Pomona lodge builds team camaraderie

OU football and baseball athletics try to build confidence among teams with retreats to a lake.

Both teams went to Pomona Lake early in the school year to stay in the OU Lodge in Pomona.

"To rent the cabin, you have to go through the maintenance and facilities here at OU and put in a reservation form," baseball coach Joe Reed said. "The lodge comes with about a page and a half of rules and guidelines to follow."

The two programs went over to the lake as teams. The main purpose of the trip for both teams was for the players to get to know each other and names.

Both teams were able to accomplish goals in using different activities.

"We played volleyball and whiffle ball as a team to get used to playing with each other for game purposes and also against each other for practice purposes," freshman Connor

Gallentine said. "Both games that we played were a lot of fun and I enjoyed them."

Not all of the time spent at the lodge is structured. Players have a chance to build on different bonds.

"For about the first 45 minutes, the team played flag football. After that, Coach Reed made chili and talked about the expectations for this upcoming season and what he wanted to see us accomplish," assistant baseball coach Tommy Fitzgerald said. "Once coach was finished talking, the players were allowed to do their own thing.

Some went fishing, some played poker and some sat around the fire and talked."

Reed said the cabin had many amenities to make teams' stays more enjoyable. Lodging comes with kitchen appliances and men's and women's restrooms, including showers.

It's available to anybody who wants to reserve it. There also is a picnic table and a fire pit. There is a lot of fishing available as well.