Inside "OWN TODAY"

OWN TODAY, two simple words that shape a philosophy for the 2014-15 Oklahoma women's basketball team. For a team fueled by youth, and motivated by naysayers, the phrase defines a mentality.

“Biggest thing Coach Coale stresses is that where ever you are to be fully there,” redshirt sophomore guard Maddie Manning said. “So if we are in the classroom, be fully there and not worried about anything on the basketball court. Once you arrive to practice you throw the classroom out and are focused on basketball. This is a way to focus and really take advantage of everything you are doing in that moment.”

That singular focus helps a player juggle the rush of responsibilities that a student-athlete faces. Veterans like senior guard Sharane Campbell-Olds, who have spent years in the system, have grown to appreciate the simplicity and results that follow.

"Focus on one thing at a time, focus on cutting, focus on rebounding... Focusing on one thing to make the team better."
Sr. Guard Sharane Campbell-Olds

“As I have grown I have started to focus on one thing at a time, focus on cutting, focus on rebounding,” Campbell-Olds said. “There is so much going on daily so being able to focus on one thing to make the team better. Around here, you become accustom to it, I bet the freshman will become accustom to it quickly and easily as I did.”

The 2014-15 version of the Sooners features five freshmen. For those five, OWN TODAY creates a framework for success. That framework may be most important for freshman point guard Gabbi Ortiz. The point guard in a Sherri Coale offense is essentially a quarterback on the court. That can be a tall order for someone who was playing high school basketball last season.

“When you focus, on a day, don't get caught up so much on what happened yesterday or get down on yourself, don't worry about the next day,” Ortiz said of how she sees OWN TODAY. “Being in the moment, and winning that moment, being together with your team is an amazing philosophy because we can be better together that way.”

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The philosophy is simple, and more importantly it is repeatable. Coale's crew puts it into practice every day.

“I'm trying to be a leader on my team and trying to build relationships with them,” Ortiz said. “With academics, doing the best I can each and every day to achieve my goals; I want to have straight-a's if I can. Just little things like that. I think Own Today is a great philosophy and we are going to have a great year.”

“I want to be a good person, be a better teammate,” Campbell-Olds said. “Making sure I am the person that people want to be around and can talk to.”

If everybody is doing what they can do the best way possible in that day, you can actually make the world a better place.
So. Guard Maddie Manning

That effort leaves players with a feeling of satisfaction and a drive to do more.

“When you know you own the day, there is this feeling like ... don't know how to express it but like 'ahhhh that is how it is supposed to be every day',” Manning said. “You are excited to wake up the next day and own the next day and keep getting better.”

OWN TODAY is not just for players however. It's a movement that the Sooners hope the fans will be part of. It's something that can be used in any facet of life.

“Coach Coale has always told the team that after we play basketball we want others to walk away and say 'I am going to do my job better tomorrow', 'I can't wait to wake up and succeed tomorrow',” Manning said. “Just having people do that and know we are changing them and helping them and inspiring them. That would be really cool to see.

“It would mean a lot, if fans are jumping on board it becomes a bigger movement,” Campbell-Olds said. “They might be then telling their kids to only focus on today and they are going to spread out and tell their friends. So if everybody is doing what they can do the best way possible in that day, you can actually make the world a better place.”

Two words, eight letters, one movement. And you can be part of it.

Tell us how YOU will OWN TODAY by posting to Twitter or Instagram with #OWNTODAY. You can also tell us how you will OWN TODAY below: