Having the family over: The OU football family A Sooner Thanksgiving
By John Helsley
Published: November 23, 2006
NORMAN — Joyce Ah You knows something about feeding a full house.
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When her children were younger, her kitchen was always open, especially on Thanksgiving.
"We always invited their friends, teammates, to come over and eat," she said. "Our home has always featured an open door policy to all our children's friends."
Still does, which today means a few dozen of son C.J.'s Sooner friends and teammates. And their friends and families. And anyone else who may find their way through the open door to Joyce Ah You's Thanksgiving feast.
The entire Oklahoma football team is invited. And all are encouraged to invite others, a reflection of the Ah Yous' Polynesian background.
"We've been brought up with a lot of food," said Joyce Ah You, in from Utah to put on this massive feed. "The custom of our Polynesian people, we don't think just of ourselves, but others.
"This just comes natural to us."
This grand event got its roots a year ago, when facing their first Thanksgiving apart from C.J., the Ah You family called a meeting back home in Utah to decide how to proceed.
The solution: take Thanksgiving to C.J.
It began modestly.
"We did it last year, but it was kind of last-minute," said C.J., a starting Sooner defensive end. "I tried to tell as many people as I could, but a lot of people missed it.
"A lot of people won't be able to go home and get that nice cooked meal, so we just opened it up this year and tried to get the word out earlier."
The word on Joyce Ah You's cooking: incredible.
For OU's spring game, her and her husband Charles and their family hosted the team for a Polynesian luau complete with a Hawaiian barbecue, featuring roast pork, chop suey, teriyaki barbecue chicken and many extras. There was even Polynesian entertainment.
One of C.J.'s uncles flew in from Hawaii to see the game and help cook. Another came from San Francisco.
The dining party: "At least a couple hundred," Joyce said.
And consider many ? George Robinson, DeMarcus Granger, Branndon Braxton, to name a few ? pack hearty appetites.
Joyce has taken regular care of the Sooner crew. The week of every home game, she arrives in Norman to set up kitchen at C.J.'s place, feeding all who stop by. Zach Latimer's mom Cynthia does the same. Players wear a path between the two homes.
"Guys are just back and forth," C.J. said.
Today, the Ah Yous don't know for sure how many to expect, but they're thinking big. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, which C.J. attends in Norman, has opened its doors to accommodate the crowd.
"I put up a sign-up sheet in the locker room," C.J. said. "I didn't count the names, but it was a lot."
The menu will feature traditional Thanksgiving favorites, with a Polynesian flair.
The Ah Yous are providing the bulk of the entrees, but other player parents are cooking, too.
The evening will start with thanks.
"The first thing we do before we start," Joyce said, "is we all stand in a circle, holds hands, introduce ourselves and say one thing we're grateful for from 2006."
After the feast comes some fun.
There's a talent show: Calvin Thibodeaux's mother Carolyn is teaching line dancing.
A player highlight: musical chairs.
With 300 pounders.
"We broke a few chairs last year," C.J. said.
For the Ah Yous, it makes for one big extended family, something they're used to. Joyce comes from a family of 14. Charles is one of nine.
"It's been a blessing," Joyce said. "OU has been a blessing to our son and our family. This is a way we feel like we can give back to the football program and these guys.
"We just want to share our culture. This is the way we do things."
Joyce Ah You, the mother of OU defensive end C.J. Ah You, has a history of cooking for large crowds. It's the way of her Polynesian culture.
Today she takes on the task of cooking for the Sooner football team, as well as those players' families and friends.
How do you feed a bunch of hungry football players?
The menu, part traditional, part Polynesian:
• Seven turkeys: two deep fried, three smoked, two traditional.
• 125 pounds of barbecue marinated teriyaki chicken
• 80 pounds of barbecue teriyaki beef
• All the fixins: Mashed potatoes; gravy; rice; rolls; dressing; yams; salad bar; dessert bar.
• Extras (other parents and family friends are bringing their favorite dishes).
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