1Corinthians 12:31 “But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.” Covet the best gifts, Paul tells us and the OU softball team is a wonderful example of young women striving to get better at their game. Patty Gasso’s record at OU is an astounding 1,395-344-2. If we counted her other coaching experience it puts her at 1556 – 403-3. This a column that is suppose to teach you scriptural principles and Patty Gasso has a common sense approach to coaching that all Christians can learn from. I have recorded what her players have said that she stresses. I am going to share most of them with you in no particular order.
First and foremost Passy tells her players to “Be your best you!” As a Christian that is a great reminder to live right each hour of the day. Another tells them they need to “Be where your feet are!” To me this means to pay attention to what you are doing right now. Yesterday is gone, tomorrow never comes, so live right today. We always live in today, so be your ‘best you’ right where your feet are!
Another thing she shares with her team. “You must have a Championship Mindset.” Without it, you are defeated before you begin. In Christianity we need a Championsip mentality! 1Corinthians 15:57 “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” We already have victory over the flesh, sin and the devil. Jesus Christ gave us that already, but it is up to us to live like it. We are brothers and sisters of the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings! That is the Championship mindset!
Here is one I especially like! “Live in your own dugout!” Do not be distracted by what happens around you. Do not wonder what it would be like to be somewhere else. Be there for the team all the time! Be there for your Church members all the time! The church house is your dugout and is filled with things that need accomplished.
The undisputed Home Run Queen, Joslyn Alo had some issues in her sophamore year. She began to start thinking of numbers instead of teammates. She was all about herself. Patty Gasso took her aside and explained that with her present attitude that “She did not belong there”! What a shocking thing to say to your best homerun hitter! Yet Patty Gasso’s job isn’t just to win titles. She takes her responsibility for each team member seriously. She sat her best home run hitter for two weeks. In that two weeks, Joslyn found in herself a need to win, not just accumulate numbers. She was welcomed back to become a great tem member as well as the best home run hitter of the decade. She amassed huge numbers, but she alsp took walks, hit sacrifice bunts and flys to move a teammate around the bases.
“It is not about what you were, it is about what you can become!” Every one of those women on the team had accolades before they came to OU. They were great high school players or they played well in another division before they came. All of them got the same lecture. “Be the best you, be where your feet are, its not about what you were, it is about what yu can become!”
Patty’s teams have given her 6 National Championships. They are tracking down number 7 for a three-peat this year. That is incredible, yet to her, “How you do anything is how you do everything!” She has outstanding talent year by year, but Patty has them compete for starting positions each week. They ‘fight for the right’ to play on gameday! No one is allowed to slack off in practice. I especially love the Fall Battle Ball where they play among themselves. And it is hard competition! Harder than most of the teams they face during the year.
“Stop waiting for something to happen and go make something happen!” is another of her sayings. That seems to fit the church and its ministries to a tee. So many people want the church to minister to them instead of finding a ministry opportunity to help fill! Too many Christians shop for churches. Does this church have what I need? Why not attend church that believes the Word of God and if it doesn’t have a class you think you need, ask for it or start the class yourself!
For the sake of space I am only going to give you one more. “Pass the Torch!” Older players need to teach, encourage, and literally foster the next generation of players. They do that at OU and we should be doing that in church. The younger generation has troubles, trials, and issues that we never had to face when we were their age. They need a stable influence in their lives so that they might be ready to take on the mantle when the older members are no longer able to carry it.
Patty’s alumni have tee shirts that says “In Patty We Trust”. They are volunteer coaches at first, then many of them are called to coach other teams using Patty’s Principles for winning.
Patty, I appreciate what you do for your young women and I pray for you to continue giving them guiding principles. Forgive me for stealing your axioms for my sermon, but keep up the good work and I look forward to more of them in the future!
