An OSU diehard ready to play for that other school
From preps to college
Norris family coming to grips with Katie's decision to play softball at OU
An OSU diehard ready to play for that other school
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31
By Ryan Aber
Published: July 24, 2008
STILLWATER — The Norris family is as orange and black as it comes.
Chris, from Idabel, went to Oklahoma State after starting college in Wyoming. When he moved back to Stillwater, he bought a T-shirt shop in 1986. His daughter, Katie, grew up around OSU sports, has "boxes and boxes” of Cowboys gear. She still plans to come back to Stillwater — from Norman — for homecoming this year. Neither Katie nor Chris could've imagined that Oklahoma would be where Katie played college softball. Even days before their scheduled visit to Norman, they tried to back out. Chris Norris even went as far as e-mailing Sooners softball coach Patty Gasso to try to find an out. Gasso didn't give him one. She told them to come for the visit and at least give them a chance. It didn't take long for the trip to pay off. On the way back home, Katie, a catcher, told her dad she'd made her decision. She was going to OU. "I really wanted to win a national championship, and I had the best chance at OU,” Katie said. "It just felt like I belonged there.” And Chris, who owns Chris' University Spirit in Stillwater, was all right with that. "I was blown away with coaches Gasso and (Melyssa) Lombardi” Chris said. "And I didn't want to be. "But it was up to Katie.” Norris knew there would likely be some reaction among OSU fans to his daughter's commitment to the Sooners. He had no idea just how strong it would be. In Norris' office is a picture of Katie's signing. Chris, like Katie, wore an OU softball shirt. That set off a strong reaction from some OSU fans and inflamed passions on message boards. "I expected some reaction,” Chris said. "I didn't know just how much we'd get.” Katie, who'd been working out — on a paid membership — at Oklahoma State, soon had to find a new place to train when OSU athletic director Mike Holder found out about the commitment. The family knew that possibility existed. "We're looked at as staunch, inside fans,” Chris said. "Some people said, ‘How could you do that?' Well, it's not my deal.” Next season, Katie will return to Stillwater, this time wearing the crimson and cream of OU. "I'm not sure what that's going to be like,” Katie said. "There will be plenty of people rooting for me to fail miserably. But there's also going to be people there rooting for me to do well.” Katie had offers and attention from around the country, drawing looks from schools in all of the most well-known softball conferences. Oklahoma State was among the possibilities. "I might've gone here (OSU) if I hadn't decided on OU,” Katie said. "It's not that OSU would've been a bad choice. But I'm excited to have found a place where I really felt like I fit in. I just didn't expect it to be OU.” Even though the father is supportive of his daughter's choice, that doesn't mean Chris Norris is changing his allegiances. His office is still decked out in orange from ceiling to floor, with just the one picture breaking up the Oklahoma State décor. "As long as she's committed to that program (OU), I'm committed to it,” Chris said. "But it's not like I'm going out there and buying OU season football tickets. I'm still an OSU guy through and through — just not when it comes to softball.”
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Phi Alpha chris. are you from oklahoma mu?
how many fans attend the softball College World Series
in Oklahoma City.
You can't pick her husband nor her college. Ugh! ;>)