University of Oklahoma Athletics
BoomerBlast No. 5 - Students Before Athletes
August 16, 2007 | Athletics
NORMAN, Okla. -- There's a reason the word student comes first in the term student-athlete. The story has been told many times before, but that doesn't diminish the meaning of the message.
The same individuals who put on the uniform and lace up the shoes for their respective teams represent more than just the athletes you see on TV. A majority of these young people you probably never will see on TV due to the nature of their sport, making their commitment to excellence both on and off the field even more admirable.
At Oklahoma, the standard of excellence is undoubtedly high in both areas. The expectation is to compete for both national and conference championships year-in and year-out while upholding the reputation of one of the top public academic institutions in the country. Combine this with the constant drive to get better and every single one of OU's student-athletes have a hand in carrying on a tradition unrivaled by any other school in the country.
With fall semester classes beginning this week, it is appropriate to recognize the Sooners not only for their dedication on the field but in the classroom as well.
A number of OU student-athletes jumped the gun last week by discarding their uniforms in favor of more natural attire - that of students - for the shooting of a promotional commercial for the Sooner Club.
The principal fundraising arm of OU Athletics, the Sooner Club is responsible for raising all of the money that goes toward scholarships and facility upgrades which enables Oklahoma to provide the best student-athlete experience in the country. It affords individual donors an opportunity to help talented young people receive a quality education at the University of Oklahoma while ensuring OU's tradition of excellence continues to grow.
Visual Image, the same company which shoots the annual football intro video and men's and women's basketball commercials, was at work again, shifting their focus to a more academically-based production this time around.
Men's gymnast Wes Aderhold, a sophomore majoring in drama, appropriately started the day with script in hand at the Reynolds Performing Arts Center. The stage then shifted to a number of other venues around campus for his fellow student-athletes to take their turns in front of the camera.
Women's basketball star Courtney Paris, a journalism major, and men's basketball player Taylor Griffin, who is studying pre-med, highlighted the production, along with two-sport athlete Carolyn Winchester, a math education major and member of both the women's basketball and track and field teams. View photos highlighting Paris' and Winchester's portion of the video shoot by clicking on the link above.
Each of these individuals spent time talking about their experiences as students at Oklahoma while featured in an academic setting relative to their specific major. They will serve as the spokespeople for the Sooner Club during a series of commercials that will air throughout the 2007-08 academic year.
For more information on the Sooner Club, click here.
