North Carolina State University Athletics
Key To The Game
12/15/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Dec. 15, 2004
RALEIGH, N.C. - There are many roles in life and in basketball with many keys to success in both. Sophomore Ashley Key has settled into her current role for NC State women's basketball, and it has become a familiar role for her over the years. As defensive stopper and one of the top three-point threats on the team, Key has developed her style of play and attitude that was built around a foundation fostered at an early stage from her parents.
"My dad has always been working since I can remember," Key said. "He wakes up about six every morning and doesn't come home until 12 or one most days. I might be up when he gets home, and he'll be tired or hurting. He always had time to check on me. And then he would be right back up the next morning and goes back to work."
From seeing the work ethic of her father, Gregory, to feeling the love, support and even pressure from her mom, Darlene, and father, helped push Ashley to the best of her abilities.
"My parents were always there for me at games and driving me to and from practice," Key said. "They never let me give up, even when I got frustrated. They always helped me get back on track and stay focused on improving my game. With academics they stressed the importance of school before sports every day. They wouldn't let me bring home C's. I had to be a good student or basketball wouldn't be around."
Academics have paid off for Key, as she is majoring in electrical and computer engineering and has lofty goals for her future.
"I want to play in the WNBA and perhaps overseas, but after that I want to start my own computer company," Key said. "I've always liked computers, and my cousin Tony and I have shared that dream. He is majoring in engineering in Detroit and we plan on owning our own company together."
In addition to the obvious focus on academics, basketball has been around in her life for years, and she attended NC State head coach Kay Yow's basketball camp almost every year since she was in the eighth grade. She came to NC State because of the coaching staff, and has wanted to wear the red and white since her early camp days.
"Coach Yow is the most genuine person I know," Key said. "Everything she says you can trust is from the heart. She'll bend over backwards in any situation to help you even though she has so much on her plate already. You can call her in the middle of the night and she'll help you."
Key describes herself as a dedicated, hard worker, which is something she admires about coach Yow.
"She has such dedication to the game and expects us to practice hard and then play harder," Key said. "You have to give 110% to her everyday, because that is how much she puts in. She needed hard work and dedication to become a Hall of Fame coach, and I started developing my work ethic in high school."
She worked with the boys coach, Brian Bartley, at Landmark Christian in Atlanta, Ga., who would motivate her and push her harder each day. Those intense workouts helped her peak physically, and combined with her mental approach to the game, Key has turned into a tenacious, high energy defender as the Wolfpack Women aim for their goals.
"I have to get it in my mind before each game that I can hang with anyone physically, and this game is 80% mental anyways," Key said. "I feed off of my defensive play, and setting goals for games gets me in the right mindset. I might get a steal or make a stop and that will get me calm on the offensive end, and I'll be playing with confidence on both ends of the court."
The key to a successful 2004-05 season just might be Ashley Key.
