Andrea Gasso
It’s about 6:15 on Wednesday evening, and Andrea Gasso has her hands full.
Not only is she helping the Oklahoma softball team prepare for the postseason as a volunteer assistant, but her hands are also literally full as she carries a bright-eyed and curious baby around the softball diamond.
Andrea, who was an All-American at UCLA before coaching stops at Southmoore, Norman and Michigan State, balances him on one hip as she walks around the field, wrapping up her post-practice duties.
At just shy of 7 months old, Andrea’s son can hardly introduce himself, but the embroidery on his gray onesie says it all, ‘Mommy’s little champ’ — and it’s not just a nickname. Andrea found out she was carrying Joseph Champ Gasso in March 2016, just a couple months before OU won its third national championship. As Andrea talked with
The Oklahoman on that Wednesday afternoon, a blonde-ponytailed woman swooped by, cooing at the little champ.
“Can I hold the baby?,” she asked Andrea. And of course, Andrea obliged. That woman is Patty Gasso, head coach of the Oklahoma softball team, Andrea’s mother-inlaw, and of course, baby Joseph’s grandmother.
Andrea and Patty aren’t the only Gassos on the coaching staff. J.T., Andrea’s husband and Patty’s son, is also an assistant coach.
Not many people would volunteer to work with their mother-inlaws and husbands, but for Andrea, being on a staff full of family members provided her with the support she needed to pursue her two passions — building a family and coaching softball.
J.T. came to a UCLA softball
camp. I was straight off a national championship and I’m like, who’s this guy? Why are you working a camp? And someone told me, ‘That’s Patty Gasso’s son.’ I’m like, ‘She’s blonde. There’s no way that’s her son.’
I found him interesting because he knew a lot about
softball. Most guys come to camp to work equipment or just exist, and he was very involved. He taught me how to fungo at camp. I moved out here the year after that when I graduated.
J.T. and I always talked about
coaching together, but we just weren’t sure when or if it would ever link up and I always said, I really want to have a family and be a mom, so the volunteer position really worked. We were at Michigan State for a year before we came here.
It’s great because I get to
see my family every day. I think it’s also great for us because if coach wants something done and it’s not getting through to JT, I can tell him in a different way.
We try not to bring too
much of work home, but we live and breathe softball. I’m very fortunate and blessed to be around my family every single day. Which I love, I really do.
Our first year, it was really
tough because we brought it home a lot. But now, I think we’ve gotten in the groove of things, knowing when to talk about it and when to not.
It was definitely easier last
year, knowing that I can come and show up all day every day. I don’t really treat the job like a volunteer position. It’s more full time for me. So it was difficult after I had (Joseph) to feel like I had one foot in and one foot out.
Sometimes I tell J.T. that I’m not giving enough to the athletes and stuff like that. And they always tell me, ‘You’re giving us everything. We love having you here.’
I naively made the goal to breastfeed for 12 months, and that’s probably been the biggest, not struggle, but just most challenging thing I’ve had to deal with. But I feel like a champ for still doing it and can’t believe I still am. He’s almost seven months old now.
The athlete in me is like,
don’t quit. You can’t quit. Don’t be a quitter. Even though I would totally not be a quitter. That’s just how my brain works. But it’s different, but bringing him around here every day is really good too. He gets to see all of his aunties, the softball girls.
I don’t think I put it all
together. I just knew that breastfeeding was supposed to be good for your baby, and just do it, and then having to pull your side out when you’re on the bus or traveling. We’ve driven a lot of different places this year, so that’s helped a lot. I run in and pump if I’m not working with someone in the cage. It’s rewarding.
Parenthood is the best thing
ever, but also the most stressful thing ever. I’m enjoying it though. I have great support, and that’s all that really matters.