NEWCASTLE, Okla. – 1,149 career wins. Three Oklahoma 4A state championships. Twenty-nine trips to the state tournament in 37 years. Induction into the Oklahoma High School Coaches Fast-Pitch Softball Association Hall of Fame and Oklahoma High School Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame.
With all of the accolades and achievements earned by Chickasaw citizen Mike Crossley, he still considers the relationships he forged with Newcastle High School students as the most essential element of a stellar career that continues even in retirement.
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“I have been so blessed in my career. I have had the privilege of coaching generations of Newcastle students, their mothers, fathers and sometimes even their grandmothers, aunts, uncles and parents. It is one big family. We have enjoyed a lot of success, particularly in the last 10 years. We’ve been to the state tournament finals four times since 2014, and we’ve won three of those times.”
Newcastle High School proudly displays state softball championship trophies from 2014, 2019 and 2023.
Probably the most wonderous aspect for Crossley is Newcastle High School requested he continue coaching girls fast-pitch softball even though he retired two years ago.
“I retired from teaching and from coaching boys’ baseball. The school requested I continue to coach the girls’ team and it is my pleasure to keep working with student athletes.”
Crossley will likely continue to chalk up wins and exceed the 1,149 total. Beginning in July, fast-pitch softball practice gets underway again with approximately 30 games scheduled during the regular season in 2025.
If Crossley’s Newcastle Racers advance to the state tournament again, the season could extend upward of 40 games.
He surpassed the dean of winningest Oklahoma coaches in September 2024 topping legendary Barnsdall, Oklahoma, coach Joe Gilbert, who enjoyed 1,140 girls fast-pitch softball victories in a 66-year career at the small Osage County community. Gilbert – who died at 87 in 2020 – still holds win records in many additional sports and coached girls and boys during his lengthy career.
Surpassing Crossley may be impossible in the near term. The closest coach to his record is Larry Turner at Owasso, Oklahoma, with 763 wins. As Crossley continues to rack up wins during the 2025-26 season, he will maintain the title as winningest coach in Oklahoma.
He credits all of it to his motto: “Surround yourself with quality people, and I have,” he said. “I have a great family and have had great kids to work with along with parents who give us a lot of support. When you have that combination, you have a chance to be successful,” Crossley said.
He was named coach of the year two times by the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association, once after winning the 2014 state championship and again in 2019. Crossley also has been honored as coach of the year by The Oklahoman newspaper.
“It will mark my 40th year of coaching at Newcastle when we begin practice this summer. Like I said before, I have been blessed to be associated with such a fine school, great kids, family and support. We graduated seven starters, so we may get off to a rocky start in 2025, but by the end of the season I am confident we will be a particularly good team,” he said.
During his years coaching, he has claimed the Michele Smith Outstanding Coach of the Year award twice – 2014 and 2019. Smith, a legend in girls fast-pitch softball, played for Oklahoma State and earned two Olympic gold medals.
Additionally, more than 60 Newcastle softball athletes have been selected for Oklahoma All-State honors under Crossley’s watchful eye.
Over the years, the most celebrated softball coach in Oklahoma has had plenty of opportunities to leave Newcastle for “allegedly” greener pastures. High schools have attempted to lure him away, and collegiate coaching offers were extended, but to no avail.
“I love it here,” said Crossley of Newcastle. While he retired two years ago, his wife of 42 years, Vickie, retired last year after a career teaching Newcastle middle school students. The couple were high school sweethearts, graduating from Del City High School in the 1970s.
“We both are enjoying our retirement. We’re traveling. Recently we went to New York City and are planning other excursions, trips and adventures,” he said. They will travel, but Newcastle will remain the couple’s home.
“There’s something special here, and there has always been something special about Newcastle.”
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