How Patty Gasso Plans to Improve USA Softball Both On and Off the Field

OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma softball coach Patty Gasso is hoping to bring more than just her on-field expertise to USA Softball.

The newly minted coach of USA Softball will demand the highest standards for her team between the white lines, and she hopes to raise the level of support for her athletes off the field.

“I’m also passionate about generating finances for these athletes. They give up their career to celebrate the United States, and the goal and dream of every little girl is to be an Olympian,” Gasso said during her USA Softball introductory press conference at Devon Park on Tuesday. “… Financial support for our athletes and creating a program that enables fans to contribute to the success over the last four years is really important. So not only do I want to really push these athletes to the point of excellence but I want to do everything I can to help them financially not feel like they’re giving up their world and struggling. They deserve this, and I’ll fight for that, and we can get it done.”

Gasso is no stranger to fighting for her athletes bending the scenes.

As Name, Image and Likeness conversations have dominated college athletics, the eight-time national champion has evolved how she looks at the business side of softball.

“I’m always trying to help these athletes with raising money for NIL,” Gasso said during Oklahoma softball’s media day two weeks ago. “And whatever it is I can legally do I’m doing it because I want them to have a life when they leave here with a nice little bank account that has a nice little nest egg in there for whatever it is they choose.

“… I think of Jocelyn Alo and what she’s doing now, she’s doing well. But if she was a man she would be the first pick I would expect in the draft and make millions of dollars. So why are we — why would anyone look at — women are not making millions of dollars. They’re making hundreds of dollars. And there’s a big difference. So why not help them.

“And at first my attitude was like, oh no this is going to get in the way. They know it can’t get in the way. They know that. So as long as they’re working hard, we’re working.”

Things will be no different when it comes to the 15 athletes who will represent USA Softball at the Olympics.

Gasso wants to conduct a professional training camp leading into the 2028 Olympic Games to give her team the best chance of recapturing the gold medal.

That will require immense sacrifices by every player who pushes to chase their dreams alongside Gasso.

“These athletes are giving up their careers to spend the next four years training and working,” Gasso said. “Some of them can stay in their careers, some of them cannot. But we can get closer, they're gonna have to give up their jobs to do this, and that's different.”

Gasso has pledged to bring every resource at her fingertips to the table to get the best out of her team once the tournament starts.

She’s also going to do everything in her power to give her athletes the opportunities they deserve financially.

“I just don't want this softball Olympic team to feel like they are not treated with the highest respect because they should be for what they're doing,” Gasso said. “… It's a lot of stress on how they're going to pay their bills, where they're going to live, and I just want them to showcase USA Softball as, 'Look what they're doing here. Look at this. This is how it should be. This is elite.’”