Sooners Experience the Big Apple

eing a track and field student-athlete at the University of Oklahoma means that you may have the opportunity to travel to some interesting places around the United States to compete in your sport. It also opens a number of windows for the student-athletes, especially when you have international student-athletes competing alongside big city and small town teammates.

This year's schedule has the Sooners making trips to Lincoln, Neb., Fayetteville, Ark., Ames, Iowa, Los Angeles, Palo Alto, South Bend, Tempe, Lawrence, Kan., Austin, Philadelphia, and for some, Seattle, College Station and Eugene. Last weekend, OU added New York City to that list, a new experience for many.

Prior to touching down in the Big Apple, many of the student-athletes' perceptions about the city came from television shows and movies that took place there, music that referenced it and stories they had seen on television.

“For the most part, what I knew about New York was what I saw on television, and all of the songs that they make about it,” said Robert Charlton. “It's a big life, big city. It was pretty much exactly what I thought it was going to be.”

“My favorite movie, You've Got Mail, is set in New York, so that was what I pictured before I came here,” admitted Isabella Rose. “Just all of the lights and the cozy atmosphere.”

Another distance runner Hayley Redwine thought about Times Square as the iconic New York City.

“The city that never sleeps” was another commonly uttered phrase when thinking about what New York City would be like. “I heard that it was the city that never sleeps, and that everything was always moving. I was excited to go and experience what it had to offer,” provided Bianca Brazil.

Thomas Cheval “was expecting a big city with big lights. A lot of taxis.”

When the plane touched down and the Sooners were able to set foot on New York soil, the first impressions were ones of awe.

“I was just amazed by how big the buildings were and how lit up everything was,” Redwine said. “It was really neat. I had seen New York City on TV so many times, but to actually be there was pretty surreal.”

Rose echoed that sentiment. “I was really excited by all of the lights. I knew that New York was really famous in that so many movies were filmed there. It was exciting to see that in real life.”

“When we first got there, it was definitely overwhelming. There were so many people and the pace of life was so fast,” Charlton recalled. “Everybody was moving so quickly, walking right by you. The cars were moving fast, honking at you. It was overwhelming at first but after you got through that phase, you understood how the city works. It was a pretty cool experience.”

Added Dean White, “my first impression was just how many people there were and how diverse it was.”

Most of the time, the athletes were at the Armory Track to watch the other events and support their teammates. Still, they did have some downtime to go out and see some of what New York City had to offer.

The proximity of the hotel to the rest of the city gave ample options and opportunity for the student-athletes to explore. “We were pretty much at a spot where everyone wanted to go to, one that was literally next to everything,” according to Cheval.

Times Square was a popular visiting attraction for many of the Sooners. The Empire State Building was also a must-see destination, and as Camille Burge described it, the building was beautifully lit at night. From Brazil's point of view, they did everything a real tourist does. Some of the runners used their time to run nearby Central Park and the streets of New York became their track to traverse. If it wasn't within walking distance, they were given Metro cards to be able to not only get to and from the track, but to explore the surrounding neighborhoods and city.

Pole vaulters Sydney King, Julia Hanks, Meagan Gray and Kenzie Shell braved the cold and wind to walk the Brooklyn Bridge, taking in the expansive skyline and water.

Distance runners Rose, Redwine, Elena Arriaza, Lauren Gibbs, Sarah Scott and Brittany Tretbar went to the Plaza Hotel and did some shopping at the various shops on 5^th Ave.

Throwers Burge and Meia Gordon were able to go to Harlem, Brooklyn and the Bronx using the subway.

White, who went to the Flatiron Building, also joined Hayden McClain and Charles Nguyen for a trip to pay their respects at the One World Trade Center and the neighboring 9/11 Memorial site.

“I went to the 9/11 Memorial and thought that was pretty special,” said White. “I felt like I had to go to pay respects. It was somber because you realize what happened at that spot. It was very quiet.”

Nguyen shared the emotion adding, “I thought being there was pretty surreal because the memorial has all the names of all of the victims and being there made it very real. There were a lot of names. Being an international student from Canada, it is a significant landmark in the United States.”

School wasn't too far removed for some as homework had to be completed and, in a literal sense of the word, student-athlete, Brazil used her time off to go to Eleanor Roosevelt High School to take the LSAT.

Most of the Sooners were also introduced to a new mode of transportation as they traveled to and from the track using the popular and populated subway system. As Olivia Haggerty shared about the subway, it was a “unique experience,” one that produced different reactions throughout the team.

“It was my first time ever on the subway. I liked it,” added Charlton. “It was different. It was a cool experience having never done it. I left my jacket at the track and had to go back by myself to go get it. I had to ask people along the way to figure out how to get there. New Yorkers may not be known for being friendly but they helped me out.”

King liked the subway, even after getting a chance to experience being serenaded while riding the rails. Hanks acknowledged that it was the most efficient mode of transportation, even if it was crowded and dirty.

For Nguyen, “A lot of people were scared about the subway, but I thought it was fun, trying to figure out how to use their transportation system. There is a subway system in Canada that is very similar so he had the benefit of being familiar with that mode of transportation.

White relied on the subway system for his travels and enjoyed the gathering point that the subway provided. “The subway was probably the most diverse part. People were getting on going to the Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens. I thought it was pretty easy to navigate once you got the hang of it. I figured it out.”

Others were not as impressed by the experience.

“It was my first time on a subway. It was definitely confusing,” declared Brazil. “I swiped my Metro pass about five times before I could get it to work.”

Some Sooners, like Haggerty, had the benefit of being on the team in 2014 when OU last competed in the Armory Track Invitational. She was one of a few Sooners who made that trip as a freshman. “It was colder, but overall it was a better experience because I got to explore New York more this time versus my freshman year.”

A few on the team had been to New York City before with their family, but now had the chance to experience the city with their new family, their teammates, which added to the experience.

“It was a lot of fun sharing this experience with my teammates. We are also best friends, so it made it special. We could be with our teammates and friends to share these moments together,” said King. Added Hanks, “Being able to experience this with your best friends is probably the best thing. We got to see the sites but we also got to do the sport we love, which is awesome.”

Many Sooners agreed that they would like to come back to New York to see some of the sights that they weren't able to see this time around. On that list were the Statue of Liberty, Rockefeller Center, the top of the Empire State Building to see the view and wishing for more time to explore places like Harlem, Brooklyn and Queens. Food was on the brain as well for more places to visit as they wanted to try more pizza places, find where to get a cannoli and visit a cookie dough shop.

The lasting memories that the Sooners have from their 48-hour plus trip are as expansive as the city itself. For Burge, it was that there are a million things to do. For Charlton, it was Times Square and how different the city is from life in Oklahoma. Cheval will remember seeing the birthplace of hip-hop and seeing firsthand how different New York City is from Los Angeles. For Nguyen, it was his time spent at the 9/11 Memorial. Haggerty will remember the cold and hanging out with the other sprinters. Being able to share the moments with their teammates will be the lasting image King and Hanks have.

For White, the opportunity to travel and compete for the University of Oklahoma is one that he doesn't take for granted.

“Being able to come to New York was a big blessing. I probably wouldn't be to travel otherwise without being on the track team. I tried to take advantage of it by seeing all of the tourist stops.”

Top-five team finishes in a field of more than 40 teams along with the victories and improved marks show how the Sooners took The Armory by storm. The memories completed the experience as OU thrived in the Big Apple, showing that they could make it there.

*A credit and thank you to the student-athletes who provided the photos: The Brooklyn Bridge (Julia Hanks), distance runners in front of a NYC sign (Isabella Rose), One World Trade Center (Dean White), Times Square group photo (Julia Hanks), and the Times Square article photo (Julia Hanks).

Players Mentioned

Elena Arriaza

Bianca Brazil

Camille Burge

Thomas Cheval

Lauren Gibbs

Lauren Gibbs

Meia Gordon

Meia Gordon

Meagan Gray

Olivia Haggerty

Julia Hanks

Sydney King

Hayden McClain

Hayden McClain

Charles Nguyen

Charles Nguyen

Hayley Redwine

Isabella Rose

Sarah Scott

Kenzie Shell

Brittany Tretbar

Brittany Tretbar

Dean White

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