Jasmyn Burns, Texas Tech softball turning a corner at crucial time
Jasmyn Burns has been on a tear over the last month, and it comes as Texas Tech softball hopes to turn a corner with a spot in the WCWS on the line.
Being a few generations older than his players has a few drawbacks for Texas Tech softball head coach Gerry Glasco. Growing up in the Midwest, Glasco said it's sometimes hard to connect with players like Jasmyn Burns, who grew up in California. While he adores the St.
Louis Cardinals of old and aspires to have his teams play how Bob Gibson and Joe Torre did, Burns and most of her Red Raider teammates have come up in an era where bat flips and outward displays of emotion play just as big a role on the field as fundamentals and scouting reports. That can be a tricky paradigm, one that Glasco admits has played a factor throughout his time in Lubbock. Last season, Glasco said he had to learn how to coach Hailey Toney before the then-freshman started coming alive as the Red Raiders moved through the Women's College World Series.
This season, Burns is just one of the new players Glasco has had to learn how to coach. Putting in that kind of effort, though, usually pays dividends when it matters. "It's not just Jazzy," Glasco said.
"It's like all athletes. I have try to really work hard to relate to them, and I think they have to relate to me, and it takes a little bit of time. And, wow, the results down the stretch.