The Barometer Online

In-state talent returns home

Following footsteps of other Oregonians, former Player of the Year Jason Ogata decides to leave shaky LSU program to transfer to OSU

Casey Grogan

Issue date: 5/16/07 Section: Sports

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With a majority of the Beavers' offense departing from last year's national title squad, Jason Ogata has shown versatility in the field while swinging a big bat as of late for OSU.

It begins as your typical story of an athlete coming home after a year out of state - until you add a hurricane, and then the story becomes unique.

For many high school seniors in Oregon, it is a goal to not only go to college, but to go to college out of state. For Beaver utility player Jason Ogata, it was also important to go somewhere sunny. When traditionally strong Lousiana State came knocking, Ogata was ready to answer.

"I wanted to get away from the Northwest," Ogata said. "I liked the weather and being down south. I took my recruiting trip, and it is a lot different atmosphere being down there. I knew about LSU's program having won like five national championships in 10 years and they have 6,000 fans a game."

Things looked good for Ogata as he fought through the fall to earn his stripes with the Tigers. On Aug. 28, 2005, however, disaster struck as Hurricane Katrina snuck up on the Gulf Coast. Katrina was already a force on the Gulf Coast, but on the 28th it was identified as a Class 5 storm as it began to ravage New Orleans.

While Katrina destroyed New Orleans, LSU's Baton Rouge campus was destroyed emotionally. Classmates and teammates of Ogata began to wonder if their families were safe. The Oregonian, not knowing hurricane procedures, looked to his roommates during the disaster.

"I had never experienced a hurricane, being from the Northwest," Ogata said. "My roommates from Florida said, 'We have to get out of here,' so we drove to Texas. Baton Rouge was nothing like New Orleans. I went to New Orleans and it was horrible. It was something I've never experienced in my entire life. I learned anything can happen. Teammate's families had nowhere to go."

It became apparent that the damage to Baton Rouge would allow Ogata and other Lousiana State students to return to school, while students from Tulane and schools in the New Orleans area were displaced due to the hurricane damage.

Continued...

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