Oklahoma State University Athletics
Pom Squad Welcomes Back Special Member
August 31, 2006 | Cowboy Football
Tailgating, Bullet, waving the wheat and a sea of orange. Oklahoma State fans anxiously await another season of Cowboy football. But while Saturday's kickoff of the 2006 season is next to Christmas for most of the orange faithful, for one senior OSU Pom Squad member, the day is extra special.
By now most of the Oklahoma State community knows the story of Timber Eaton well. The Tuttle, Okla. native traveled to Mexico for spring break last year and contracted an almost fatal case of Meningitis.
Saturday, when the Oklahoma State Pom squad takes the field at Boone Pickens Stadium, Eaton will be there, months ahead of where she thought she would be.
“Early this summer, Timber agreed with me that perhaps she would be strong enough to dance during a wrestling match in the spring of '07,” said OSU Spirit Coordinator Tracey Wittwer. “Last week in practice she told me she really thought she could dance this Saturday.”
Eaton claims her speedy recovery even surprised her a little bit.
“First we said I would just come back next year. Then I thought that by spring semester I would do wrestling and some basketball,” Eaton said. “By July, I planned on mid-football season being the goal, then I moved it up to Orange Peel. I knew I would be back before most expected, but even I didn't think it would be this weekend until these last couple of weeks.”
Eaton is considered one of the leaders of the squad, and her presence on Saturday means a great deal to the squad.
“I can't imagine her not being a part of the squad this year,” Wittwer said. “It means everything to the squad to have Timber at practice and having her actually dance with them completes their squad. They are so happy with her amazing progress.”
According to Wittwer, Eaton has been practicing with the squad since June, conditioning in the weight room of Gallagher-Iba Arena and doing rehab with the OSU trainers. It seems that her hard work has been paying off.
“Every once in a while she would stand up and try to dance a little during our dance sessions. She would easily tire and then she would need to sit down,” Wittner said. “Last week after one of our practices, she came to me and said she was tired of sitting and that it was time to start dancing. I told her I didn't want her to do anything that she wasn't ready for. But I also know Timber very well. She isn't going to make a decision that is bad for her or for the squad.”
Eaton, an agribuisness major, said wanting to represent OSU and be part of the pom squad helped her motivated during her recovery.
“I did physical therapy several times a week throughout the last three-and-a-half months, and I do feel like it is paying off,” Eaton said. “Being able to be back on the field and court while representing OSU is what I have been working for all summer. If I didn't have that to work for I would have stopped rehabbing a long time ago and wouldn't have gotten back in shape like I want to be.”
Wittwer said Eaton, who is entering her fourth year with the squad, lost much of her flexibility, strength and endurance, but she is slowly getting stronger.
While Eaton will be a part of the squad on Saturday, it is not yet known to what extent she will be able to participate.
“She will be dancing with the pom squad for part, if not all ,of the game this
Saturday,” Whittwer said. “It will just depend on how she feels. It might be hard for her to stand for an entire game. She will participate in pregame with the band and also during a short time-out routine that the poms have prepared.
“I was very concerned because I didn't want her to overdo it. We are going to take it one game at a time. She continues to surprise us all. She is truly amazing.”
When Wittwer told the squad on Tuesday night that Eaton would be on the sidelines they could not have been happier.
“I told the squad last night (Tuesday) in practice that Timber was dancing with them on Saturday,” Wittwer said. “They screamed and then, they all ran over to Timber and hugged her.”
Eaton remembers the moment as a mixture of emotions
“I think it was a mixture of surprise, excitement and teary joy,” said Eaton.
Eaton, who has been dancing since the age of four, said the spirit group took on a special role during her time in the hospital.
“The girls on the squad were like my own private spirit group,” said Eaton. “I felt like they were among my biggest fans and did such a wonderful job making my days happier by visiting and encouraging me while I was sick. They will all forever be special to me.”
As, if the day could not get any more special, Eaton will be celebrating her 22nd birthday on Saturday.
“Its going to be a great birthday,” Eaton said. “A friend of mine told me to do something special on your 22nd birthday because it's the first of all the boring birthdays that you don't look forward to. I think being on the field Saturday qualifies as special. The plans are to have a fun little cookout with friends on Friday and then lunch with my family before game day activities start.”
So when the Cowboys take the field on Saturday to battle Missouri State, know there is one Cowgirl who will be celebrating a very special birthday!
By now most of the Oklahoma State community knows the story of Timber Eaton well. The Tuttle, Okla. native traveled to Mexico for spring break last year and contracted an almost fatal case of Meningitis.
Saturday, when the Oklahoma State Pom squad takes the field at Boone Pickens Stadium, Eaton will be there, months ahead of where she thought she would be.
“Early this summer, Timber agreed with me that perhaps she would be strong enough to dance during a wrestling match in the spring of '07,” said OSU Spirit Coordinator Tracey Wittwer. “Last week in practice she told me she really thought she could dance this Saturday.”
Eaton claims her speedy recovery even surprised her a little bit.
“First we said I would just come back next year. Then I thought that by spring semester I would do wrestling and some basketball,” Eaton said. “By July, I planned on mid-football season being the goal, then I moved it up to Orange Peel. I knew I would be back before most expected, but even I didn't think it would be this weekend until these last couple of weeks.”
Eaton is considered one of the leaders of the squad, and her presence on Saturday means a great deal to the squad.
“I can't imagine her not being a part of the squad this year,” Wittwer said. “It means everything to the squad to have Timber at practice and having her actually dance with them completes their squad. They are so happy with her amazing progress.”
According to Wittwer, Eaton has been practicing with the squad since June, conditioning in the weight room of Gallagher-Iba Arena and doing rehab with the OSU trainers. It seems that her hard work has been paying off.
“Every once in a while she would stand up and try to dance a little during our dance sessions. She would easily tire and then she would need to sit down,” Wittner said. “Last week after one of our practices, she came to me and said she was tired of sitting and that it was time to start dancing. I told her I didn't want her to do anything that she wasn't ready for. But I also know Timber very well. She isn't going to make a decision that is bad for her or for the squad.”
Eaton, an agribuisness major, said wanting to represent OSU and be part of the pom squad helped her motivated during her recovery.
“I did physical therapy several times a week throughout the last three-and-a-half months, and I do feel like it is paying off,” Eaton said. “Being able to be back on the field and court while representing OSU is what I have been working for all summer. If I didn't have that to work for I would have stopped rehabbing a long time ago and wouldn't have gotten back in shape like I want to be.”
Wittwer said Eaton, who is entering her fourth year with the squad, lost much of her flexibility, strength and endurance, but she is slowly getting stronger.
While Eaton will be a part of the squad on Saturday, it is not yet known to what extent she will be able to participate.
“She will be dancing with the pom squad for part, if not all ,of the game this
Saturday,” Whittwer said. “It will just depend on how she feels. It might be hard for her to stand for an entire game. She will participate in pregame with the band and also during a short time-out routine that the poms have prepared.
“I was very concerned because I didn't want her to overdo it. We are going to take it one game at a time. She continues to surprise us all. She is truly amazing.”
When Wittwer told the squad on Tuesday night that Eaton would be on the sidelines they could not have been happier.
“I told the squad last night (Tuesday) in practice that Timber was dancing with them on Saturday,” Wittwer said. “They screamed and then, they all ran over to Timber and hugged her.”
Eaton remembers the moment as a mixture of emotions
“I think it was a mixture of surprise, excitement and teary joy,” said Eaton.
Eaton, who has been dancing since the age of four, said the spirit group took on a special role during her time in the hospital.
“The girls on the squad were like my own private spirit group,” said Eaton. “I felt like they were among my biggest fans and did such a wonderful job making my days happier by visiting and encouraging me while I was sick. They will all forever be special to me.”
As, if the day could not get any more special, Eaton will be celebrating her 22nd birthday on Saturday.
“Its going to be a great birthday,” Eaton said. “A friend of mine told me to do something special on your 22nd birthday because it's the first of all the boring birthdays that you don't look forward to. I think being on the field Saturday qualifies as special. The plans are to have a fun little cookout with friends on Friday and then lunch with my family before game day activities start.”
So when the Cowboys take the field on Saturday to battle Missouri State, know there is one Cowgirl who will be celebrating a very special birthday!
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