five innings of shutout relief allowing just three hits leading the Sooners to a win over the Bruins and a rematch against James Madison. “She had been throwing really well and feeling really good,” Gasso said of Juarez. “She’s been waiting for this moment, a little bit of redemption. I know her season in 2019 ended with a couple of tough outings against UCLA, so this was, I think, something a little personal to her, as well.” With redemption over UCLA in the rearview, Juarez got a break as the Sooner bats rallied with a 3-run 7th inning to force an if-necessary game with James Madison. When Florida State upset Alabama, it pushed the Championship Series clincher to Monday afternoon. While many speculated it would hurt the Sooners to face James Madison on an extra day’s rest, Oklahoma dominated winning 7-1. After giving up a lead-off home run, Juarez allowed just three more hits the rest of the game in a complete game while striking out 11 as Oklahoma clinched a spot in the Championship Series against Florida State.
NOTHING BUT A “G” THING Oklahoma rebounded from losing the first game of the best of three series against the Seminoles to win the next two behind the dominating arm of Juarez. Juarez was named the Most Outstanding Player of the WCWS. In the two wins over
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Florida State, Juarez pitched back-to-back complete games allowing just three earned runs in 14 innings. “I just remember being so proud,” Super senior Nicole Mendes said of the performance from Juarez. “I remember last year whenever she got hurt and her not knowing if she would be able to come back. I remember two years ago in ‘19 being on the other side of this ball and her pitching her heart out… I just can only smile because it’s such a G thing to do.” Juarez finished 5-0 in the tournament. All told in the WCWS, Juarez surrendered 16 hits, four runs, eight walks, and had 38 strikeouts in 31 1/3 innings. “She just came out on fire this weekend,” Sooner freshman Jayda Coleman said. “She is built for the College World Series. I’m so proud of her. Great super senior to look up to.” For Juarez, the reality of the moment is one that may not set in for a while. “I just wanted to go out there and just give (my team) every chance to win,” Juarez said. “The beginning of the season wasn’t great for me, but I just kept grinding and trusting God’s plan for myself. He had this moment planned for me… it just feels surreal right now.”
THE POWER OF 4 Post-season runs in years past have always featured a theme. In 2016, fans would hold their hands up in moments of adversity. 2017 was the power of 3, and in 2019, the Sooners were ready to shoot their arrows. While the 2021 team was fueled with its Gladiator mindset, they drew power and unity in the number 4. Shirts were worn that had “B4TL” on them and the team would hold up 4 fingers in moments of celebration. B4TL – read as “Battle” – was the brainchild of Grace Lyons who came up with the acronym that stands for “Boast about the Lord. The number 4 essentially represented the team playing for God and for others and for each other. The number 4 seemed to play a major role for the Sooners beyond just motivation. The Sooners became the 4th team to win the WCWS after losing its first game and became the 4th team to lose the first game of the Championship Series and rally to win the National Championship. And after losing its first game to Florida State, the Sooners had just 4 losses on the season. “This team, they’re like an engine with cylinders firing. Every one of them has a part in what we’re doing. Whether they’re hitting it out, whether they’re in the dugout picking a pitchers’ pitch,” Gasso said. “Whether they’re calling for a bunt, whether they’re playing great defense — everyone had a part in this. “They knew how to get here... so many things happened off this field that was life changing for them. Their faith, their fight and finally their finish, 5th national championship for this team.” – 19SM
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Norman Regional HealthPlex to open new entrance, parking lots
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s construction preparations begin at the HealthPlex campus, Norman Regional has opened a new temporary entrance and parking lots to prepare for the expansion of the hospital campus.
The current main and emergency department entrances, as well as the main parking lot, will be closed during the construction project. The current west entrance, referred to as the Women’s and Children’s Pavilion, will act as the hospital’s main entrance until construction is complete and a new, temporary emergency department entrance is located just east of the Women’s and Children’s entrance. Additional parking lots have been built to accommodate patients, visitors, physicians and employees. The patient and visitor parking lot is located west of the hospital in Lot F, just south of the West Norman Professional Building. Complimentary valet parking is available. There is also emergency parking available just north of the new Emergency Department entrance. “Our patients are our No. 1 priority during this time, and our No. 1 driving force behind the HealthPlex expansion. We are doing everything we can to make this process as smooth as possible,” said John Manfredo, Norman Regional’s chief operating officer. “I want to thank our patients and their families for their patience during this time. Please know that we are growing in order to best meet your future health and wellness needs.” The easiest way to drive to the HealthPlex will be using 36th Avenue NW or Tecumseh Road to access HealthPlex Parkway. Access from the Interstate-35 service road will be closed during construction.
The HealthPlex expansion is part of Norman Regional Health System’s Inspire Health plan. Inspire Health is a transformational plan designed to re-imagine healthcare in Norman. Manfredo said the extensive changes planned are a vital step in ensuring the health system and the Norman community grow stronger and healthier. The HealthPlex is being expanded to consolidate and relocate all acute care services to the HealthPlex campus. The expansion will feature a new patient bed tower, a new roundabout entrance and a new parking garage. Phase two of the expansion will also include the creation of a Cancer Center and an Ambulatory Care Center. The current construction is part of the HealthPlex’s “Make Ready Phase,” which is preparing the campus for the project to officially begin in July. The expansion construction project will kick off with a groundbreaking ceremony at 9 a.m. Thursday, July 15. “This is an exciting time for Norman Regional Health System as we are in the final stages of preparing the campus for its expansion. I look forward to watching this expansion grow our current services and equip us with the space we need to best care for our communities,” said Richie Splitt, president and CEO of Norman Regional. For more information on the HealthPlex expansion or the Inspire Health plan, please visit InspireHealthOK.com. You can also sign up for the Inspire Health newsletter to receive the most up-to-date information on construction projects. –19SM
Patients are encouraged to allow extra time to get to their appointments at the HealthPlex. sportstalk1400.com
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The Missing Piece
OKC-based tech entrepreneur seeks to improve patient self-advocacy
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ebi Willis is the founder and CEO of OKC-based PatientLink, a company that creates software solutions for the healthcare industry. Her background and life experiences have shaped her mission in life, which is to give a voice to patients and empower their advocacy of their own healthcare through technology. “That’s the path I’m on, just trying to weave the patient voice into healthcare,” shared Willis. One of her applications, MyLinks, allows patients to securely manage all of their medical records in one account that they control, free of charge. Patients can add to it, review it and share it with whomever they wish, regardless of which doctor they see. “If patients have access to their data, they can also understand their health better,” Willis explained. “Nobody is more interested in finding the answer than the person who has the illness or someone that loves them.” Willis and her team have won several awards for their MyLinks product. One, in particular, was especially rewarding, as it
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seemed impossible at the time. The government created a contest to see which company could make an application for patients. The competition was steep, against large tech companies on both coasts with a lot of financial backing. However, their small woman-owned company from Oklahoma beat all odds and won the contest. “That was a high point and propelled us to do even more. It was like winning the Triple Crown,” Willis shared. Willis was born into a family of scientists and entrepreneurs and developed a love for learning at a very young age. She believed that you could solve any problem if you could understand it. While taking a college test to help in determining her future occupation, she found errors within the test itself, which proved to be incredibly instrumental in the projection of her own life’s work. Her test results concluded that she should be one of three options: an astronaut, a ballerina or a computer programmer. She decided to become a computer programmer so that she could make a better test.
BY: RAE LYNN PAYTON After spending her first few years in the banking industry, she learned about a new technology, electronic medical records. “I like to be on the bleeding edge of something and be presented with a problem and then figure out how to solve it,” she said. So, she jumped into the healthcare IT field. Later, devastating personal experiences began to unfold around her. Her sister developed brain cancer, as did two other members of her family. Their family searched for research for answers but found none. Then her mother developed Alzheimer’s. She had already lost two grandfathers to the same disease. “We were in the same position as before with my sister. We don’t know how to stop it or slow it down or what starts it. It brought me to the understanding that we need to figure out what’s going on. We lived in a space of time that the knowledge wasn’t there yet,” Willis shared. Later, while attending a national conference in Washington DC, she found herself amongst a group of women, sharing about similar experiences and the need for research to gather information and share it in a way that could be beneficial for all. Not long after, Willis developed an unknown illness. It took a considerable amount of time and a change in doctors before a correct diagnosis was made. She had kidney cancer. “All of those experiences made me feel that the missing piece was not only knowledge but the patient themselves. We’re all in this space where we don’t feel like we have a voice in this arena with all this other noise. It has driven me to continue my passion of getting people involved in their own care,” she said. “Sometimes I run into brick walls and am exhausted by institutional attitudes and then I remember my sister’s face. If we had the collective knowledge and collective passion, we could do something faster together. Together is the key.” Willis attributes her success to the support of her team and from the love of God. “Everything I’ve ever done from the start of the company to every product I created was done in a very prayerful way, with the opportunity to be guided by God,” she said. When asked what she wishes she could share with her younger self, Willis said, “When I was growing up my mom told me I could be anything. I naively believed that there would be no barriers. You’re going to find barriers, but don’t be discouraged. Expect barriers. It’s part of human life, but don’t let the walls stop you.” In discussing her future vision, she wishes for someone to take it to the next level. sportstalk1400.com
PatientLink CEO Debi Willis, with Larry Willis and Senator James Lankford in his Washington D.C. office. “I’m 65. I don’t want this dream to stall or not reach its ultimate goal. We’ve broken down lots of barriers but there’s a ways to go. I want my children and grandchildren to have the reality of the vision that started this whole thing a long time ago. We don’t know what causes these diseases, but together we can figure it out and do something to make it better.” Willis is continuing to reach new goals and work on new projects, including a project surrounding the ability to build standards to let patients electronically tell clinics things that are incorrect in medical records for accuracy. Her work is ever-growing and ongoing. She and her husband have seven children, as well as ten grandchildren. You can learn more about Willis and her company at mypatientlink.com. –19SM
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Veteran of the Month: Joe Connor
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Navy veteran shares tales of his years serving at sea
oe Connor liked the Navy so much, he joined three times.
Connor, who grew up in Everett, Washington, looked to the Navy for the first time after graduating high school. After basic training in San Diego, he found his way to the USS Platte, a Cimarron-class oiler ship that conducted refueling missions in Southeast Asia during the Vietnamese war. In addition to refueling missions, Connor recalled the ship and its crew taking part in mass evacuations in the aftermath of the fall of Saigon. “I was on the ship when Saigon fell and we brought refugees back,” Connor explained. “We didn’t know at the time who was friendly and who wasn’t. A helicopter would come and unload and we’d push it off the flight deck and another would land. We had people in all different places on the ship.” Connor would leave the Navy for a short while before joining again in 1974. But before leaving, he and his brother served together for a year in 1970. “I didn’t know until my mother passed away years later but she had to sign a paper for my brother and I to serve together,” he shared. On his second enlistment, he was assigned to the USS Hancock, where he served as a gunner’s mate, learning to fire the .45-70 “Government Gun,” a skill he mastered. “I got pretty good at it,” Connor admitted. “I learned a lot of stuff about how to shoot from my ship over to another. You’d put a spool of shot in it and held it at a 45-degree angle and then judged the wind velocity. I got to where my first shot would land on the other ship.” 58 July 2021
In 1979, Connor served as a military police officer at Point Mugu near Oxnard, California. Two years later he was back at sea on the USS Wabash delivering ammunition and fuel to ships in the U.S. Fleet in the Indian Ocean. After his time on the Wabash, Connor would again leave the Navy. However, with the nation’s economy struggling, he signed up for the third tour of duty and returned to shore in California in 1984, serving in a security detail during a tumultuous time of protests around the Concord Naval Weapons Station. At the height of the U.S. involvement in the Central American crisis, protesters flooded the base to voice opposition to weapons shipments to the region. While working the crowds one day, Connor’s detail would take a familiar face into custody. “One of the protestors we arrested the actor Ed Asner,” Connor recalled with a laugh. He noted the former Mary Tyler Moore star went peacefully to jail. Connor would go to sea one more time before retiring in 1994, this time aboard the USS Shasta. “We mainly moved ammo,” he explained. “We stored ammo and then headed overseas, broke it out of the holding area, brought it to the deck and transferred it to other ships.” On December 28, 1994, Connor left the Navy for the final time. Following a few years of living in California and seeing the cost of living increase dramatically, Connor and his late wife, Linda, picked out a few states in which they’d consider living and wrote letters seeking compelling reasons to move. That landed the Connors in Oklahoma in 1995. After moving to Oklahoma, Joe spent 19 years working for Oklahoma City Public Schools before retiring. –19SM
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