Patty Gasso reveals what drives her after third national championship

If everybody had just 1% of Patty Gasso’s drive, we’d all be better off. The legendary Oklahoma softball coach gave the secret behind her motivation after her Sooners defeated Florida State to win the National Championship on Thursday.

“[The players]. I want to be my best for them,” Gasso said. “I want to be my best for them because they trust me. They make a commitment to me. So, I need to give it back to them. I need to give it back to their parents.”

Gasso has given back more than her players could ever ask for. The 61-year-old head coach has won seven national titles at Oklahoma, including the past three years. Further, Gasso has won more Big 12 games than any coach in conference history and has more than twice as many overall wins as any other coach in program history.

Patty Gasso, a seven-time national champion. pic.twitter.com/evwnRzRw2V

— Summer of George (@GeorgeStoia) June 9, 2023

Gasso’s blinding success has come at a cost few outsiders will ever see.

“What’s really amazing, and there are coaches in here that know what I’m talking about, this is our family. I spend more time with them, and I see them more in one day than I see my husband in a week sometimes,” Gasso said.

With 29 years at Oklahoma, Gasso has spent more time as a Sooner than her players have spent being alive. Evidently, Gasso isn’t tired of the gig. The Oklahoma hero signed a contract extension through 2028 with the Sooners, raking in $1.625 million annually.

Gasso doesn’t take her position for granted.

“It’s fun. It’s not a job. I’ve been doing this here for 29 years. It’s not a job. It’s life. It’s my life. It’s my family’s life,” Gasso said. “I push [the players] like a coach, but also like a mother who is looking out for her kids. If I have to discipline them, I discipline them. I raise them like they’re my own. But ultimately I know what their goal is.”

Gasso’s goal is the same every season: another national title. However, currently riding the longest win streak of all time, perhaps Gasso can aim for the first undefeated season in NCAA softball next year. As of now, Gasso doesn’t even want to think about it.

“Looking at all these guys coming back, the future. I don’t even want to think about it right now ’cause the grind will start again.”