Oklahoma
In the Wake of Tragedy, Oklahoma Softball is Playing for Something More
NORMAN — Moments after Oklahoma’s exhilarating 8-0 win over UCF to open Tremendous Regional play on Friday, the scene at Marita Hynes Area turned somber.
Jocelyn Alo took just a few steps exterior the third base dugout to take part in a postgame interview with ESPN, and her Sooner teammates stepped behind her into the shot holding 4 indicators.
Emblazoned throughout the poster boards have been the phrases “Pray 4 Uvalde”, in addition to the photographs of 4 of the victims from this week’s mass taking pictures tragedy at Robb Elementary Faculty in Uvalde, TX.
The 4 college students proven have been youth softball gamers, and Patty Gasso’s workforce felt moved to honor their reminiscence after the competition.
After the sport, Gasso stated she was related to the coach of two of the victims honored via a social media direct message.
“It was from a younger coach who coached two of the women who misplaced their life and it simply affected me, affected this workforce,” Gasso stated after the sport. “(We) knew we wanted to reply. If there’s something that we are able to do to convey pleasure or hope or simply acknowledgment of those younger lives and make these households really feel higher, we’ll do no matter we’ve to do as a result of this sport has allowed us to do these sorts of issues.
“In any other case we might be one like anyone else. However we’re capable of do these issues. And we’ve realized that this sport permits us to achieve folks. And if meaning bringing them some form of consolation, that’s our hope.”
Alo stated the horrors of this week hit house along with her on account of how tight-knit her family is.
Oklahoma honored victims from this week’s tragedy in Uvalde, TX, throughout Jocelyn Alo’s postgame interview with ESPN
Picture courtesy of OU Athletics
“I’m very shut with numerous my youthful cousins,” Alo stated. “And I see my cousins in them. So for me it was onerous to handle.
“However I do know that coach is at all times going to have my again on stuff like that.”
The teaching workers have been those to assist print out the photographs and put the indicators collectively, Alo stated, after which the workforce stepped in to put in writing messages of prayer on the indicators.
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Friday’s present of help wasn’t the primary time the Oklahoma program has stepped as much as present help for victims of a tragedy.
The teaching workers and the gamers mixed to make the indicators forward of this weekend’s Tremendous Regionals
Picture courtesy of OU Athletics
In 2013, the Sooners marched to a World Collection crown whereas enjoying for the victims of the huge twister that ripped via Moore simply weeks earlier than.
That season, Gasso’s workforce honored 9-year-old Sydney Angle, inviting Sydney’s sister Casey into the dugout all through the title run.
From the youth ranges all the best way as much as the huge stage of the Girls’s Faculty World Collection, the softball group is shut.
“These athletes up right here and people earlier than them began after they have been (7 or 6 years outdated) screaming in dugouts and simply cheering,” Gasso stated. “This camaraderie that softball has, there’s a sisterhood that you may really feel on about each workforce. And so they struggle within the dugout collectively in that method of cheering and having enjoyable and rallying.
“And it’s simply at all times been that softball applications are accessible and look like they’re accessible to the group.”
So when introduced with the chance to try to brighten somebody’s day or honor a liked one gone too quickly, the Sooners determined they weren’t going to cross up the chance.
“I believe that’s a part of the enchantment to observe,” stated Gasso, “is not only good athletes, but in addition simply good-hearted younger ladies who like to do what they do.
“But additionally like to make any individual be ok with what they’re doing.”
It wasn’t a simple week mentally on this system, however Alo stated she’s simply proud that her workforce wished to step up and make a distinction.
“Every time ladies that play softball that simply so occurred to be in that have been affected by that,” stated Alo, “it form of hits a little bit bit nearer to house.
“So it was fairly robust to handle. However I’m additionally simply completely happy that we’re speaking about it and we get to simply honor them the remainder of the best way out.”