By
Denny O'Brien
©2009 Bonesville.net
All Rights Reserved.
|
Kay Yow
1942-2009
ECC Class of '64 |
(Photo: NCSU SID,
by Karl DeBlaker) |
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As both an undergraduate
and graduate student at East Carolina, I made daily visits to the
English department offices. Almost each trip included a glimpse of Kay
Yow’s portrait hanging proudly on the wall.
Before that first viewing
of the legendary N.C. State women’s basketball coach, I was completely
unaware of her ties to the very department from which I would eventually
earn my degrees.
It was a source of great
pride to know that someone of her stature took a similar academic path.
Yow earned her English degree in 1964 from what was then East Carolina
College.
Though I never pulled for
N.C. State growing up – nor closely followed women’s hoops – I always
respected and admired Yow for her accomplishments and integrity. Even
then. She was the gold standard for women’s athletics in this state, a
true pioneer who raised the bar for rival programs, and did so without
compromising the foundation of her principles.
But to suggest that Yow, a
Gibsonville product, was merely a pioneer for her sport would fall short
of accurately capturing her widespread impact on athletics in North
Carolina. Perhaps only Richard Petty and Everett Case made a bigger
demographical imprint on this state’s sports culture.
Where Petty made our state
the epicenter for NASCAR, and Case shaped the way in which college
athletics were both played and covered, Yow was instrumental in ushering
women’s sports out of obscurity and onto the radar.
She, as much as anyone
else, is the reason young girls aspire today to play hoops in North
Carolina. She also is the reason other in-state schools made bigger
investments in their programs in an effort to keep up with the empire
Yow was building in Raleigh.
The pinnacle of that
empire was a trip to the Final Four and a Gold medal for the U.S.
women’s team in Seoul.
The resilience with which
Yow fought opponents on the court and on the recruiting trail was even
more evident during her battle with cancer. She sparred with one of
life’s most fierce opponents for over two decades – who does that? – and
did so in the public eye.
It’s an understatement to
suggest that courage is a requirement for wrestling with cancer for
20-plus years. But to do it publicly while maintaining the same
enthusiastic outlook on life and the persistence to succeed is a
testament to the strength that was packaged within Yow’s 66-year old
body.
“The most remarkable and
most obvious thing about Kay was her incredible passion and enthusiasm
for everything and everyone,” ECU Athletics Director Terry Holland said.
“She just seemed to have a natural ability to make every situation
better by her presence and participation.
“The respect she earned
from everyone in the game of basketball is recognized by her installment
in the Basketball Hall of Fame which includes every level of the game –
international, professional, college, high school, etc.”
Holland’s thoughts are
consistent with many others who have spoken about Yow since her death
last weekend, affirming words of her solid character that extended
throughout every aspect of her life. They were shared by everyone from
former President Bill Clinton to Governor Beverly Perdue, and by her
chief rivals on the basketball court.
And many of the tributes
we’ve heard over the last week weren’t about her mammoth-sized list of
professional accomplishments, instead focusing on her impact on others
and focus on spirituality. Yow spoke boldly and unapologetically about
her Christian faith, which no doubt sustained her during her marathon
bout with cancer.
Most impressive is the
fact that Yow didn’t merely verbalize her faith. She was a living
example of it by outwardly displaying Biblical principles in her daily
walk.
Yow left quite a legacy at
N.C. State, and there is no mistaking that she bled a bright shade of
Wolfpack Red. She did as much as anybody.
But she also is a product
of East Carolina, a graduate who all alums should proudly claim.
You will be hard-pressed
to find another ECU alumnus who experienced more success at their trade
than Yow. Her record supports that.
It would be even more
challenging to find someone who was a greater champion in the trials and
tribulations of life.