Head coach Patty Gasso recently guided the Oklahoma softball team to their fourth consecutive NCAA title, but her mission extends beyond mere victories.
“I was awakened by the Lord who said, ‘You’re doing this wrong. You’re not here to win games. You’re here to open the door — here to win souls,’” Gasso shared, as reported by Christhlete.
Speaking to ESPN about her coaching philosophy, Gasso emphasized, “We’re not afraid to lose games. We go in and give it all we have, and if it’s not good enough, we learn how to improve.”
The Sooners recognize that their platform transcends softball.
“They understand this is more than a game, and that’s why they play it so freely. That’s how I feel,” Gasso explained in an interview with Sports Spectrum ahead of the 2023 season. “This team, a couple of them made this comment that just stuck with me. They share with each other, ‘The end is already written.’ They play without fear. They’re not afraid of the outcome.”
She added, “It’s so freeing when you watch them play. They’re afraid of nothing. They’re certainly not afraid to lose, and that’s the beauty of this group.”
Gasso’s vision for her program centers on fulfillment.
“Happiness is result-oriented,” she told Sports Spectrum. “This is a program of fulfillment — who are we becoming? How do we grow as women? How do we grow in our faith, and how do we find that path we’re supposed to take?”
Her players are vocal about their faith as well. Movieguide® highlighted their spiritual commitment:
In a video shared by Christhlete on Instagram, team chaplain Sarah Roberts led the Oklahoma players in prayer.
Reflecting on the season, Roberts shared on social media, “They went through so much this year on and off the field that a lot of times I felt so helpless but never hopeless. I knew prayer was the least yet most I could do for them…We fought for connection with God and each other in prayer like never before.”
She continued, “The light of Jesus in them shined brighter than any spotlight on them…I couldn’t be more proud of them!” Roberts concluded with Ephesians 3:20-21, emphasizing God’s power at work within the team.
