This is the third year for Rookie Camp, but the staff added some new elements to the presentation this year
STILLWATER — As she reflected on her Oklahoma State softball career when it ended in the spring of 2023, Morgyn Wynne lamented the fact that as a transfer, she didn’t get the same overload of information about her new school that freshmen typically received.
She believed every first-year student-athlete should be greeted when they arrive with a presentation that makes them aware of all the resources available, and many of the basics they need to know about being an OSU athlete.
“She helped us develop Rookie Camp, and it was because of her experience we were able to take what she thought was going to be the most beneficial for student-athletes,” said Jawauna Harding, OSU’s associate athletic director of student-athlete leadership and professional development.
Now in its third year, Rookie Camp grew even bigger with Sunday’s presentation, which was available to all first-year OSU athletes — with the exception of the women’s soccer team, which had a game at the same time.
A group of about 130 athletes, made up of incoming freshmen and transfers, toured the areas in and around Gallagher-Iba Arena, where they listened to presentations from staff members discussing the Remember the Ten Memorial, the Remember the Four Memorial, and many key points in OSU’s history displayed in Heritage Hall.
“I thought it was something I needed to get more educated about Oklahoma State’s history,” said OSU football transfer super-senior Markell Samuel. “So I thought this day was important to everybody that’s new here to really get the culture behind Stillwater and Oklahoma State.
“I’m a part of this culture now, so I need to know what it’s about and what’s been here before me.”
And that’s the goal Harding has tried to focus on with her development of Rookie Camp. The first two years, the event was centered more on educating the athletes on the variety of services available to them outside of their basic athletic and academic resources.
But this year, she and her staff decided to add some of the historical aspects of the university’s athletic department to the event.
And in the transfer portal era, when many athletes might stay at a university for only a year or two, presenting them with this information early on is valuable.
“It exposes them quickly to what you need to know,” Harding said. “We hit on some quick resources. One of the things was academic tutoring. They hear it, but this is another way to tell them about more resources they have access to.
“Then we realized they weren’t learning enough about the excellence and the history of OSU. With the transfer portal, we might only have them for a year. So if we’re only going to have you for a year, we want this to be the best experience to where you say, ‘This is home. This is where I belong.’ So it’s been great to welcome the new student-athletes in in this manner.”
Scott Wright covers Oklahoma State athletics for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Scott? He can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter at @ScottWrightOK. Sign up for the Oklahoma State Cowboys newsletter to access more OSU coverage. Support Scott’s work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com or by using the link at the top of this page.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Rookie Camp helps new Oklahoma State athletes adjust to university
Category: General Sports
