North Carolina State University Athletics
PEELER: Hoops For Hope IV Will Be Celebration
2/14/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
BY TIM PEELER
RALEIGH, N.C. For three weeks now, the NC State community has mourned the loss of legendary basketball coach Kay Yow, whose long fight against cancer ended on Jan. 24.
But Sunday afternoon, a sold-out crowd at Reynolds Coliseum the first advance sell-out in the history of the Wolfpack women’s basketball program will celebrate the legacy Yow left behind at the fourth-annual Hoops for Hope.
The game, which will feature the NC State women against Virginia at 3:30 p.m., isn’t exactly secondary. But it’s just one part of an afternoon dedicated to raising awareness about breast cancer and celebrating those who have fought it.
For years, Yow used her platform as a Hall of Fame basketball coach to inspire others with her courageous fight. This game is now the showcase fundraiser for the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund. Half of all ticket sales will go to the fund.
The concourses of Reynolds Coliseum will be filled with vendors who are associated with breast cancer research, awareness and/or prevention.
Several major companies GlaxoSmithKline, Coca-Cola, Time-Warner Cable will make significant contributions to the cancer fund. And two local high schools, Athens Drive and Grace Christian School, will present the money they raised at their own Hoops for Hope events.
There will be a pre-game silent auction, with all proceeds going to the cancer fund.
The Embers, the famed local beach band, will perform their version of Yolanda Adams’ song “Never Give Up,” a song they have dedicated to Yow. The band will also donate $2.50 every time a fan downloads the song from the band’s website www.theembersband.net.
“Every victory comes in time, work today to change tomorrow
It gets easier, who’s to say that you can’t fly
Every step you take you get, closer to your destination
You can feel it now, don’t you know you're almost there?
To fulfill divine purpose, you gotta answer when you're called
So don't be afraid to face the world against all odds.”
And every seat in the house will be filled.
“It was always one of Coach Yow’s visions and goals for this game to be sold out,” said interim head coach Stephanie Glance. “She wanted this game to encourage people, something that would be a great day so they could leave and have a better day the next day.
“I expect it will be very emotional for all of us, but really it is emotional because it is so uplifting. It really touches people’s hearts. This year’s game will be in memory of her, in honor of her and in celebration of her inspiration to all those people who are out there battling different things in life.”
It will also be a testimony of the many people from every facet of life who was touched by Yow’s coaching success and her public fight against cancer. A quick review of the silent auction reveals the diversity of Yow’s example.
In addition to numerous items donated related to women’s basketball, there is a basketball signed by President Bill Clinton (who mentioned Yow in his recent speech at Reynolds Coliseum), a putter signed by golf legend Jack Nicklaus, a baseball bat signed by slugger Josh Hamilton, a tennis ball signed by Serena Williams, a swim cap signed by Cullen Jones, a hockey puck signed by Sergei Federov and NASCAR memorabilia signed by Jimmy Johnson.
As usual, pink will be the color of the day, even if most eyes in the house will be red.
“I won’t be able to go into Reynolds without thinking about Kay Yow none of us will,” said NC State athletics athletics director Lee Fowler. “But this game is a great time for us to reflect on and celebrate all she did, not just for NC State, but for the fight against cancer and for women’s college basketball.”
The event has grown dramatically since it began in 2006, about a year after Yow learned the breast cancer she beat in 1987 had returned. Wolfpack Sports Marketing and the NC State athletics marketing department organized it with the help of corporate partners. And support has continued to grow.
“Coach Yow left behind an incredible legacy, part of which included launching the Hoops for Hope games and establishing the WBCA Kay Yow Cancer Fund,” said Brian Asbill, general manager for Wolfpack Sports Marketing, which works with corporate sponsors to raise money for the event. “It’s up to all of us to continue the fight in her honor. I can’t think of a better way to honor Coach Yow than by continuing to develop and grow fund-raisers and initiatives like the Hoops for Hope event.”
But the heart of the event comes at halftime, when hundreds of cancer survivors file onto the court. Yow was always touched by the parade of smiling faces and teary eyes.
“She found the whole day to be uplifting for her spirits,” Glance said. “That what she envisioned it to be for everyone.”
You may contact Tim Peeler at tim_peeler@ncsu.edu.
Silent Auction List
Jack Nicholas signed putter
Bill Clinton signed basketball
John Hamilton signed Bat, Ball and Book
Cullen Jones signed swim cap
Dance lessons
Putter
2 Ladies Watches
Scaled replica of Carter-Finley Stadium
Kay Yow signed T-shirt
Two tickets to the Men's ACC Tournament
Ryan Newman signed mini helmet
Ryan Newman signed Daytona 500 Die Cast Car
Jimmy Johnson signed item
Years Supply of Oil Changes
4 opening night tickets to Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
4 opening night tickets to Happy Days The Musical
4 opening night tickets to Lord of the Dance
4 opening night tickets to The Wizard of Oz
Serena Williams signed tennis ball
Khadijah Whittington signed ball
Khadijah Whittington signed picture
Indiana Fever team signed picture
Chasity Melvin signed jersey
Women's ACC Tournament Championship Game Tickets
Cullen Jones signed swimming cap
2 tickets Thursday round at the Wachovia Championship
2 tickets Friday round at Wachovia Championship
2 tickets Saturday Round at Wachovia Championship
2 tickets Sunday Round at Wachovia Championship
Dinner for 4
Segei Federov signed puck
Charlotte Checkers team signed hockey stick
WRAL Package - Tour of studio with Pam Saulsby
Live viewing of 6 p.m. news
One free registration in Walk for the Cure
Four Bobcats Suite Tickets vs Atlanta Hawks on 3-6 and parking pass
Four Tickets to Thomas The Tank Engine
Reynolds Coliseum chairs signed by Lowe and Towe
Mark Slawson Soliderity Print
Anne Donovan signed 2008 Olympic basketball
Anne Donovan signed 2008 Olympic basketball
Pat Summit and Bill Self signed basketball
Pat Summit and Geno Auriemma signed basketball
2008 Hoops for Hope warm up suit
2008 Hoops for Hope game ball
2008 Hoops for Hope game jersey
2009 Hoops for Hope game jersey
2008 Hoops for Hope Nike shoes
NC State national championship package (signed posters by 1974 & 1983 championship teams, signed copy of “When March Went Mad”)
