CBS NEWS: Norman, Oklahoma — An Epochal Open letter from HC Patty Gasso to the Oklahoma Sooners Softball, Fans and to the Entire Sooner Community for the Show of Love, Support and for Providing An Enabling Environment to Foster the Growth of Her Career Through the Years.
Today I write to you with immense gratitude and deep affection—my heart swells as I pen this open letter to the Oklahoma Sooners softball family, to the countless fans who have cheered us on, and to the entire Sooner community whose unwavering support has shaped not only our program but my life. Throughout the years, this community has been more than just an audience—it has been a foundation, an energy, and a source of inspiration. It has been the lifeblood of our program, an embodiment of what it means to foster an environment of growth, love, and collective pursuit of excellence. It is this very environment that I credit for nurturing and sustaining my career, enabling us to achieve historic milestones, and forging bonds that transcend all of us.
I remember stepping onto this campus decades ago—wide-eyed, determined, and hopeful. What greeted me was a sense of possibility. Though our facilities were humble compared to today’s standards, the spirit here was boundless. When I first arrived, the softball diamond felt like a canvas waiting to be painted with our shared dreams. I stood at the edge of that field and knew that something extraordinary could happen: that we could build a culture defined not only by wins and championships but by character, resilience, and unity. That vision was met with such passion and generosity from this community that, together, we set out on a journey that has redefined collegiate softball.
To the young women who have worn the crimson and cream, past and present: you have been the heart of this journey. Every year, I have walked into that locker room and seen a collection of athletes eager to put in the hard work, to grow as individuals, and to love one another. Through the long practices, early morning lifts, bus rides, and postseason intensity, your commitment has been unwavering. You’ve shown up for one another on and off the field. You’ve embodied a spirit that is defined by collective effort and mutual respect. The bond you forge as teammates ripples out into all facets of your lives and reminds us why we coach: to witness growth, both personal and communal. When you leave this program, you carry with you lessons of teamwork, leadership, and service—lessons that have shaped my own life as profoundly as they have shaped yours.
To the thousands who have packed our stands—students, alumni, families, friends, and supporters of every stripe—your energy has been our constant fuel. The roar of the crowd in moments of tension, the encouragement with every pitch, the collective sigh or cheer with every play—it has all been an anthem of community. I have watched generations of families come back to the stands. I’ve seen parents cheer alongside their children, who in turn bring friends and friends bring friends, creating a chain of support that fuels our program. That enthusiasm ignites our spirits and magnifies every victory, magnifies every push to get better. To know that each year, the stands are more full, the love more intense, is proof that we are building something real and enduring.
To our donors, boosters, and institutional partners: thank you for believing in the vision. Your investment—financial, emotional, practical—has transformed our capacity to compete at the highest level. You have invested in infrastructure and staff, in player development and performance technology, in mental health and academics. You have enabled the creation of an environment marked by excellence, while maintaining deep roots in family, faith, and community. Our training facility, our cabins for team bonding, our sports medicine and strength staff, even the academic guidance systems—these infrastructures are symbols of your belief in the mission. Every trophy we lift, every banner we raise, every tear of triumph is yours as much as it is ours.
To my fellow coaches and staff members: you are the invisible champions. We rarely get the spotlight, yet you make everything possible. You scout opponents, chart progress, nurture talent, build strategy, mentor athletes, manage logistics—every detail is handled, every day. Among you are strength coaches, sports psychologists, trainers, statisticians, academic advisors, operations staff, volunteer coaches, and more. And yet we share one singular identity: the sustained pursuit of preparing our women to achieve greatness. If I have ever received credit for the success of our program, it is because of you. You are the guardians and cultivators of the culture we have built. You are as much a part of this legacy as the athletes who put on the uniform.
To the university administration and trustees: your leadership has provided a foundation for success. Your decisions—to invest in Title IX compliance, to hire transformative coaches, to modernize facilities, to celebrate women’s sports with the same attention and dignity afforded to others—have changed lives. You planted the seeds of equity and nurtured them to grow beyond expectations. You displayed courage in creating parity and supporting women’s athletics in tangible ways—at times even leading the nation. Those decisions have created ripples beyond our campus, emboldening young women across our country to believe that their dreams, too, are worth investing in.
To the students of Oklahoma: your vibrancy reminds us constantly why we do this. You bring youth and energy, hope and creativity, into the ballpark. You occupy the student section with chants, signs, cowbells—and you stand with us umpteen times a season. Your presence reminds our athletes that what they do here resonates far beyond the diamond. You are an integral part of the fabric, giving immediacy and relevance to their efforts. Because of you, they don’t just compete—they perform, inspired to make memories that will last a lifetime.
To the fans who follow via radio, TV, or online stream: your viewing hours matter. Your tweets and posts—celebratory or supportive—help us stay connected to an ever-expanding Sooner family. When your children watch video highlights at home or scroll through Instagram clippings of historic moments, they experience the same pride and devotion that you feel. The representation your interest makes possible ripples outward. When CBS brings Our Softball Games into homes across America, we know a powerful narrative is unfolding: that women’s athletics, NCAA softball, and our student-athletes belong in the national conversation. You make that narrative possible.
Let me speak personally now. When I first became head coach, I was a young woman full of hope and little practical experience at the collegiate level. I dreamed of championships, but I also dreamed of a culture where athletes loved one another, where teammates celebrated each other’s successes, rescued each other through struggles, and arrived at the field each morning ready to work. I didn’t know how quickly we would build that culture or how high we would climb. I didn’t know the path would bring us now twelve national championships, but I did know that we had something worth fighting for. I felt, in those early years, the spark of community, the anticipation of greatness, and the opportunity to make history together.
Our first national title in 2000 changed everything. It exploded the possibilities—and we followed with titles in 2013, 2016, 2017, 2021, and 2022, as well as consistent appearances in Woman’s College World Series. Yet as impressive as the championships are, I measure our success by things that don’t show up on the stat sheet: the relationships, the futures launched, the character built. It’s in the quiet moments: the way seniors support incoming freshmen, the way teammates rally around one another after a loss, the way a coach takes a second to check in on a player’s mental health, the way donors welcome our athletes into their homes for holiday meals. These intangible moments—moments of grace, resilience, love—define us.
To the Sooner community: this program exists because of your faith in what’s possible. You believed in me when I was still learning, and you believed in our young women when they were still developing. You believed in our power to pursue excellence not just on the field but in the classroom, on campus, and in the world. So here I stand today, humbly carrying the weight and wonder of what we’ve accomplished together. Every banner hanging in our stadium, every trophy shining in central campus, every name read in the Hall of Fame—they’re ours together. The athletes, the fans, the donors, the staff, the administration—they are all a part of every moment, every celebration, every joy, every tear.
Looking ahead, we carry forward with even more vision, purpose and responsibility. We will continue to recruit athletes who crave excellence, who value teamwork, who value scholarship. We will continue building facilities that position us among the best in the nation. We will commit to expanding access—to recruiting from underrepresented areas, to supporting our athletes’ mental health and professional development, to empowering leadership and community service. We will innovate in strategy and technology to keep pace with everything modern sport demands. But most importantly, we will safeguard and elevate the culture that has carried us here. We will continue to emphasize accountability, respect, service, and humility. We will remain committed to telling our story—so that the next generation of athletes knows they are not just coming here to play—they are joining a family, inheriting a legacy, and helping to write an ongoing chapter.
On a personal note, I am deeply grateful for the spotlight this role has brought—but also for the quiet support that often goes unrecognized. I am grateful for the staff gatherings after games, for the booster-hosted meals, for the conversations over coffee in the hallways, for the texts and calls that say, “I’m proud of you.” I am grateful for the chancellor’s office inviting us into civic and cultural events. I am grateful for the friendships that have sustained me beyond wins and losses, bringing perspective, calm, and purpose to every season.
Our journey continues because of you. My commitment to this program, to these athletes, and to this community grows stronger every season. We will continue to hold ourselves accountable to the standard of what Oklahoma Softball represents: elite competition, elegant character, and enduring legacy. And as long as I am blessed to hold this role, I will wake up each day inspired to give my very best—but always with a nod to those who have given so much to me.
To the Oklahoma Sooners softball team, the devoted fans, the Sooner faithful, and every person who has ever believed in this vision: thank you. Thank you for trusting me, for building something powerful, for being committed teammates to our athletes, and for helping create a space where women’s athletics is celebrated, supported, and elevated. Thank you for your generosity, your energy, your belief, and your heart. I carry your love and support forward with gratitude and resolve.
Let us continue together—striving for excellence, nurturing each other, and creating a legacy that extends far beyond what we can see. Let us continue to lift young women so that they may soar, and in doing so, let us honor the generations who first built this program and the ones who will follow. Because in this community, greatness is not just measured in trophies—it is measured in lives touched, bonds forged, futures transformed.
So here is my heart, my soul, and my gratitude, poured out to each of you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for loving this program, for believing in our mission, and for empowering me to lead with conviction, compassion, and hope. Until the next season, until the next championship, let’s continue moving forward—together.
With love, respect, and thanks always,
Patty Gasso
Head Coach, Oklahoma Sooners Softball
