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It is the most wonderful time of the year

There is nothing better than October Friday nights in Oklahoma. What is there not love?  Football, crisp nghts and a full bright moon are all perfect element to building a fall evening. It is cool enough to wear a long sleeve shirt but not cold enough freeze your fingers.

I wish it could stay fall forever. Bring on the hot chocolate, apples, nutmeg, cinnamon and pumpkins. I am ready to leave summer in the dust.

Here are some pictures from my fall night at the Shawnee vs. Carl Albert football game.

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MUDD Volleyball

As photojournalists we often put ourselves in dangerous situations.  We risks ourselves and camera gear to chasing storms. We risk getting tackled by football players while on the sidelines or being hit by a foul ball. In the winter, I always carry a bag with a pair of dry socks, waterproof pants, extra gloves and other various winter items. Last week during the scorching heat wave I carried extra water to stay hydrated. As photojournalists it is important we prepare ourselves for the worst.

So, last weekend when I was assigned the MDA MUDD Vollleyball tournament, fellow staff photographer Nate Billings warned me to wear clothes that I did not care about. It was the best advice I have had in a while. I had no choice but to put myself in the line of fire of flying muddy water in order to get the pictures I wanted. My old jeans I wore are now a nice rust color.  At least I got some decent pictures.

See all photos

-Sarah Phipps

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LibertyFest Parade

Bryan Terry shot a time lapse video of the LibertyFest Parade in downtown Edmond. There are 1754 still frames in the video condensing the two-hour parade into two-and-a-half minutes.

Paul Hellstern was covering the parade from the ground. You can see a gallery of his photos here.

Below are a couple of other still frames Bryan shot from the roof.

-Sarah Phipps

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Frog and Turtles races

A move to Dallas has not kept Lisa Cochell and her family from their tradition of attending Camp DaKaNi in Oklahoma City. Cochell starting attending the camp in 1973. Her little brother and sister joined soon after.

She now spends her summer vacations at the camp with her son, nieces and nephews. They have been attending since 1997.

The turtle and frog races have always been a favorite highlight at the camp.

“I love watching their faces. They are all so excited. I had a little camper today, she gave her turtle to the office because we had two turtles in the same category and her turtle won second. Even though it wasn’t for our group, she was like ‘My turtle won second’ and that is the best feeling. That is why I take my vacations to do this, ” Cochell said.

The night before the races, Cochell and several of the others counselor catch frogs on the pond at Camp DaKaNi. It is an activity they have done for several years.

“My son is great at catching frogs and it is because he has been doing it since he was four years old,” she said.

Click play to see all frog racing photos and to hear audio from the race.

-Sarah Phipps

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Endeavor Games

Dave Nelson of Omaha, Neb., wheeled over to me as I was leaving the track events of the Endeavor Games at Edmond North High School.  Nelson was injured in a car accident several years ago and this was his first Endeavor Games. He wanted to tell me how great the event was and how he was excited to tell his friends, family and doctors back home about it. But most of all he wanted to show me his tattoo he got before traveling to Oklahoma for the games. “You have to have a sense of humor,” he said.

View Sunday’s pictures

View all Endeavor Games photos

-Sarah Phipps

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Grand slam dreams

Every little girl who plays softball dreams of the day when she will hit a grand-slam home run to give her team a win.

On Sunday this dream became a reality for Florida Gator Ali Gardiner.

Gardiner walked up to the plate in the bottom of the 7th as the Gators trailed Alabama by 3. With two outs and the bases loaded, Gardiner, who was 0-for-9 in the WCWS, hit the 2-1 pitch just beyond the fence in left field, propelling the Gators into the championship round.

After shooting one of the longest softball games of my life (the previous game between Georgia and Washington went for more than four hours), Gardiner’s heroics were a nice highlight. College softball rarely produces high scores. On Sunday, I saw 28 runs in just two games including 2 grand slams. This year’s WCWS has produced a record 24 home runs setting a new single tournament record. Sunday’s 7,000 plus fans got their money’s worth.

After six-plus hours standing in burning sun on Sunday, I was pretty miserable. But after editing the pictures of Gardiner being dog piled by her teammates, I knew it was worth the pain.

The WCWS stands are often filled young softball players and their families. Knowing that there are now several little girls dreaming of the day they can be just like Ali Gardiner puts a smile on my sunburnt face.

Here are two photo galleries from the games I shot yesterday and one from the night game photographed by Bryan Terry.

Washington vs. Georgia

Florida vs. Alabama

Washington vs. Georgia, the rematch

-Sarah Phipps

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Baseball memories

Growing up in Kansas City, my favorite activity in the summer was to go to Royals’ games with my father.  There is no other experience in the world like going to the ball park with your pops.

The sights, the sounds, the smells, the food.  A hot dog at the ball park tastes better than the world’s finest filet mignon.  The crack of a line drive is unforgettable.

Baseball is the the definition of summer.

We would always go to at least three games:  Memorial Day for my birthday, Fourth of July for the fireworks, and my personal favorite Blues Springs’ Day.

Blue Springs Day was extra special. On this day, I would put on my softball uniform cleats and all. And along with hundreds of other future hall of famers, I would parade around the warning track before the game. If was lucky enough,  George Brett might even wave hello.  I felt so cool. I was on top of the world.

Here in Oklahoma City, every Sunday the RedHawks host Sunday Fun Day. After the game, all the children are allowed to run the bases, hit home runs, and play catch with their dad in left field. I certainly wish I had a memory of playing catch in left field at Kauffman Stadium with my pops.

I bet these kids feel as tall as their shadows as they round the bases and will always remember the time they hit a homerun at the Brick.

Summers at the ballpark can create memories of a lifetime.

-Sarah Phipps

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Zac Robinson can throw a zinger

 

These are a couple of frames before I did my best Marcia Brady impression. Remember the episode where she got hit in the nose with a football and it ruined her prom? Well, my prom was not ruined but the next day at work there was some pain on the right side of my face.

 

I never imaged that I would be Robinson’s intended target in the back of the end zone. I am quite honored that Gundy recognized my superior athletic power and involved me in his offense. I can tell you from experience Robinson has some zip on his ball. I am glad this pass took a bounce before hitting me in the nose.

 

-Sarah Phipps

 

 

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