Normanites in the Spotlight: David and Denise Gore

from Boyd Street Magazine June 2022

Saving on Your Summer Vacation

For David and Denise Gore, giving back to their longtime home of Norman is important to them, whether that’s through their extensive education careers, their church or other areas they value. Both are from small communities in Southwest Oklahoma, with David growing up in Tipton and Denise in Cyril. After high school, David attended the University of Oklahoma, while Denise went to Oklahoma State University. The couple met while working at Norman Public Schools, where David started right after graduating college in 1969 and Denise came in 1976 after a couple of years in another community. There were two couples who decided David and Denise should be together, and as Denise said, “they began to push us together, and it finally took and we started dating.” Overall, David spent 38 years working for NPS, while Denise was in the district for 35 years and in education for 37 years overall. David started as a math teacher and coach before working in three different administrative positions, including as the district athletic director for eight years. Denise started as a second-grade teacher at Cleveland Elementary, then later split her time between Cleveland and Jackson Elementary as the gifted and talented teacher. Eventually, she returned to a Cleveland classroom and finished her career teaching fourth then third grade. In addition to their education backgrounds, the Gores also share a love of sports, even though they are often cheering for different teams as a result of attending rival universities. An avid fan, Denise is a season ticket holder for both OSU football and baseball. “We are obviously a divided house, and we don’t have a problem with that,” Denise explained. “We have some friends who cannot believe we can do this. They say to David, ‘I can’t believe you have OSU stuff in your house,’ and he gets that more than I do because obviously we’re in Norman. He supports me going to my games, and I support him going to his.”

NORMANITES IN THE SPOTLIGHT

David & Denise Gore

“I kid that both of our kiddos went to Oklahoma State, so now you know who’s in charge at our house,” David said. David has applied that love of sports as an official and clock operator. For about 40 years, David worked as a baseball umpire in the old Big Eight Conference and has been involved with football for 35 years. Although he’s not on the field anymore, David teaches and evaluates young football officials and also works as a clock operator for the Big 12 Conference. In the winter, David can be found inside Lloyd Noble Center at the scorer’s table during both OU men’s and women’s basketball games. “I’ve always had teaching as part of my DNA, not only in the classroom but with the officiating part of it too,” David reflected. The Gores love spending time with their friends and family, which includes two children - Melissa and Darren. Melissa, her husband Kevin and their three children live in Waco, Texas, while Darren is in Houston. Additionally, the Gores are active in McFarlin United Methodist Church, where they are longtime members. David has been an usher for almost the whole time since he came to OU, is a volunteer with the food pantry and has “served on almost every committee that there is at the church.” Denise has also served on a few committees, is a greeter and is active in a Bible study group. She’s also a wedding coordinator, coordinating between the bride and family and the church. Outside of church, the Gores are involved in the community in other ways too. Recently, Denise retired from being an election worker and still volunteers at The Christmas Store of Cleveland County. She enjoys connecting with others through book clubs, the retired teachers luncheon at Cleveland Elementary and the Cleveland/McClain County OSU Alumni Association group, for which she is the secretary. Since 1995, David has been a member of the Norman Kiwanis Club and was the president in 2002. “We thoroughly enjoy Norman,” David shared. “We’ve been heavily involved, and we’ll continue to be as long as we’re able. Our church is important to us, and the community is important to us. We’re both retired, and our definition of retirement is to continue to contribute, continue to work, but doing things that we enjoy doing.”– BSM

CE

FIRE

BY: CHRIS PLANK

Grace Lyons is the best shortstop in college softball, but the story of what makes her special is grounded in something well beyond what happens on the dirt. As the Sooner Softball team begins postseason play, Lyons is currently in the midst of a career year. “I feel super free and it just kind of goes to all the work that I put in the last three years,” Lyons said. “It’s interesting because you think of success when you’re doing something different or focusing hard on one little thing, but I feel completely free… and it’s just a confidence in my mindset. But it’s also just a demeanor that whatever they’re going to give me I’m going to give my best swing.” Grace is one of 10 finalists for the National Player of the Year and has surpassed her career highs in batting average, home runs and runs batted in throughout a single season. “It’s been really cool just to feel that loose freedom at the plate that I really haven’t felt before,” she added. “It’s exciting to see how the whole team continues to use that because our offense is on a climb right now. It’s really exciting to see everyone stepping up and thriving in their role.” Head coach Patty Gasso said that Lyons has helped solidify the Sooner lineup. “Offensively she’s gone to a whole another level, and she’s become one of our big power hitters now, which is [great],” Gasso said. “She’s really plugged herself in there and done a fantastic job.” While the offensive numbers are skyrocketing, the spectacular nature of her defensive ability maintains. Her smooth fielding and effortless nature throughout her career have caught the eye of many. It even caught the eye of Superbowl Champion and star Kansas City Chiefs Quarterback Patrick Mahomes who tweeted during the Big 12 Championship game. “Shortstop for OU Softball is nasty,” Mahomes posted, followed by a few fire emojis. For her defensive prowess, the Sooner was named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and was a first-team all-league selection. “She’s the best shortstop in softball. I just know that Grace Lyons, right now, has the mindset I wish that every player could have,” Gasso said. “That is, ‘I am confident. I believe in what I’m doing. I am not fearful and have zero anxiety.’ She’s focused on the result, and very much process oriented. She could walk away from a game not feeling too high or too low, and she just has a wonderful neutral balance about what she’s doing.” The faith that Gasso has in Grace is nothing new. During her freshman season in 2019, she joined a team that had won two national championships in the previous three seasons, with a star-studded roster including household names like Sydney Romero, Caleigh Clifton, Shay Knighten, among others. Gasso made sure the true freshman knew that from day one she was her shortstop. “It was a big responsibility to take, and initially yes, it is kind of overwhelming,” said Grace, who out of high school turned down scholarship offers from the likes of softball powers Arizona, Alabama, Florida and UCLA to attend OU. “But how Coach [Gasso] runs our program is once you step foot on campus and you’re creating these relationships, that freshman nature is gone. “I remember hitting a home run against Notre Dame at night, and it was just this really cool feeling that, OK, I’m part of this program and I’m

contributing, but this sisterhood that we’re a part of is something that I want to keep living and breathing and contributing to.” Her parents, John and Erin, are regulars at OU softball games. John is a former college athlete having played hockey at Air Force and was a decorated pilot in the Air Force. While the balance is a little bit more challenging since her younger brother Max is playing collegiate golf, the couple rarely misses a Sooner Softball series. “We just love watching her compete,” Her father John Lyons said. “The key for Grace is she’s always kept things from getting too high or too low. There is a humility about her that I’m super proud of because she doesn’t really care about the successes or failures, she has learned to take it all in stride, do the best she can and that comes from her focus which is her faith and playing for the Lord and knowing that is the most important.” Grace’s faith is at the forefront of everything she does. Much like the Sooner Softball program, she has a foundation built on faith. Before the 2022 season, she started her own brand (BATL), which stands for “Boast About the Lord.” Her brand website consists of connecting her passion for faith and softball while getting people to support her mission by buying merchandise, attending clinics and praying. Not only does Lyons have the BATL brand but she has also launched, “The Players Conference,” which is a gathering for other college athletes to talk about their faith. “I’m proud of the woman she has become,” John added. “We are proud of what she has done on the field, but we’re prouder of how she has spread her wings and become independent and really become a responsible young woman ready to take on the world.” Grace has taken one of her biggest challenges and turned it into a positive. When she was five years old, it was determined that she would need to have a pacemaker installed.

“Erin called and I was briefing for a flight in Germany,” John recalled. “They had found a heartbeat issue after Grace had a random illness. We found out she had a rhythm issue. Life evolved and she needed to have a pacemaker when she was five. You get a reality check when they cart her off for surgery every 5-6 years to replace the batteries. But I know how effective they are and how capable technology is, and she knows the warning signs and takes care of herself.” “I’ve had it my whole life, honestly my entire sports career I’ve been used to it,” Grace said, who has a degree in biomedical engineering. “I never want anything to be an excuse or to get any special treatment. I always want to be under the radar. It’s a cool part of my story I’ve embraced in college. I’m still able to do this with this robot piece inside me. It’s been awesome to watch my passions line up with what I want to do in the future. It’s been really cool to be able to share my story and get

after it and not let that affect me in how I play.” Grace Lyons has a lot of options post-college. She could work anywhere with her biomedical engineering degree. She has a deep-rooted passion for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. And she could also find herself in ministry or playing softball professionally. Looking back, her path toward softball started on the baseball diamond.

“I started in baseball. The skill and style are different. It was cool I could bring that to softball,” Grace said of her start playing baseball. “There are different traits that come with it. I was coached by some awesome coaches. It is unique and I love having it as part of my story.” The move to softball did not come without some challenges. The first time she reached base, she was leading off second base and the umpire had to tell her what to do. It was certainly an embarrassing moment, but she learned quickly. “It’s similar but different and softball is fast,” Grace explained. “You’ve got to be smooth and fast, but you can make it look good at the same time. Growing up with super athletic guys helped. I had to work to stay with them.” But the most important thing to Grace Lyons isn’t the player of the year honors or the wins or even the degrees. If it sounds like a broken record, it shouldn’t because it is the truth. At the core of everything, Grace Lyons is about her faith. “It’s the reason why I play, the reason I live… the reason for all my relationships and my purpose,” she said. “In high school, I realized there was more to learn. It skyrocketed when I realized I could influence people around me. My word has been consistent… words, actions, play. It’s a huge aspect of softball for me. My talents, I can’t do them myself, it all comes from God.” Grace Lyons is a gift. And no, you did not read that wrong. Yes, Lyons is gifted athletically and, on the field, as smooth as any player we will ever see in college softball, but she is a gift that gives back in everything that she does.

Grace Lyons is a gift to the University of Oklahoma, to college softball and to young girls and women looking for a role model.

“The biggest impact I hope to have is that people can see Jesus shining through me,” she said. “I want to live a consistent life in my faith and also in my sport. While I may not have all the answers, I want to be a resource for teammates to learn about and talk about Jesus whenever they want to. When people see me, I want them to see Jesus.”-BSM