Mustang High School's 2010 female athlete of the year, Bailey Boulware, is fast forwarding to her soccer career as a University of Oklahoma freshman this fall.
Boulware has prepared for the season with the OU team in strength and conditioning workouts throughout the summer.
“It's hard, but I feel my body getting better. So it's worth it,” Boulware said about summer workouts with the Sooners.
As a member of the crimson and cream squad, Boulware's college career will be influenced by OU's decision to stay in the Big 12 Conference. The Pac-10 conference, which OU considered joining earlier this year, would have put the Sooners soccer team up against tougher competition.
Five Pac-10 schools were among the top 25 teams in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America/Adidas poll at the end of last season. Pac-10's UCLA and Stanford were in the top five of the poll with UCLA at third and Stanford in the No. 2 spot. Only Texas A&M represented the Big 12 in the top 25.
Boulware said she was mostly indifferent about what conference she would want to play in.
“It would kind of be cool to go play other teams like that (Pac-10) and have more competition, but at the same time, I grew up watching them (Sooners) play in the Big 12,” Boulware said. “So it would be cool playing the teams they've always played.”
Boulware's new coach, MHS 1993 graduate Nicole Nelson, said the Big 12 is a conference rich in tradition.
“I always have the upmost confidence in our administration to make the best decision for our athletic program,” Nelson said.
Nelson's Sooners were dealt a season-ending loss from Big 12 rival Oklahoma State last year that denied OU a trip to nationals. Boulware expects a different outcome this season.
“We're going to get in the tournament for sure,” Boulware said.
The former Bronco will assist the Sooners, according to Nelson, by beefing up the team's attack with her willingness to endure physical contact.
“I like to define her (Boulware) as a hard-nosed forward that finds a way to score goals. She is good technically and has a good soccer brain,” said Nelson, who is going into her third season as head coach of the Sooners. She said her new recruit has room to improve for NCAA competition.
“As any young player, she will have to adjust to the increase in athleticism and speed of play at a higher level,” Nelson said.
Boulware is confident that her skill will naturally progress by playing, but her mindset needs to get stronger.
“I just have to keep pushing myself to get where I want to be and not give up,” she said. “It's kind of hard out there.”
Other players on the Sooners squad are helping her settle in and giving her support.
“They're picking me up when I'm slacking — when I'm trying to run. I even pick people up,” Boulware said. “It's just a team, it's nice.”
Boulware and her fellow Sooners maintained a workout routine four times a week throughout July. Two-a-day practices will begin the first week of August before the season begins later that month.