Our family is gathering in Asheville North Carolina this weekend to join with the University in celebration of the induction of our Betsy into their Athletic Hall Of Fame. A well deserved honor as, to date, she is the winningest coach of women’s basketball in the school’ history.
My mind immediately went to an article Betsy was asked to write for the well known “Chicken Soup” books for basketball lovers. I can’t give you the whole writing, but she expressed eloquently the journey of instilling in her team a dream of making it to the NCAA tournament. In 2007 she did that very thing. In doing this, her team came from winning but 3 games the first year in conference play to winning 19 the second year.
Most of her writing was about her Dad and his unfailing support throughout her journey. I am going to give you the last few paragraphs of her article, so you can see why we as a family celebrate her, not just as a basketball coach, but the important part she has played in our family’s life.
“Dad died in 2004, This strong, seemingly invincible man was stricken with bacterial meningitis, and what was unthinkable happened. The night of the Big South championship game, as the seconds ticked away on the clock and it seemed that victory was imminent, I looked up into the stands to catch my Mother’s eyes, but she was gone. “Oh no, I thought. “Mom couldn’t stand the pressure.” What I didn’t know was that our athletic director had gone into the stands to bring my Mom to court side. After the game as I ran into my Mother’s arms, my first words to her were,”I wish Dad were here to see this!” She said, “Betsy,He was here every moment of this journey.”
Well, we flew into Austin, this small liberal arts college, to meet the highly ranked and highly talented team of LSU. We were humbled in our loss, but as I walked from the court that night, head bowed in defeat, reverberating through my whole being was a voice saying, “Suck it up, Bets,,,”. And I lifted my head.”
That same voice will be there this weekend, proud and happy, for our “Bets”
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