Oklahoma State University Athletics
POKES POD: Kenny Gajewski Reflects on an Incredible Season
June 26, 2023 | Cowgirl Softball
Kenny Gajewski has established Oklahoma State softball as a national powerhouse.
Gajewski discusses his team's appearance in four straight Women's College World Series in this week's Pokes Pod.
Although Gajewski has cultivated a culture shift and changed the trajectory of the program since his arrival, he makes sure to give all the credit back to his players.
"Losing is supposed to hurt."
— OSU Max (@osu_max) June 26, 2023
That was @cowgirlsb's message after their fifth-straight WCWS appearance.
But @OSUcoachG doesn't want to settle on appearances. He wants to win it all. ??
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??: Watch on @osu_max pic.twitter.com/89gcPn3fZT
In the excerpt below, Kenny Gajewski praises his seniors and how they have changed the Cowgirl softball program.
MEG: What did this senior class do for this team and this program?
GAJEWSKI: They changed it.
We've talked about this. I've had two notes on my desk for seven years, and one of them said, "The Cowgirl Way," and I think it's taken us seven years to define that. We've told that story. It's awesome. The other one said, "Change it." And it's a pretty broad note because initially, I put it up there for kids who walk in and don't like their role.
It takes guts to walk into the coach's office and talk about that stuff. So I put it up there because I just was like, well, if you don't like it, then change it. But it's what you've earned now. And so when I think about the senior class, we asked them to come in here and change it. And they did that.
I mean, four years to OKC, All-Americans. The highest of highs, the lowest of lows, the maturity, the growth, growth as people, growth as players. I mean, they're the greatest class ever here. I don't say that lightly. I have a lot of respect for Coach Fisher and what she did before me, but we've never gone four in a row. The landscape of softball is different now, so that's probably a little bit unfair to Coach Fisher and her kids because they didn't get the notoriety that women are getting now, which they deserve. So I'm glad that we can be part of that.
Yeah, but they changed it and put this program on a new road. It's a lonely road, but it's a good road.
MEG: Why is it lonely?
GAJEWSKI: Because to be great, you have to sacrifice. You have to be willing to give things up. You have to be willing to be different. You have to be willing to adapt to change.
Like these kids did in their last year with a new hitting coach and new things that we brought into this, every pitcher that ever walks in here says, I wanna be your ace. And I just say, well, I really think you ought to think about that because it is a lonely road. There's a lot of things done that nobody sees that you have to do on your own.
And if you're looking for the notoriety, you're not an ace. You're just part of this team. But being an ace is doing things that nobody wants to do. Being the shortstop here is tough. Doing the things that these kids do here just gets lonely because you have to sacrifice.
This transcript was edited for clarity. Listen to the rest of the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and watch it on OSU MAX.
Host: Meghan Robinson
Guest: Bryce Thompson
Producers: Jason Carroll, Bart Pohlman, and James Youngblood
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