STANDARD
OU D NA
OU Defensive Coordinator Zac Alley
Moore Chamber Foundation
LEADERSHIP MOORE 2024-2025 CLASS
Kiara Benson, The Boeing Company
Stacy Bruce, Bridges of Norman
Adriana Byington, Vision Bank
Kimberly Chancellor, Moore Norman Technology Center
Connie Cuellar, HeyDay Entertainment
Brett Duke, First United Bank
Garrett Fergeson, Norman Regional
Dyndi Gibson, McGraw Realtors
Tiffany Herndon, Moore Norman Technology Center
Larry "Keith" Horn, Edward Jones
Tammy Koehn, City of Moore
Amy Lee, Moore Chamber of Commerce
Matthew Morrow, Moore Police Department
Sarah Napolitano, Christmas Connection
Jamie Overton, Earlywine Park YMCA
Malarie Parkins, 1907 Investment Group
Shane Robb, Electrical Repair (Xact Services & Solutions)
Harrison Sikes, Oliveto Italian Bistro
Amy Stowe, WEJ Productions
Warren Stowe, The GEICO Local Office
Anna-Kate Weichel-Owens, Mid-America Christian University
Heather Wyatt, Moore Norman Technology Center
Cover photo by: Mark Doescher
Moore Schools and Local Partners Unite to Support Students Experiencing Homelessness Building Bridges
Moore Public Schools, the Moore Public Schools Foundation and Bridges, Inc. are teaming up to support students experiencing homelessness or an unstable housing situation in the community.
Bridges is focused on “empowering students who live alone to succeed,” according to the nonprofit’s website. Bridges aims to remove barriers to graduation by providing case management and life skills training and helping students with food, shelter, clothing and medical needs.
Bridges of Moore will soon house 20 residential students across 10 duplexes. The village will also feature resident advisor housing and a student center, which will include a laundry facility and shared kitchen. Students will also have their own apartment area with a living room, bedroom, bathroom and kitchen.
“It’s those basics of food, shelter and safety, which students came to Bridges often lacking,” said Susan Curtis, McKinney-Vento liaison/student support specialist for MPS. “It’s a solid foundation being built so they can leave and feel prepared for their future.”
Additionally, Bridges provides services to
non-residential students who may need extra support. For example, this may be a student who lives with a grandmother who has trouble with food because she’s on a fixed income, or they may be staying with friends but need help with transportation or life skills, Curtis explained.
The number of students who experience homelessness has grown in Moore in recent years. The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act is a law that protects these students. As defined by the law, Curtis said this includes students who lack fixed, regular and adequate housing.
The district has identified around 200 students who meet this definition, including 22 seniors who were determined as unaccompanied homeless last school year. According to Curtis, that number has jumped in the last five years, showing families are struggling and may have circumstances that don’t allow them to have stable housing or the support they need.
This is where the McKinney-Vento law comes in. One responsibility of Curtis’ role is to expedite the enrollment process to ensure a continuity of education for students, even in situations where they may be waiting on certain documents like a
birth certificate. Additionally, the law allows federal funds to be used to purchase school clothing, hygiene products and school supplies, and to provide transportation support.
“The law allows us to remove barriers that homeless students would experience, and our goal here is also to help provide dignity while they are students of Moore Public Schools,” Curtis said.
MPS and the foundation collaborate to support these students. On the “MPS Family & Student Support” Facebook page, community members can find ways to assist, which in the past has included raising funds for graduating seniors experiencing homelessness and fulfilling Christmas wish lists.
“Our heart is serving our students, especially our students who are most vulnerable,” said Lizzy Bozarth, executive director of the Moore Public Schools Foundation. “The McKinney-Vento program does amazing things for students and provides necessary services, so it’s a natural partnership for us to make sure their needs are met and make sure they’re able to complete their education with as few obstacles as possible.”
The foundation is serving as the fundraising vehicle to bring the Bridges program to Moore. Fundraising for the project began about four years ago, and the hope is to break ground on the facility in November. Bridges will be located behind Sky Ranch Elementary at SW 94th and Western. The foundation has a 99-year ground lease with the district, which already owned the two-acre plot of land it is leasing to the foundation for $1 a year.
The initial funds for the Bridges project were raised by MPS students through the annual Moore Love Campaign, which supports various nonprofits and initiatives each year. Moore Love selected the MPS Foundation and the Building Bridges Capital Campaign as a recipient in both 2022 and 2023 and will again support the project this upcoming school year. The students raised $330,000 through Moore Love, and another $60,000 in anonymous donations were made.
“They truly raised the startup funds that helped us get the campaign off the ground,” Bozarth said. “It’s remarkable. The whole thing is by students and for students.”
Local homebuilders, including Ideal Homes, Landmark Fine Homes and Omni Construction, are building the duplexes in-kind and donating them back to Bridges of Moore. Bozarth added that along with Moore Love, Marvin Haworth Homes, Horn Equipment and First Christian Church Moore have also been “huge contributors” to the project.
Bridges has served the Norman community for several years and recently changed its policy to also help MPS students in need of housing by generously providing space in the residential facility in Norman, Bozarth explained.
“Partnering with MPS and the MPS Foundation has been a wonderful experience,” stated Stacy Bruce, executive director of Bridges of Norman. “It has allowed us to extend our mission into Moore, where we can now provide critical support to even more students in need. This collaboration not only strengthens our ability to serve but also deepens our commitment to ensuring that every student, regardless of their circumstances, has the opportunity to graduate high school.
“We’re incredibly grateful for the trust and support from Dr. Robert Romines, the MPS staff and the MPS Foundation, which empowers us to make a meaningful difference in the lives of young people.”
Visit mooreschoolsfoundation.org/buildingbridges to learn more about the campaign or donate.– SMS
When you bank with us, we make it a point to know your business. It’s how we’re able to deliver just the right solutions to help you succeed. Share with us your dreams and goals—and your day-to-day challenges; then trust in the partnership. You’ll be surprised what we can help you achieve when we know your business.
BY:
The Moore Police Department is hosting their fall social event that brings the community together through food, fun and wellspent time between citizens and officers.
Burgers and Badges will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 8 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the amphitheater in the pavilion at The Curve Apartments near 17th Street and Telephone Road, north of 19th Street.
The event is free to the public. Burgers, hot dogs and snow cones will be available, along with bounce houses and other activities for families to enjoy. Vendors will be set up with free items.
Members of Men of Moore, John M. Ireland & Son Funeral Home, Moore Police Department, and Police Chief Todd Gibson will be cooking the burgers and hot dogs. Josh Stark Welding is providing the grill and Cusack Meats is providing the meat at cost. Local churches will be present with bounce houses, face painting and more for all to enjoy.
Usually, 15-20 volunteer officers are present, as well as the fire department and emergency management. The department’s trucks and SWAT vehicles will be on-site.
The event serves as a way for officers to connect with all community members and helps the department to build relationships within the com-
munity. Through interaction and communication with Moore’s citizens, the department learns directly from the community about their priorities and needs.
“It’s a great event. It’s a way for us to interact with our community that we love and make a positive impact on them. It brings us together,” shared Susan Ruth, executive assistant to the Chief of Moore Police Department.
Burgers and Badges usually occurs twice a year during each spring and fall season, and its location varies based on expected impact to the community. Previous events have had between 500 and 2000 attendees.
This season’s Burgers and Badges will be the department’s fifth event since it first began in November 2021.
“By doing this event, it’s creating individual relationships with the officers between the kids and families, and those positive interactions build a stronger community for everyone,” explained Sgt. Rebecca Miller, community service officer for the Moore Police Department.
Find updates about the event on the Moore Police Department’s social media pages on Facebook, Instagram and X. The Curve Apartments are located at 701 SW 17th St in Moore.– SMS
CHRIS PLANK BY: RAE LYNN PAYTON
EMPOWERING NEIGHBORS
Doing good doesn’t have to be complicated. This simple motto is an unofficial guiding principle of The Good OKC, a local nonprofit working to create change in purposeful ways. The organization provides work opportunities for people in difficult, often temporary, circumstances. These include individuals escaping domestic violence, those experiencing homelessness and people transitioning out of incarceration or drug rehabilitation centers.
The program’s focus is on upward mobility through employment.
Although The Good OKC is officially a 501(c)(3) organization, classified as a church by the Internal Revenue Service, its focus is more on works than theology.
“We’re more about empowering people to do good works wherever they are and scattering those throughout our community,” said Jon Mays, founder and CEO. “We work to make change possible, primarily through employment opportunities for overlooked friends and neighbors. Our businesses create job opportunities for people who might otherwise have a difficult time finding employment.”
The Good OKC mobilizes employment opportunities through TBD Creatives, which operates The Good Kids Boutique, located at 105 E. 1st St. in Moore. Formerly Dapper and Darling, The Good Kids purchased the business and made it their own.
“Shopping with us feels like any other boutique experience,” said Mays. “It’s a cute shop and very personable. You may have a preconceived notion of what someone homeless looks like, what type of woman finds herself in a domestic violence situation or what type of person is unemployed. The folks we are serving through employment are so much more like you than different; in fact, they’re no different than anyone else.
“These are people fully capable of producing high-quality work but simply need the opportunity to do so. Proximity fact-checks our reality in real time. If you don’t have a relationship with people to understand that they’re just ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances, it’s not always easy to see that so many preconceived notions are not true.”
UPCYCLED GOODS FOR A GREATER CAUSE
The boutique offers upcycled items using new
and reused materials. A collaboration with fellow Moore-based nonprofit The Sparrow Project has led to a unique opportunity for female refugees from Afghanistan. Through this initiative, donated cloth items that would have otherwise gone to a landfill are repurposed. Patterns and sewing machines are provided, allowing the women to create one-of-a-kind items such as T-shirt dresses, joggers and children’s clothing. They earn $5 per item and can produce five or six in an hour, helping make a difference for their families.
Other items featured in the boutique are intentionally sourced, often from small business owners, with a focus on women, minority-owned and sustainable brands. Like-new donated children’s clothing items are sold at an affordable price point, typically between $2 and $8.
In a separate section, the boutique’s play clothes area features functional pieces that are in good condition where individuals in need can shop without charge on a limited, by referral and invitation basis.
Additionally, an event space is available for rent at the same location.
BY: CHRIS PLANK BY: STAFF WRITER
CANDLE MAKING AND JOB TRAINING
The group’s candle-making business also supports individuals transitioning out of homelessness or working to develop their skills. Clean Candles, non-toxic and popular for school fundraisers, maximize profit for participating schools.
“There are people who are helping actually make the candles and others learning other aspects of the business,” said Mays. “Individuals with disabilities may be stamping our packaging, for example.”
COMMUNITY-FOCUSED APPROACH
The Good OKC emphasizes working with available resources to benefit both the community and the individuals involved.
“The Good OKC is a values-based community. You can have whatever beliefs you want to have but we agree on curiosity, mutuality, belonging and hope, which strips all the religious language out of it,” said Mays. “My hope is in Jesus, but someone else’s hope could be in love and the universe. There are no expectations that they adopt my language, just conversations that help people embody their faith, because it’s an embodied faith that effects change.”
The group meets informally at 9 a.m. on Saturdays at the boutique and holds Wednesday night meetings at The Big Friendly in Oklahoma City’s Wheeler District. Children are welcome on Saturdays, accompanied by an adult, and those ages 12 and up can volunteer.
A LEAP OF FAITH
Before founding The Good OKC in 2023, Mays spent 10 years as a pastor at Life.Church, where he became familiar with the work of local nonprofits.
“I decided I wanted to do something different and through my work, it became apparent which nonprofits would be ideal to partner with. We want people to have agency for themselves and also for supporters to do good with what they’re already doing, where they shop and how they spend,” said Mays. “It’s easy to talk about living by faith, how things should be and be a critic of existing institutions; everyone has an opinion, but opinions don’t change things actions change things.”
Ultimately, Mays and his wife, Mandi, decided to take what he describes as a leap of faith and
work full-time with The Good OKC. Formerly foster parents, they have adopted and continue to raise their family’s teens.
“We’re not trying to get big. We’re not trying to create a gathering. We are living life in a faith lens and working with what we already have. The church isn’t a building; it’s people. What might that look like for a woman with two jobs? What might that look like for a soccer mom? We want to equip people to live out their faith in a way that brings hope to them and to their community,” he said.
As far as what’s next, Mays is content with living day-by-day.
“We have a great core group of supporters. It has worked for two years, and we will keep plugging along for as long as it continues,” he said. “My wife and I say we can’t save for a rainy day like we have in the past, but so many people in Oklahoma City are living in a tsunami, we have to help where we can.”
Find out more at thegoodokc.org or by emailing ashley@thegoodokc.com.– SMS
GET AHEAD OF
Oklahoma City Community College’s concurrent enrollment program allows high school juniors and seniors to earn college and high school credits at the same time. Visit occc.edu/concurrent-students or call 405-682-7543 for more information.
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DRIVING INNOVATION
Boyd Street Ventures (BSV), a venture capital firm based in Norman with close ties to the University of Oklahoma, launched its first fund in March of 2022. So far, BSV has raised nearly $25 million and aims to secure an additional $25 million before the fund closes on Dec. 31.
James Spann, an OU alumnus and BSV’s founder and general partner, was inspired to launch a venture capital firm in Norman while observing that promising startups within the OU ecosystem were struggling to reach the market.
“As I was sitting in board and committee meetings, I thought to myself that we need to get these solutions into the marketplace,” Spann said. “Roughly 50 percent of Oklahoma graduates leave the state, and I began thinking about how we can create opportunities to keep our talent here. If we can give our students an opportunity to build wealth here, they can reinvest that into a cycle of economic wealth in our community.”
After studying the venture capital landscape for three years, Spann retired from corporate life in 2019 and dedicated himself full-time to building the firm. He partnered with Jeff Moore, who serves as co-founder and strategic advisor. They officially founded the firm in 2021.
As the first venture capital firm in Norman – and one of the few in Oklahoma – Boyd Street Ventures officially opened its doors on Campus Corner in the same building where Spann once worked as a student at OU.
“Our initial intent was to focus on academic areas where OU is particularly strong – healthcare, financial technology, aerospace, energy and climate,” Spann said. “Healthcare is 18% and growing of our GPD (gross domestic product). From a macro perspective, there are a lot of opportunities in that industry.”
BSV has already invested in 16 companies, 10 of which are based in Oklahoma and all of which have ties to Oklahoma.
“Their growth means jobs and economic growth for Norman, Cleveland County and Oklahoma, and healthy returns for our investors – including individuals and institutions from Oklahoma,” Spann said.
“This means that we’re able to recirculate the investments in our fund into the community.
“But the key to creating wealth is to not only help companies grow initially, but to be able to write additional checks so they can scale.”
To that end, Spann and his team are currently heavily engaged in raising another $25 million for their Fund I by the end of the year. Most of the additional funds raised will be used to make strategic “follow-on” investments in portfolio companies.
“This is a great time to invest in Fund I, as new investors will get all the rights and benefits of an early investor,” Spann said. “That’s the advantage of coming in now.”
Boyd Street Ventures founder James Spann with Tribes Gallery owner Leslie Pate.
Boyd Street Ventures Raises $25 Million, Targets $25 Million More by Year-End
BSV provides its portfolio companies with more than capital.
“We’re unique in that we have a Venture Studio that walks side-by-side with our portfolio companies to help them avoid costly mistakes, get to market sooner and scale faster and more profitably,” Spann explained.
Spann and his team provide invaluable services to its portfolio companies, according to Mitchell Berenson, CEO and president of IV Ensure. His Guthrie-based company is part of Boyd Street Ventures’ investment portfolio.
“Boyd Street Ventures is actively engaged in meaningful ways to help our business,” he shared. “They obviously want to generate money for their investors, but they also really care about helping people. They are the real deal.”
Berenson, who attended the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center for graduate school and worked in healthcare as an epidemiologist, devel-
oped a device to improve health outcomes for patients requiring IV therapy treatments at home. IV Ensure completed clinical trials at University of Oklahoma, College of Medicine.
“Our device reduces hospitalizations greater than 65%,” Berenson said. “Case managers are able to engage with patients in real time. Patients have said that makes all the difference, knowing they are connected to somebody else.
“This device, we believe, could save the State of Oklahoma $80 million a year in healthcare expenses.”
In April, BSV announced a strategic partnership with the Norman Economic Development Coalition resulting in the creation of the Cleveland County Centurions Growth Fund, a $2 million fund aimed at investing in and providing guidance to Cleveland County startups.
For more information on Boyd Street Ventures, visit boydstreetventures.com. – SMS
A portion of the sales of Tribes Gallery artwork is donated to the Boyd Street Endowment Fund to support minority- and female-owner entrepreneurs.
As the Sooners celebrated a season-opening win over Temple, firstyear co-defensive coordinator Zac Alley was presented with a new addition to his trophy case. After his defense shut down the Owls, Alley received the game ball from his mentor and boss Brent Venables.
“I want to give a game ball to a guy who was making his debut tonight,” Sooner head coach Brent Venables said. “Under 200 yards, six turnovers, nine tackles for loss… four out of 13 on 3rd downs…”
The roar of the celebration from the Sooners drowned out any other words as Alley was tossed the game ball. Oklahoma’s players lifted him in the air to crowd-surf during the team’s postgame celebration.
“It was pretty cool,” Alley said. “I got lifted off the ground afterward and got thrown up about seven times, about flipped on my head.”
“At first, he didn’t want to go up in the air, but we didn’t care,” Dolby said. “We threw him up anyway.”
For Alley, this moment has been many years in the making on a non-traditional route to becoming a defensive coordinator at a Blue Blood program like Oklahoma. Alley has helped launch a new identity for Sooners football in 2024 to be a team led by its defense.
A UNIQUE APPROACH
Many times, a successful head coach or coordinator has playing experience at the collegiate level, but not Zac Alley who essentially majored in football while attending Clemson. After a successful high school career at Charlotte Country Day in Charlotte, North Carolina, Alley started as a freshman student coach at Clemson in 2011.
Shortly after Venables arrived at Clemson in 2012, Alley went right into Venables’ office to introduce himself.
“He probably thought I was a player,” Alley said.
But Alley was a student assistant eager to learn more about the craft of coaching and he offered to do whatever Venables needed, even if the task was arranging chairs in the meeting room.
Venables, in his new role as Clemson’s defensive coordinator, essentially lived in the film room for up to nine hours a day and Alley was right there beside him. He picked Venables’ mind and grew fond of his defensive scheme, while the new defensive coordinator gained trust for Alley’s ability to break down the game.
His time at Clemson started with him shuffling chairs, making copies and assisting the graduate assistants, but Venables recognized Alley’s potential. Over time he piled on more and more responsibilities as the young assistant’s ability to process the game quickly was evident early.
Alley was even given a headset, a rarity for a student assistant to have.
Alley eventually transitioned from a student assistant to a graduate assistant under Venables at Clemson. In those four seasons as a graduate assistant, Alley worked primarily with the defensive tackles and linebackers. Clemson posted a 55-4 (.932) record (tied with Alabama for the nation’s best during that span) and won four Atlantic Coast Conference titles and two national championships (2016 and 2018).
Alley took his first full-time coaching job as the inside linebacker coach for Boise State in 2019 and eventually added special teams responsibilities. In 2020, Football Scoop named Alley its Special Teams Coordinator of the Year.
His stock was rising, and it was rising fast.
BY: CHRIS PLANK
Photo by: Mark Doescher
OU Defensive Coordinator Zac Alley
Terry Bowden started as a head coach in college football at the age of 26 at Salem University. After spending a couple of seasons with the Clemson Tigers as an analyst, Bowden knew other head coaching opportunities would open, and he knew he wanted to run what Brent Venables was running defensively.
When Bowden was hired at Louisiana Monroe, one name kept popping up to take over as his defensive coordinator, Zac Alley.
“I wanted someone smart and he’s very smart, confident and competitive,” Bowden said of Alley. “I told him he had to be a coordinator and that this was a chance for him to show what he was able to do.
“I brought him to ULM, and we hadn’t won a game the year before. In our first year, we won four games, and he ran our defense.”
A member of 247Sports’ “30 Under 30” list, Alley was the youngest defensive coordinator in the NCAA’s Football Bowl Subdivision when he took over at ULM in spring of 2021 at the age of 27. Under his direction, the Warhawks improved in virtually every defensive statistical category from the previous season, including going from No. 125 in rushing defense before his arrival to No. 69.
Alley moved on to Jacksonville State in 2022, and in his first season, he presided over a stingy defense
that helped the Gamecocks amass a 9-2 record and a 5-0 league mark en route to the Atlantic Sun Conference Championship. In 2023, Alley’s defense allowed just 21.2 points per game and was in the top 10 nationally in turnovers gained.
OKLAHOMA BOUND
When Venables left Clemson to become Oklahoma’s head coach in 2021, Alley was excited that Venables had the chance to coach his former team.
“Coach V’s not somebody that jumps at every opportunity. He’s going to do things for the right reason, all the time,” Alley said. “That’s just how he is as a man.
“Being here for a long time, he knows the people, the community, all those things. I was just really excited for him, happy to see him get a chance to be a head coach, because he’s really good at it.”
Would the next step for Alley be a reunion with his mentor? Alley had proven he could coordinate a defense on his own. While it may be viewed as the “Venables defense,” Alley’s success gave him the confidence that he could make it at Oklahoma.
“We were a really good team last year on defense where I was,” Alley said. “Getting to come into a situation (here) where they’ve turned things around and take over and enjoy the process of getting better, it
gave me great perspective and appreciation for the opportunity here at Oklahoma.”
Alley had proven himself and the time was right; Venables was ready for the young Padawan to prove that he was ready to be a Jedi.
“This was the right time for us, continuing to grow as a defense and as a program to get a guy with some fresh ideas… a new face as we move into the SEC,” Venables said.
Venables described Alley as “a guy that will show up with his hair on fire” with a lot of energy, who works well with people.
“He’s a great teammate and he’s tough as all get out,” Venables said. “Really understands how to take advantage of the players that you have on your roster and build things around that group.”
“It was a dream come true,” Alley said of the opportunity to join the Sooners. “Oklahoma is one of the greatest historic programs in the country. The opportunity to come and have a chance to be a part of that legacy is amazing. And then to do it with somebody who I basically owe my career to over the years… I’m so appreciative of that. It’s fun to have it come back full circle.”
IMMEDIATE BUY-IN
As he has at all his stops along the way, Zac Alley has made an immediate impact with his knowledge, passion and energy.
“Zac is great… he’s a reincarnation of Coach Brent Venables,” Sooner cornerback Dez Malone said. “When I hear him talk, I think it’s BV talking, they sound so similar. He’s great, I love the defense he runs, and he also has energy. I think he was a great hire.”
But don’t try to tell Sooner co-defensive coordinator Jay Valai that Alley sounds like Venables.
“Zac sounds like Zac... he’s a funny dude,” Valai said. “On the outside, he’s got jokes. He’s hilarious. He’s down to earth... That’s a good perspective to have.”
The infectious personality of Zac Alley also carried over to the linebackers. Preseason All-American Danny Stutsman has thrived under Alley’s guidance, and it’s been a two-way street of respect.
“When Coach V is yelling at you, chewing you out and not really giving you an explanation, you can go to Coach Alley and he’ll really break it down,” Stutsman said. “He’s always behind the ‘why’ and not so much the ‘how.’ He really understands and relates to us.”
“I love Danny,” Alley said. “He’s so funny. Brings a great light-hearted spirit to the room... Keeps it light then you get on the field and he’s just an absolute alpha.”
THE FUTURE
In the second game of the season, the Oklahoma offense struggled. Houston had dominated the time of possession and with the game on the line, the defense was called upon to save the day.
“I look at them and say we have another opportunity to go out there and get another sack... to get another stop,” Alley said. “We think that all the time on our side of the ball, you give me one blade of grass, we’re going to defend it. I think that’s the mindset I have for them, doesn’t matter the situation, doesn’t matter when it happens.”
In the end, a Gracen Halton safety secured the win, adding to the new identity for the Sooners. This is a team that will be led by its defense and Zac Alley is embracing it.
“He’s been the best defensive coordinator in the country for 20-plus years, so he just sees the game slow for him,” Alley said of Venables. “He can see it all before it happens, so just the opportunity to have him on the headset and talking to me the whole time. That’s always a benefit, no doubt about it.
“Every now and then, he’ll be like, ‘That was a good call,’ and I’ll always feel good about that.”
In recent years, Oklahoma football has been known for its high-powered, high-scoring offenses. But the tenured foundation of Oklahoma football has been built on names like Selmon, Calmus, Williams, Lehman and McCoy. Alley looks to solidify that foundation working alongside not only the biggest influence in his coaching career but one of the architects of many of the great Sooner defenses.
“We still got film from Rufus (Alexander) going out there and smoking guys at linebacker,” Alley said. “Coach V has an opportunity to make a defensive stalwart out of Oklahoma. I think that’s what he wants to do, and we believe we’re working towards that at Oklahoma.”
Despite his unique path, Alley’s qualifications are unquestioned. In a short amount of time, he has proven himself worthy of this opportunity. While some say he feels like a mini-BV on the sidelines, Alley is all about one thing - winning.
“I know everybody says I sound like him, I don’t know if I agree with that, but hey, I love him to death and I’m so appreciative of him,” Alley said. “ He just makes everybody around him better. He’s just one of those guys who you love because he holds you to a standard. It’s been a phenomenal experience and I’m looking forward to the future.”– SMS
BUMP, SEC, SPIKE
2024 Sooner Volleyball
As the University of Oklahoma volleyball team embarks on its second season under head coach Aaron Mansfield, a foundation for success is becoming more apparent. With an energetic roster filled with speed, talent and fearless playmakers, the Sooners are on an upward trajectory.
Mansfield’s leadership and vision have helped mold a competitive team, setting the stage for a strong push as the Sooners prepare to compete in the powerhouse SEC.
“We’re in our second year as a new staff and we have a lot of new faces,” Mansfield said. “Last year was about establishing a culture and a style of volleyball that was pretty progressive.”
With depth in every position and a determined squad, Oklahoma volleyball is poised for an exciting season filled with growth to take on new challenges.
“The biggest thing that has changed is that there is a genuine and authentic belief that we can be competitive this year and I’m not sure we really had that last year,” Mansfield said. “The vibe and the energy that this group has is not manufactured, it’s authentic.”
Mansfield rebuilt the Oklahoma Sooner roster with seven newcomers and a solid core of returning talent led by sophomore Alexis Shelton and super setter Payton Chamberlain.
“There’s been a lot of ups and downs,” Mansfield said. “To see where we were last fall and how much better we got in the spring is exciting. The level in the gym has really improved.”
Like every program that represents Sooner Athletics, the Mansfield-led Sooner team will be challenged in the SEC. The excitement surrounding the transition to a new conference has been remarkable and the challenge for women’s volleyball is equal to the upgrade in every sport across the board.
The Sooners will face Arkansas and the two-time defending National Champion Texas Longhorns this season. OU will face Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, Missouri, Texas A&M and Auburn at home and see Kentucky, LSU, Georgia, South Carolina, Ole Miss and Mississippi State on the road. Nine of Oklahoma’s 14 opponents advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 2023 - Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee, Texas A&M and Texas.
“It’s deeper than the Big 12,” Mansfield said of the SEC. “The SEC had more teams in the NCAA Tournament than any other conference last year and Kentucky won a National Championship three years ago. There’s not going to be any easy games. Joe Castiglione talks about the excitement of going to the SEC and being ready for it and we definitely are.”
But before OU could get into SEC play, the Sooners faced an early season slate dotted with road trips. Oklahoma volleyball was seven matches into the season before their first home match of the 2024 campaign. The Sooners played its entire non-conference schedule away from the friendly confines of McCasland Field House.
“Definitely a unique non-conference for us,” Mansfield said of the unique schedule. “Next year we, for sure, would like to host one if not two weekends but it’s been really good for our group. We’ve got a lot of new faces on our team this year and traveling can be a really good opportunity for them to get to know each other better and play in different environments.”
Two key standouts help to make the OU volleyball team a must-see this season. Junior Alexis Shelton returns after leading the Sooners in kills and attacks last season despite missing the last two matches with an injury. The outside hitter from North Carolina has consistently registered 20 kills per match this season and is on an upward trend as the Sooners head toward the heart of SEC play.
“She’s a human highlight reel,” Mansfield said of Shelton. “The first thing that jumps out is her athleticism. She hits the ball extremely hard. She’s one of the premiere points scorers in the SEC and nationally. She just really competes outwardly… She has a lot of fire and energy and a competitive spirit, and our team really feeds off of it.”
Meanwhile, Sooner setter Payton Chamberlain has established herself as one of the best in the SEC. After transferring from Wyoming in 2022, Chamberlain has been one of the most consistent performers in setting the table for the Oklahoma offensive attack.
“She is the most gifted setter I’ve coached, and I’ve been able to coach some All-Americans,” Mansfield said of Chamberlain. “Her ability to run an offense and her volleyball IQ is really high. We wouldn’t want anyone else running our offense. She has done an incredible job and has developed as a leader. And she’s playing through pain with an aggravated knee but she’s a warrior. She’s been incredible for us.”
As the roster gels under the watchful eye of Mansfield and his staff, the sport of volleyball continues to grow at a rapid pace nationally. USA Volleyball member-
BY: CHRIS PLANK
ship increased by almost 10% over the last 20 years and the growth was reflected at all levels of play.
Volleyball is the No. 1 team participatory sport in high school and college for girls, and boys high school volleyball numbers have increased by 40% since 2017, making it the fastest-growing high school sport in the country.
“From a grassroots standpoint, the participation in youth and high school is as high as it’s ever been and continues to grow,” Mansfield said. “There is a lot of really cool opportunities for female volleyball players beyond college. Last year, we didn’t win a lot of matches, and we still set a single-season attendance record at McCasland. There is a high interest from the community in volleyball and throughout the country and we want to ride that wave of momentum.”
With his progressive approach and the aggressive nature of Sooner volleyball, Mansfield and company are hoping to capitalize on this growth and build Norman into the center of the college volleyball world.
“We’re hoping to put a product on the court where we win a lot of volleyball matches and entertain the crowd,” Mansfield said. “McCasland Fieldhouse was rocking last year, and we love and appreciate the community that comes out and supports us and we need more of that and hopefully we’re going to win some more matches this year.” – SMS
by:
Photo
Mark Doescher
LIONS, JAGUARS AND SABERCATS CLASH
Photos by: Mark Doescher
BY: LINDSAY CUOMO
BUILDING A COMMUNITY, ONE FAMILY AT A TIME
New Program at Norman Regional Empowers Parents to Boost Baby Brain Growth
Norman Regional Hospital recently unveiled a new program designed to equip parents with tools and resources to maximize their baby’s brain development from birth.
The program, called Build a Brain, Build a Life, Build a Community®, emphasizes the importance of the role parents and caregivers play in fostering healthy brain development during a child’s first three years.
“Parents are baby’s first teachers,” Ariel Anglin explained. “We want to equip parents and caregivers from the very beginning so they can feel confident and play an active role right away. When the owner of the program, Quint Studer, presented the idea to us, we thought it was a great way to serve our families.”
The complimentary program includes an informational video and a resource bag to help parents understand “the importance of talk and interaction to fuel healthy brain development,” according to buildabrainnow.com. Families can also sign up for email updates on important developmental milestones including social/emotional, cognitive, language/communication and physical development milestones.
“With the knowledge that 85 percent of a baby’s brain is being built in their first three years, we should be teaching parents — who are their child’s first teacher — how important their role is in early brain development,” said Richie Splitt, president and CEO of Norman Regional Hospital. “Build a Brain is built on decades of clinical research and studies, and we’re so pleased to be offering this to new parents in our
Jamie Barnes-Polski, nurse manager for the Women’s and Children’s Unit, said the program, which also fosters family bonding, has been well received by both families and hospital staff.
“Moms and babies are learning together,” Barnes-Polski shared. “Things are always changing in healthcare and with best practices, so we want families to have everything they need to feel equipped to care for their babies.
“This program is right in line with our new mission statement to provide personalized healthcare with compassion and excellence. It doesn’t get more personal than this.”
The first family to experience the Build a Brain program was the Hopkins family. Kylie and Shane Hopkins welcomed their second son at Norman Regional. Shane expressed his gratitude for the hospital’s efforts to promote brain development.
“I think it’s great the hospital is trying to get that information out there,” Shane Hopkins said. “I think it’s going to be very helpful those first few years, stuff we’ve tried to do with Krew already… talking to him a lot, reading books to him every night.”
Norman Regional is seeking sponsors for the new program and organizations interested should reach out to Anglin by email at aanglin@nrh-ok.com. For more information about the Build a Brain program, visit buildabrainnow.com– SMS
community right here at Norman Regional.”
Orangetheory
