The OU Scooter Squad looks to have fun on campus with scooters and encourages students to do the same.
Though scooters provide a fast method of transportation across campus, members of the OU Scooter Squad like to simply enjoy the “art of scooting.”
The OU Scooter Squad began last October when president Nick Farris needed a quicker way to get across campus. Now the group has about 12 members and many other supporters on social media.
“The idea of the Scooter Squad all started from basically me not wanting to walk super far to my classes,” Farris, a freshman studying management information systems, said. “One day, I was like, ‘I've had enough of this,’ and I just bought a scooter and so did my followers.”
The club started with Farris, vice president Rhys Jones, a freshman studying linguistics, and treasurer Mackenzie Schnaekel, a freshman studying electrical engineering.
Jones bought his scooter second and Schnaekel third, and a hierarchy was established.
“That's why I'm second in command and he was the third to buy his, so he's third in command,” Jones said of Schnaekel.
Since its inception, Farris said the club has been growing steadily as outreach efforts have increased.
“We had a table set up outside of Baker (Center) recently, which helped reach out to some people,” Farris said. “Our business cards that we give out, that helps a lot too.”
The business cards include a picture of John Cena in front of an American flag, plus Comic Sans text, which Schnaekel said includes “a little bit for everybody.”
Kristin Riggs, a freshman studying early childhood education, said she used to scoot around her grandma’s neighborhood all the time, and that she enjoyed reading the club’s business cards.
“I love the business cards because John Cena’s on them,” Riggs said.
Though the club has yet to see its name listed on the university’s list of student organizations, Farris said the club has gone through the registration process and has attended funding meetings.
The club meets outside of Morton Hall at 6 p.m. on Tuesdays. Occasionally, Farris said members will hold “flash scoots” where a time and place is set up for members to scoot in a “giant pack.”
Schnaekel said so far, people have really liked the club, and club members ended up on the OU Snapchat story. Jones said people have yelled things such as, “Woo, Scooter Squad!” when they ride around.
“If I saw people scootering around campus, I would not judge them,” Gigi Dubois, a freshman studying early childhood education, said. “I think that’s so cool. I like to watch them.”
The favorite scooter among club members is the Razor A2 Kick Scooter, which Farris says costs a little over $30 on Amazon, adding that anybody can have a scooter within several days, especially with Amazon Prime.
Farris said the squad doesn’t have any rival clubs in particular, and that club members are technically “neutral” about bikes. However, Jones said scooters are more convenient.
“Why scooters are better than bikes: … you can fold up your scooter and bring it into class. Everybody might laugh at you, but it's OK,” Jones said. “When you're done with class, you just, like, whip that bad boy out and scoot away. Leave them in the dust.”
Though some Scooter Squad members focus on maneuverability and riding, others attempt tricks, including the basic bunny hop, no-hand riding and a more elaborate spin move that involves kicking the body of the scooter around the handlebars.
Farris said the squad also practices different formations while riding. For example, Farris said “wall formation” is necessary if they need to take up a lot of space.
The Scooter Squad is also working on offering services, such as providing motivational music for a workout. Though the squad mostly offers the service to friends, Farris said next year they hope to open it up to more people on campus.
{{tncms-asset app="editorial" id="cefa69be-7908-11e5-87ca-779b7f1602fb"}}
“I used to run every night … and (members) would follow me (on scooters) blasting the Rocky theme song, so that was pretty good,” Jones said.
The OU Scooter Squad is also affiliated with the University of Toledo’s squad, and Farris said recently the club has gone international — technically.
“I have talked to some of the study abroad students that have come here from Japan, last semester, that are now back in Japan and I believe one or two of them have gotten scooters,” Farris said. “I don't know if they started an organization at our sister university down there, but that's interesting.”
Jones said to remember that the Scooter Squad is a “serious club,” also emphasizing the club’s motto: “Scoot or die."
@pconnpie
