Complete “Welcome to my World” with Ashley DeForest, daughter of former OSU assistant Joe DeForest

We have an element in each pregame package called “Welcome to my World,” which is designed to take you inside the mind of an important figure in Oklahoma State’s upcoming game.

Of course, the likely subjects for these interviews are players or coaches. But for the West Virginia game, I decided to do something a little different.

Many of you read about Ashley DeForest last January. She’s the daughter of longtime OSU assistant coach Joe DeForest, who is now the defensive coordinator at WVU. This story about Joe and Ashley helped explain the timing of Joe leaving Stillwater and received a ton of positive feedback from readers.

Changing coaching jobs is like changing any job. Sometimes the decision to move is a difficult one. And it usually doesn’t just affect the coach — it affects an entire family. It’s often easy to forget the human element of sports.

Ashley is now a freshman at OSU, while Dad (and Mom) is in Morgantown. I decided to catch up with her this week. What’s life like for the kid of the coach who runs a WVU defense that has struggled mightily this season? Does she still feel part of the Cowboy football program? And what color t-shirt is she going to wear at Boone Pickens Stadium today?

You can read the condensed version of my interview with Ashley in Saturday’s newspaper. But here’s the complete version:

I was so happy for him (when he got the WVU job). I know this is what he’s always wanted and I support him no matter what. If this is going to make him better his career, then I he has to do that. Of course I miss him, but it’s better for us as a family, and I just want him to do well.

It’s so hard being away from my family, just because I’ve been an only child and I’ve been around them all the time. It’s hard being here with all my other friends who are from Stillwater and they always get to go home and see their family, and I never get to because they’re so far away. I always try to go see them at least one a month. They’ve been really good with that, getting me out there and getting to see them.

I did have thoughts about transferring, but I knew that if I stuck it out here…I enjoy it now, and I never know how long my dad is going to be there (at WVU).