Editor's note: Oklahoma softball coach Patty Gasso tells The Oklahoman's Abby Bitterman why she loves sports and how they built a bond between her and her mom.
I think back to when I was about 8 years old.
At that time, my mom and dad had split. We were being raised specifically by my mom, who was working very, very hard to make ends meet and put us through private school. We lived right next door to a park. I mean, literally, my back gate opened up into a park that had four softball diamonds and a basketball court.