Softball NCAA Championship Winner: ‘The Answer’s Always God’
By Movieguide® Contributor
Oklahoma softball won the NCAA Softball College World Series on June 6 for the fourth year in a row.
In a recent press interview, University of Oklahoma senior Rylie Boone shared why — it’s all God.
“I think just being able to sit back and think of all the nattys, but this one, I felt His hand over this program more than I ever have,” Boone explained to the press. “There’s a lot of souls saved this year and probably some that we don’t even know about.”
“But just knowing that people are watching us and they’re asking questions, ‘How do you do what you do? How are you even able to do this?’ And the answer’s always God. So I feel like God was really present this season,” she said.
To Boone, winning the championships isn’t the most important thing or even the most memorable thing.
“It matters but it doesn’t matter. Like, this is very — spiritual-wise — this is unsatisfying, but you remember me and Hansen freshman year. You remember the breakthroughs that God moves inside Jayda, Tia, Kelly, the baptisms,” she said about her teammates.
“That’s what matters. People are gonna remember you for what you did off the field, not on the field,” she said.
Last year’s team captain, Grace Lyons, baptized several of her teammates.
Movieguide reported on the team and their win last year:
The Oklahoma softball team won their third consecutive national title last week, defeating Florida St. 3-1. The reason behind their success? The joy of the Lord.
In a post-game press-conference an ESPN reporter asked how the team handled the pressure and kept their joy, team captain Grace Lyons answered, “The only way that you can have a joy that doesn’t fade away is from the Lord. Any other type of joy is actually happiness that comes from circumstances and outcomes.”
“Joy from the Lord is really the only thing that can keep you motivated [and] in a good mindset, no matter the outcomes,” she added.
Teammate Jayda Coleman added saying she agreed “1000%.”
Catcher Kinzie Hansen said the win is “sentimental” for her.
“I mean we grew up together. I came in at 17 with Boone, and then they came in after COVID, and you know Kelly transferred in, and I’m so, so proud of this team and everyone had a hand in it,” she said. “There was never one hero at the plate or one hero at the mound.”
“This was a team effort and we fought all season. Everybody had something to say about us all the time and people counted us out and it was just a grind. All in, mentally, physically, and we fought all year and it was so worth it in this moment,” she said.
Head coach Patty Gasso believes the team has earned a place in history.
“They’ve cemented themselves in history. History can change, but these guys will never ever be forgotten,” she said of the accomplishment.
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