University of Oklahoma Athletics
Fine Athletes, Great People
November 04, 2007 | Athletics
NORMAN, Okla. -- Every once in awhile you come across someone who, after talking to them, simply makes you step back and say, "Wow, that person really gets it."
During my short time in Norman I have had a number of those moments in my experiences working with the student-athletes at this great university.
One of those revelations came last week when interviewing volleyball player Francie Ekwerekwu, this week's Boomerblast featured student-athlete. Ekwerekwu's story of success despite growing up under less than ideal circumstances is truly inspirational. But it is everything she stands for and the passion with which she approaches every endeavor which really sparked my admiration.
The demands of being a Division I student-athlete are enormous, having to balance academics while competing on the highest stage. For Ekwerekwu, those demands also include a high level of involvement in community service.
When asked how she balances all the aspects of being a student-athlete, Ekwerekwu responded simply, "When you love everything you do, you make it work."
The same attitude resonates throughout a large majority of the student-athletes at the University of Oklahoma. They want to give back and are passionate about everything they do because they appreciate the opportunities they have at OU and understand their responsibilities as representatives of this institution and its athletics department.
The standard of excellence for student-athletes at Oklahoma is extremely high both on and off the field, and every one of them is expected to represent the University in a positive manner by upholding the values of respect, accountability for self and others, passion for comprehensive excellence, celebration of diversity and itegrity in all affairs.
That said, Sooner student-athletes become involved in many ways not because they are required to, but because they want to because they are good people. This is evident by how they carry themselves both on and off the field, their charisma in dealing with others and their humility despite all of their achievements.
A fine example of the type of character OU nurtures was witnessed on Sunday with former running back Adrian Peterson's performance against the San Diego Chargers. In case you missed it, A.D. set the NFL single-game rushing record with 296 yards on 30 carries.
It was before he set the record, however, when Peterson's finest quality came to light. With 258 yards under his belt and needing just 38 more when the Vikings got the ball back with seven minutes remaining in the game, Peterson was taken out in favor of veteran Chester Taylor. Taylor rushed for 41 yards on the drive and sealed Minnesota's victory with a two-yard score.
Who was the first to greet Taylor and congratulate him on the sidelines? Peterson, of course. The record was the farthest thing from his mind.
The Vikings got the ball back one more time, though, and this time the glory was his. With an otherwise meaningless three-yard carry with just over a minute left, Peterson surpassed Jamal Lewis' previous single-game rushing record of 295 yards.
When asked about his awareness of the record after the game, Peterson said, "Oh, no. I was just out playing ball. I wasn't thinking about the record at all."
It should come as no surprise. Although he has set a lot of them in his day, Peterson has never been about records. This distinguished mark, however, could not have befallen upon a better person.
The adversities Peterson has faced in his life have been well-documented, with his father serving an extended prison sentence when he was growing up and the loss of his brother at a young age. It is likely that those are the things which serve as his motivation to succeed. Yet with all the success he has realized, Peterson has remained humble and has not taken anything for granted. He continues to work extremely hard to be the best he can possibly be.
He truly is one of the finest people you could ever meet.
Peterson may be one of the most recognizable stars associated with OU, but the same characteristics can be found in nearly every one of the student-athletes at Oklahoma. Whether they faced difficult circumstances growing up or were lucky enough to come from a more favorable environment, the student-athletes have one commonality -- they are great people.
At least part of the credit for this must go to the coaching staffs who find those characteristics within the exceptional athletes they recruit. Once they arrive, those qualities are further developed and enhanced true to the department's mission -- Inspiring Champions Today, Preparing Leaders for Tomorrow.
Champions and leaders, both on and off the field. That is what OU stands for and what each of its student-athletes represents.
Whether or not you see them on TV, the student-athletes at Oklahoma all possess the same qualities and are held to the same high standards. They represent the best the University of Oklahoma has to offer and are people you truly can admire.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
See Sooner student-athletes at their finest in the weekly SemGroup Sooner Spotlight on SoonerSports.com.
During my short time in Norman I have had a number of those moments in my experiences working with the student-athletes at this great university.
One of those revelations came last week when interviewing volleyball player Francie Ekwerekwu, this week's Boomerblast featured student-athlete. Ekwerekwu's story of success despite growing up under less than ideal circumstances is truly inspirational. But it is everything she stands for and the passion with which she approaches every endeavor which really sparked my admiration.
The demands of being a Division I student-athlete are enormous, having to balance academics while competing on the highest stage. For Ekwerekwu, those demands also include a high level of involvement in community service.
When asked how she balances all the aspects of being a student-athlete, Ekwerekwu responded simply, "When you love everything you do, you make it work."
The same attitude resonates throughout a large majority of the student-athletes at the University of Oklahoma. They want to give back and are passionate about everything they do because they appreciate the opportunities they have at OU and understand their responsibilities as representatives of this institution and its athletics department.
The standard of excellence for student-athletes at Oklahoma is extremely high both on and off the field, and every one of them is expected to represent the University in a positive manner by upholding the values of respect, accountability for self and others, passion for comprehensive excellence, celebration of diversity and itegrity in all affairs.
That said, Sooner student-athletes become involved in many ways not because they are required to, but because they want to because they are good people. This is evident by how they carry themselves both on and off the field, their charisma in dealing with others and their humility despite all of their achievements.
A fine example of the type of character OU nurtures was witnessed on Sunday with former running back Adrian Peterson's performance against the San Diego Chargers. In case you missed it, A.D. set the NFL single-game rushing record with 296 yards on 30 carries.
It was before he set the record, however, when Peterson's finest quality came to light. With 258 yards under his belt and needing just 38 more when the Vikings got the ball back with seven minutes remaining in the game, Peterson was taken out in favor of veteran Chester Taylor. Taylor rushed for 41 yards on the drive and sealed Minnesota's victory with a two-yard score.
Who was the first to greet Taylor and congratulate him on the sidelines? Peterson, of course. The record was the farthest thing from his mind.
The Vikings got the ball back one more time, though, and this time the glory was his. With an otherwise meaningless three-yard carry with just over a minute left, Peterson surpassed Jamal Lewis' previous single-game rushing record of 295 yards.
When asked about his awareness of the record after the game, Peterson said, "Oh, no. I was just out playing ball. I wasn't thinking about the record at all."
It should come as no surprise. Although he has set a lot of them in his day, Peterson has never been about records. This distinguished mark, however, could not have befallen upon a better person.
The adversities Peterson has faced in his life have been well-documented, with his father serving an extended prison sentence when he was growing up and the loss of his brother at a young age. It is likely that those are the things which serve as his motivation to succeed. Yet with all the success he has realized, Peterson has remained humble and has not taken anything for granted. He continues to work extremely hard to be the best he can possibly be.
He truly is one of the finest people you could ever meet.
Peterson may be one of the most recognizable stars associated with OU, but the same characteristics can be found in nearly every one of the student-athletes at Oklahoma. Whether they faced difficult circumstances growing up or were lucky enough to come from a more favorable environment, the student-athletes have one commonality -- they are great people.
At least part of the credit for this must go to the coaching staffs who find those characteristics within the exceptional athletes they recruit. Once they arrive, those qualities are further developed and enhanced true to the department's mission -- Inspiring Champions Today, Preparing Leaders for Tomorrow.
Champions and leaders, both on and off the field. That is what OU stands for and what each of its student-athletes represents.
Whether or not you see them on TV, the student-athletes at Oklahoma all possess the same qualities and are held to the same high standards. They represent the best the University of Oklahoma has to offer and are people you truly can admire.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
See Sooner student-athletes at their finest in the weekly SemGroup Sooner Spotlight on SoonerSports.com.
Tuesday, June 09
Monday, April 13
Monday, April 13
Monday, April 06
