Determination and teamwork helped the OCCC soccer team snag a 5-5 tie despite being shorthanded against the Southwestern Oklahoma State University Bulldogs on April 22 in Oklahoma City.

OCCC’s team was put at a disadvantage to start the game, playing with only eight players who showed up for the game.

Player-coach K.B. Yeboah said the team’s strategy had to change because of being shorthanded.

“When you are down players, everybody plays everywhere,” Yeboah said. “Everybody plays spaces, not positions.”

A one-day single elimination laser tag tournament will be held on campus Wednesday, April 25, said Eric Watson, Sports and Recreation specialist.

Any student interested in joining this event can register at the Recreation and Fitness office for free anytime before the event, he said.

Watson said the teams will be made up of about 5 to 10 players and will battle in an elimination event from 2 to 4 p.m., that will be held on the field south of the Aquatic Center on campus. Watson said all students are welcome.

“I encourage the students to put their teams together,” Watson said.

Watson said originally the event was supposed to cost $5 per student but has been changed to a free intramural event.

The OCCC Men’s Community Basketball League kicked off its Spring season at 7 p.m. on March 8. The season, however, is still going strong through May 3 and exciting game play can be seen every Thursday evening at 7 p.m., 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. in the Wellness Center Gymnasium.

The cost to play in the league is $250 per team and must be paid upfront in order to participate in the league, according to Recreation and Sports Specialist Eric Watson.

The OCCC Men’s Basketball League has been a staple of the Wellness Center for more than a decade, he said.

Watson said in order to participate, participants must be 18 years of age, but the sign up period for the men’s league ended in March.

A Capture-the-Flag paintball tournament will be held on the field south of the Aquatic Center from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, April 29, said Eric Watson, Sports and Recreation specialist at OCCC.

Any student interested in joining must sign up by April 16 in the Recreation and Sports office. The cost is $10.

This is the first year for the tournament. Watson said he hopes it continues to grow in the number of students. The paintball tournament will feature two teams with no limit on the number of players on each team, he said.

It is open to male and female students, Watson said. Students are advised to wear clothing that is easy to run in. Also, Watson said, students should expect to get a little dirty.

The CoEd Volleyball League has been canceled due to lack of participation from students and faculty.

According to Eric Watson, Recreation and Sports specialist, it appears there was not enough advertisement given to the CoEd Volleyball League.

As reported by the Pioneer at the close of the fall semester, OCCC also had to cancel the 5-on-5 Basketball Tournament due to low numbers of participants.

Some students believe the lack of advertisement around the school is the big reason for the absence in students.

“I didn’t know about the intramurals until I walked over by the gym,” student and frequent visitor to the Wellness Center Daun Coleman said.

Poor communication led to the OCCC soccer team losing its first game of the season 5-3 to the Southwestern Oklahoma State University Bulldogs on March 11 in Weatherford.

The Bulldogs opened quickly with a goal scored against OCCC goalkeeper Sean Anderson. Not long after, during a corner kick, the Bulldogs scored again by way of a miscommunicated own-goal on a header by OCCC’s Matt Anderson making it 2-0.

Player-coach K.B. Yeboah retaliated minutes later, with a little help from the wind blowing strong across the field, on a set piece goal from outside of the box just before the halftime break.

OCCC player Roberto Prado reminded his team that they were just down one goal during the break, and he was optimistic they could tie the game soon with hard work.

The Bison from Oklahoma Baptist University in Shawnee claimed the national championship in the men’s division of NAIA Swimming and Diving meet at OCCC the first weekend in March.

It was the first year for the Bison to enter the contest. Oklahoma Baptist was the only Oklahoma college competing.

The Bison won first place in the men’s 400-yard freestyle relay with a meet record of 2.57.83 to clinch first place.

The win helped the Bison come from their second place position to gain a five-point lead over the Fresno Pacific Sunbirds with a final score of 757 points.

OBU head coach Sam Freas said he was impressed with how the team had done its first year,

The Boise State Broncos made a huge splash at the Mountain West Conference’s annual Women’s Swimming and Diving Conference Championship, taking home the victory.

The Mountain West Conference’s championship meet was held at OCCC’s Aquatic Center from Feb. 22 through 25.

The University of Nevada at Las Vegas placed second behind the Broncos. The San Diego State Aztecs finished in third place.

The Broncos trailed the 2011 champion Aztecs by one point (707-708) entering the 400-yard freestyle relay, but broke the record with a time of 3.17.55 in their first time in a Mountain West Conference competition.

Teams and coaches from the Mountain West Conference said they enjoy having the annual championship meet held at OCCC’s Acquatic Center.

“It’s been an excellent venue,” said Dan McAllen, official of the Mountain West Conference swim tournament.

“We’ve enjoyed our time here.”

The Mountain West Conference Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships will take place Feb. 22 through 25 at the OCCC Aquatic Center. The first event will begin at 12:30 p.m.

For more than a decade now, OCCC has hosted the Mountain West Conference Swimming and Diving Championships. The Aquatic Center takes a lot of pride in being involved in the event, OCCC Director of Recreation and Fitness Roxanna Butler said.

“It is an honor to bring such a prestigious event to Oklahoma City,” she said. “One more opportunity to showcase our amazing natatorium,” she said.

Each year the MWC staff, coaches, athletes and spectators comment about the wonderful hospitality they receive in Oklahoma. Everyone is friendly, and goes out of the way to make them feel at home.

Students, faculty and staff that wish to get in shape but don’t have much time on their hands have some options.

The Abs Express class is offered for $20 per month in the Recreation and Fitness area. The class lasts only 20 minutes on Mondays and Wednesdays from 5:05 to 5:25 p.m., Health and Fitness Specialist Marlene Shugart said.

If you have purchased the Group Fitness Pass then the class is included in the $50 price, she said.

The Abs Express class is designed to strengthen all of your abdominal muscles as well as improve your lower back strength, according to the OCCC Spring Fitness & Enrichment program.