North Carolina State University Athletics
Hall of Fame Acceptance Speech
9/30/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Sept. 27, 2002
Thank you Anne! I praise the Lord for this evening; may God be glorified! First, I want to say, "Congratulations to the other inductees in the class of 2002!" I am honored to be a member of this class and of the Naismith Hall of Fame Team!
My excitement for making this team can only be matched by the making of my first team ever in junior high school. To see my name on the list once again takes me back to the beginning when my heart was pounding and my hands sweating, but I was thankful for the opportunity and ready to give my all. I know the selection committee had a challenging task. I am grateful to you for deciding that my contributions to this great game are noteworthy enough to be selected as a Hall of Fame member. Thank you!
When I go back to my beginnings in basketball, there was always a basketball goal in my backyard. As a child I played all of the "what if" games. After everyone else had been called home for the evening, I would often stay in my yard and play for conference and state championships! I persevered until I hit the game winning shot. Of course, there were no National Championship games or Olympic Gold Medal games, for, at that time, there were no opportunities for women to compete at these levels.
Nevertheless, basketball was one of the loves of my life. After all, I gave up tap dancing and piano playing (much to the disappointment of my mother) to concentrate on this challenging and fun game. Thus, my career in basketball began and today I am still learning and pursuing to be the best I can be.
My career has been made possible by many people who have dug wells from which I have drunk and by many who have built fires from which I have been warmed. And today, there are those helping me to dig wells and to build fires for others!
To say that my family has helped me to achieve in basketball would be an understatement! To begin with there are my two sisters, Debbie, who is the Athletic Director at the University of Maryland and Susan, my first Kodak All-American and currently Head Women's Coach at Providence College. Both played for me my first years as a college coach! Susan and Debbie, thank you for giving your all as players, your support as friends and your love as sisters! My brother, Ronnie, has always been an encourager to me, seeing the glass half full and the impossible as possible. Thank you Ronnie for your love and support. My parents, Hilton Yow who is in attendance this evening and Elizabeth (better known as Lib Yow) who passed away with cancer 9 years ago, were very supportive of my basketball pursuits - even when it wasn't "cool" for women to be involved in sports, particularly team sports.
I want to thank them for instilling the qualities needed for success. Of all the gifts my parents have given me: one stands out! They have always believed in me! When I doubted I could do something they said I could do it, thus providing me with a most special gift -- the gift of believing in myself!
To my other family members present tonight thank you for your ongoing support, help and interest in my life and my career.
And now to my NC State Wolfpack family -- what an incredible journey I am having! All of the honors, awards and milestones that I have been a part of have been made possible because of very special players, staff, administrators, fans and friends. Representatives of each of these groups are in attendance this evening to share this moment in time with me! And I am here to accept this honor as a tribute to you and to thank you for your insight, encouragement, expertise and friendship!
And within this group of very special people lies the nucleus of every successful coach: her staff and players! To all of you from all teams and all levels -- you prepared, you planned, you practiced -- you performed, you persevered and you made possible this moment for me! I am richer and better as a person for having been a part of your lives. Thank you for all you have given me and for all you have done for me!
As I prepare to leave the podium, I am reminded of my first major lesson in coaching. It's about perspective. I was celebrating a last second win over our archrival for the conference tournament championship. As the buzzer sounded and the game ended, towels, water bottles and other items were thrown into the air. Everyone was on the floor congratulating me and I was somewhere in the clouds! As Mr. A. Doyle Early, my principal, approached me I anticipated the words, "Job well done"! Instead these words were spoken: Kay, "you brought 12 towels here; now I want you to take 12 towels back"! "Count the towels". Needless to say my feet became firmly grounded, for I knew he meant what he said. In other words, it's great to win, but don't forget you have responsibilities and that you are accountable to follow through. Life goes on - PERSPECTIVE!
At the Olympics in '88, as my eyes filled with tears of joy, I watched as the American flag was raised and our players stood on the platform receiving gold medals. Suddenly, I had a mental marquee flashing through my mind "Count the Towels".
And so tonight, as I humbly accept this award on behalf of so many others, the marquee is still flashing. Count the Towels!
