Why Oklahoma Coach Patty Gasso Believes 2023 Was the 'Roughest' Title Yet
OKLAHOMA CITY — Throughout the 2023 season, Oklahoma softball has had a habit of making things look incredibly easy.
Patty Gasso replaced crucial pieces that departed in 2022 and the top-ranked Sooners motored through Big 12 play and an unforgiving non-conference slate.
Winning made way for more winning, more accolades and and more trophies, but Gasso said the 2023 season was actually one of the most challenging she's ever faced.
“I think this really was the roughest one I've ever had to go through,” Gasso said after winning OU’s third consecutive national title on Thursday night. “Just because of with lots of fans and the growth of the sport comes a lot of pressure.
“… The way I feel right now is free. Because the expectation is overwhelming, the pressure is overwhelming. (The players) all have each other to laugh with. I'm standing here by myself.”
The spotlight has been on Oklahoma the entire season.
Truthfully, the spotlight never left.
After winning the 2021 championship and the 2022 championship and facing the graduation of home run queen Jocelyn Alo and so many other forceful leaders and star players, Gasso simply reloaded.
Pulling transfers Cydney Sanders, Alynah Torres, Haley Lee and Alex Storako out of the portal was met with backlash from outside of Norman.
Internally, the stakes were only raised.
From Media Day in the preseason, the Sooners were asked over and over about the quest to become the second program ever to sit atop college softball for back-to-back-to-back seasons.
Heightened visibility around the country saw OU evolve from a softball team to bonafide celebrities.
“It's very difficult,” Gasso said. “It's extremely rewarding. Like, I just want to go to Costco and shop and no one care that I'm there.
“… It's so crazy to see how our lives have changed. The fans in Oklahoma are absolutely fantastic. Fans are fantastic. (But) it starts to feel like you're getting smothered a little bit because everybody wants something.
“… I just want to coach. I want to just be a regular. ... All of a sudden your life isn't regular any more. So that's really where they talk a little bit about mental health. It's so different being a student-athlete now. I mean, it's completely different. The expectations of everything.”
The outside forces pushed Gasso to evolve.
Oklahoma clinched the program's seventh national title with a 3-1 win over Florida State at Hall of Fame Stadium on Thursday night.
Brett Rojo / USA TODAY Sports
“The first time we got together, we kind of clashed pretty immediately,” Gasso said. “They didn't like something that I was doing. I didn't like their response.”
Gasso took a step back and heard her players out — something that wasn’t easy for the then-six-time national champion.
“I took each one of them out to breakfast or lunch or dinner,” said Gasso, “each one of 'em, and sat with them and talked to them. Actually I didn't talk. I wanted them to talk. I needed to listen. They wanted me to know them.
“I surrendered my ego to make sure I did that. I think that was a step maybe in the right direction. Then things just started to flow.”
The team gelled. The wins came, and they came in bunches.
Oklahoma found a higher calling, whether it be in its faith or its drive to win.
OU played for more.
“I know some people are, ‘Oh, gosh, c'mon, girls,’ ” Gasso said. “I can't tell you how proud I am that they are standing up and being vocal about where their hearts are, whether it's faith, whether it's stands for something, whatever it is.
“They're finding that they have this freedom and they're trying to share it. I love it. I'm proud of them for doing that.”
Just as the Sooners did game after game between the white lines, they found a way to overcome.
Gasso has stacked three of the best teams the sport has ever seen over the last three years.
She’s won enough trophies that Oklahoma may already have to consider expanding the allotted square footage at Love’s Field just for the program’s hardware.
The Sooners never lost themselves along the way, and in that, Patty Gasso passed her hardest test.
“To be sitting up here and telling you this is still kind of amazing because everybody's out to get us,” she said. “They want to bring down the Evil Empire, whatever it is. I don't know.
“We just want to play ball. That's all.”
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