Day One of the OKC Challenge is in the Books
November 18, 2019 | Softball
Freshman Jenna Servi recounts her first OKC Challenge
With day one of the University of Louisville softball's Oklahoma City Challenge in the books, freshman Jenna Servi reports on her first experience with the intra-squad competition as her Red Team takes an early lead.
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"The night before day one of the OKC Challenge, I had already begun to get a jittery, butterfly feeling in my stomach. Unsure of what our challenge was or how it was going to go, I could hardly sleep. When 4:40 a.m. finally arrived, I jumped out of bed, made my smoothie, and got in the mode to compete. For my first OKC as a freshman, I remembered to give it my all and breathe.Â
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When the four freshmen on the Red Team got to the locker room, we were really early and ready to go. Being early is always a good thing, however, the anticipation caused our eagerness to grow. When the entire team arrived, we eventually started stretching and talking, but the uneasy feeling was building inside. At 5:48 a.m. we walked from Card Park up to the field hockey field and where sports performance coaches Caryn and Mitch were waiting for us with cones lined up next to them. We were tasked with a 400-meter shuttle run, and my nerves heightened knowing that the 400 is the hardest race in track and field, but I knew my team could come through.Â
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We stretched and warmed up some more on the field, then it was time to go. Seeing my team run before me, I had gotten less nervous and more excited to see us all push and cheer for each other. Not knowing what was after the running portion, we moved to the Marshall Center and were assigned with the 'towel hang.' With no strategy needed, one after another we hopped on the 'towel' and ended up with the win! It was an awesome, blood-pumping feeling being motivated and pushed by my teammates who had been through multiple OKC Challenges before. I am excited for the rest of the week!"
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"The night before day one of the OKC Challenge, I had already begun to get a jittery, butterfly feeling in my stomach. Unsure of what our challenge was or how it was going to go, I could hardly sleep. When 4:40 a.m. finally arrived, I jumped out of bed, made my smoothie, and got in the mode to compete. For my first OKC as a freshman, I remembered to give it my all and breathe.Â
Â
When the four freshmen on the Red Team got to the locker room, we were really early and ready to go. Being early is always a good thing, however, the anticipation caused our eagerness to grow. When the entire team arrived, we eventually started stretching and talking, but the uneasy feeling was building inside. At 5:48 a.m. we walked from Card Park up to the field hockey field and where sports performance coaches Caryn and Mitch were waiting for us with cones lined up next to them. We were tasked with a 400-meter shuttle run, and my nerves heightened knowing that the 400 is the hardest race in track and field, but I knew my team could come through.Â
Â
We stretched and warmed up some more on the field, then it was time to go. Seeing my team run before me, I had gotten less nervous and more excited to see us all push and cheer for each other. Not knowing what was after the running portion, we moved to the Marshall Center and were assigned with the 'towel hang.' With no strategy needed, one after another we hopped on the 'towel' and ended up with the win! It was an awesome, blood-pumping feeling being motivated and pushed by my teammates who had been through multiple OKC Challenges before. I am excited for the rest of the week!"
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Players Mentioned
INF
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