The saying that "it's not how you start, it's how you finish" certainly applies to the 2017 national champion Oklahoma Sooners softball team, led by head coach Patty Gasso.

Oklahoma started this past season ranked No. 1 in the country after winning the 2016 national title. However, it looked like this would not be the Sooners' year following a series of non-conference setbacks to Auburn, Washington, Tennessee, Notre Dame, and Arizona and a pair of losses to Cal Poly just before opening Big 12 play.

While clearly one of the most talented teams in the nation, the Sooners struggled to put all of its pieces together. If OU scored runs, its pitching fell apart. If the pitching was solid, the Sooners' bats went quiet -- or fielding let the team down.

Instead of writing off her team's 2017 campaign, though, Gasso decided to treat the Big 12 schedule like the start of a new season.

"It was a chance for a clean slate and opportunity to start the season over -- and start it the right way," the NFCA Hall of Fame coach told FloSoftball in an interview.

In a "season of lessons," as Gasso described it, the squad took a lot of what it learned in its non-conference stumbles and applied it to the Big 12 schedule. It was the "start of this team playing the right way," she said.

When Did The Lightbulb Go Off For Oklahoma Softball?

Gasso's young Sooners team started to figure things out against its Big 12 opponents.

Ironically, a three-game road trip against the rival Texas Longhorns midway through the conference schedule confirmed that Oklahoma was on the right track.  

"We started playing more complete games," Gasso said of her team's series sweep in April. "It had been building up to Texas weekend. Then, it came together."

The Sooners rode that wave of success to a near-perfect conference record, only losing once to second-place Baylor.

While Oklahoma soared during its "second season" of Big 12 play, that momentum did not immediately carry over to the postseason. Shockingly, the host Sooners lost their first game of the NCAA Regionals to North Dakota State. It was as if the season had started over.

But Gasso's team was not going to let its postseason dreams slip away on its home field. The Sooners rallied through the losers bracket, swept Auburn on its home field in the Super Regionals, went undefeated in the first portion of the Women's College World Series, and beat Florida in two epic WCWS games to win the 2017 national championship.

The hard lessons learned from their non-conference schedule and the confidence built during their Big 12 slate came together to drive the Sooners to back-to-back national titles. It was an all-around team effort, and Gasso would have it no other way.

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When Will Gasso Reflect On The National Title?

There was not much time to reflect on the 2017 national championship. The players, coaches, and support staff certainly enjoyed the celebration in the days after they won the title. But then everyone scattered for the summer.

Meanwhile, Gasso was back to the grind of camps, recruiting, and preparing for next season.

"Everything happens really fast," Gasso said.

So, when will she have a chance to reflect? Gasso offered a poignant answer that goes to the heart of Oklahoma's success.

"Most of our reflection will come as a group," she said. "I prefer it that way."

It's always team first, even for the head coach. The story of the 2017 Oklahoma Sooners softball team is perseverance, endurance, and overcoming the odds. Gasso can relate because there was a time when she wasn't sure how long she would be able to continue coaching.

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Gasso A Leader For Female Coaches

Winning national titles is great. But Gasso is driven to motivate female coaches and the next generation of women in the sport of softball to strive for great things.

"At OU, we turn girls into women," she said. "It's very important and powerful to have strong, female role models in their lives. We try to exemplify courage, strength, and professionalism, and try to live that way. It's not always easy. But, we can connect with athletes because female coaches have a different dynamic."

That development will keep female coaches in the sport, especially those who are unsure whether they can balance family and coaching life. Gasso said the key is having a strong sense of community and the drive to continue striving for success, even during difficult times.

"There were times when I thought I could not coach anymore because I thought I was taking away from my kids," she reflected. "I felt guilty. But, I knew in my heart that my passion was coaching, helping, and teaching. I wanted to make a positive effect. Changing someone's life or having a hand in changing someone's life is so powerful. God gave me a gift, and I wanted to use it. I did not want to be that mom who should have or could have.

"So, I involved my kids in the process. Also, when I went out recruiting, I had to depend on neighbors to help out. My kids learned independence. You need that support system. Now, my son (JT) is my hitting coach."

After completing her 23rd season at OU and winning her fourth national title, Gasso wants to inspire the next generation of female head coaches to reach that same level of success.

"I would encourage women to follow their heart, and if you want it bad enough, you can do it," Gasso said. "You have to pursue opportunities. If you have confidence, you can get those opportunities."

Photos by Javier Arrieta

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