Tate Sandell’s Oklahoma is heading towards their first round playoff game after a remarkable 10-5 finish. Sandell started his college football journey in 2022 as a walk-on at UTSA and became an overnight star at Oklahoma. But all this wasn’t possible without his parents’ support. So, let’s dig deeper into how they shaped him into a star.

Who are Tate Sandell’s parents? 

Don Sandell and Tricia Sandell are the parents of the Oklahoma Sooners star placekicker, who’s been supported by them since his early days. During his playing days, Sandell would drag his younger sister Brinkley to the practice field in the middle of the night and hold a light near the ball to make sure he could practice without getting bothered.

But his love for football came to light when one day Sandell’s dad, who’s also an assistant principal at Port Neches-Grove High School, got a call from the principal. His parents got scared but then got to know that Tate took his dad’s key and turned on the stadium’s lights for practicing kicking for honors. And all this because it was easier than waking up her sister.

His mother’s profession is not widely known, but even she stood by him throughout his journey. Growing up in Port Neches, he always had a fishing pole in his hand, but he wasn’t fishing; he was playing soccer or baseball and later got into football in middle school. But his soccer background makes him an easy target for coaches needing a kicker.

Sandell’s parents understood his interest and helped him follow his passion.

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Where did  Don Sandell and Tricia Sandell meet?

Don and Tricia Sandell really shaped Tate Sandell’s career from a rookie growing up in Port Neches, Texas, to a kid playing high school football at Port Neches-Groves to a man shaping his future in Oklahoma. But apart from their role in Tate’s development, there’s nothing publicly mentioned about their love life.

Though Tricia Sandell has an Instagram account where she has a profile picture with her husband with a wide, long smile, showing that even after two kids and so many years, their love is still strong and intact for each other. That shaped Tate Sandell into an extraordinary player who’s 23 out of 24 on field goals this year, and his 23 straight made field goals set a school and single-season SEC record.

Now, let’s dig deeper into their ethnicity.

What ethnicity are Tate Sandell’s parents? 

There’s no publicly available information from reliable sources that states Tate Sandell’s parents’ ethnicity. Even his official athletic bio doesn’t mention his ethnicity or racial identity. But Tate Sandell is pretty connected to his fate and believes in God. Even his last Instagram post two weeks ago was about his journey this season that ended with him winning the Lou Groza Award.

All this is the result of his trust in God, and this caption proves it.

“Bet on yourself and the lord,” Sandell said in an IG post.

Tate Sandell’s relationship with his parents 

Tate Sandell shares a close, supportive relationship with his parents, and he openly credits them for shaping his confidence and mindset. Sandell also connects his upbringing to faith and perspective, explaining how his parents helped him to embrace his talent without pressure.

And all that shaped him into the star he is now.

“I just try to just give it as good of a shot as I can, and whatever happens, happens,” Sandell said. “I’m gonna enjoy it. I prayed for this. It’s come to fruition. But it’s onto the next week.”

All this left a lasting impact on him.

Their influence on Tate

Tate Sandell’s rise this season feels magical, especially looking at his journey. Some of the key moments have made him the star this season. Remember his game against Tennessee?

Sandell kicked three field goals in the second quarter; he single-handedly flipped a three-point deficit into a six-point halftime advantage for Oklahoma. He then added his fourth early in the final quarter, in which all of his four attempts were from 40 yards or further (55, 51, 40, and 55 yards), making him the clear standout player.

But despite all of it, he never lets the success get into his head, and that’s the result of his parents’ upbringing.

“(The confidence) comes from my mom,” Sandell said. “She raised us to just be comfortable in your own skin. My dad as well. God’s gifted me with an ability that’s rare, and I’ve embraced it. It’s very fun. It’s fun.”

Now, with Oklahoma heading to their playoff first-round game against Alabama, let’s wait and see if Sandell can keep up the momentum or not.