Rooted to Rise

We become who we are in part because of who we bump into on our journeys. Some encounters knock us off our feet, leave us dizzy, and make the world look different in an instant. Others are just shoulder brushes, intersections we barely even notice at the time. But the human confluence changes our shape. In Rooted to Rise, Hall of Fame women's basketball coach Sherri Coale shares the indelible truths she's learned from the people she's crossed paths with in her life. From Coale's small-town roots to her award-winning courtside career, her life has been littered with remarkable connections. Each connection, small or large, is a vital part of Coale's journey. As a coach, as a mother, as a daughter, and as a friend, she shares insight from those responsible for teaching her, as well as those she has been responsible for teaching. Coale invites you to learn from the wisdom she's gained from paying close attention to the extraordinary, the ordinary, and all that's in between.

We become who we are in part because of who we bump into on our journeys. Some encounters knock us off our feet, leave us dizzy, and make the world look different in an instant. Others are just shoulder brushes, intersections we barely even notice at the time. But the human confluence changes our shape. In Rooted to Rise, Hall of Fame women's basketball coach Sherri Coale shares the indelible truths she's learned from the people she's crossed paths with in her life. From Coale's small-town roots to her award-winning courtside career, her life has been littered with remarkable connections. Each connection, small or large, is a vital part of Coale's journey. As a coach, as a mother, as a daughter, and as a friend, she shares insight from those responsible for teaching her, as well as those she has been responsible for teaching. Coale invites you to learn from the wisdom she's gained from paying close attention to the extraordinary, the ordinary, and all that's in between.

In twenty-five years as the head coach of the University of Oklahoma women's basketball team, Sherri Coale's numbers speak for themselves. She led her program to three Final Fours, won six Big 12 Regular Season Championships and four Big 12 Tournament Championships, had nineteen straight NCAA Tournament appearances, and made nine Sweet 16 appearances. Her emphasis on academic and athletic excellence for her players resulted in the Sooners receiving 127 Academic All-Big 12 honors during her tenure. Coale's success as a coach earned her a spot in the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2016. Coale also has a passion for giving back to her communities. Her teams were always committed to organizations within the University of Oklahoma's communities, from their hometown of Norman to Oklahoma itself. Sherri Coale married her husband, Dane, in 1987. The couple has one daughter, Chandler; one son, Colton; and one daughter-in-law, Morgan. They also have one amazing granddaughter, Austyn, born March 8, 2021.