Why we Play 4Kay

For the last two weeks high school and college women’s basketball teams at all levels  across the country have been participating in “Play 4Kay” Games in honor of the late Coach Kay Yow, to raise breast cancer awareness and funds for scientific research on the court, across campuses, in communities and beyond. I’m not sure if most participants know much about Coach Yow other than she battled cancer for part of her career and was a great coach. 

When she passed a few years ago in late January, a friend and I drove down to NC to attend the funeral. I want to share below something I wrote soon after the funeral about that experience and Coach Yow’s influence and the person that inspired the hundred’s of games and thousands of dollars being raised.

Coach Yow won over 700 games in her 30 plus years coaching at NC State and her two decades battle with breast cancer.  To me the most inspiring thing about her was her faith in Christ. I did not know coach Yow, I had never met her, honestly I don’t remember ever watching NC State play, but her influence reaches beyond her achievements in basketball. 

Yes basketball was her platform and I learned about her because of it. I felt compelled to attend her funeral to pay respect to a woman who has done great things in the basketball world and also I wanted to see how others have been influenced. 

Before and after the funeral I heard interviews and read articles in which so many people spoke of her character, her gentleness, and care for her players and all those she knew. I don’t think most people knew that the great things that they admired the most about her were a reflection of her faith, her commitment and service to God. Her last act of service to God was to glorify Him in her death. For over 1000 people she made a point to be clear who she lived for and every person’s need for Christ. The whole service was planned by her and designed to glorify God including a 25 minute video she recorded sharing her testimony, reading scripture about our need for a savior and that savior is Jesus and an opportunity to accept him for ourselves. I was blown away.

Here’s a woman whom hundreds of people could’ve stood up and said amazing things about during her funeral but she chose to keep the focus on God. Here’s a woman who understood what life was about. Directing people towards God. 

Each of us have been given life. We’ve been given talents and opportunities that many people don’t have. You may have had awful things happen and may be going through something tough. You’ve won games and lost games. But regardless, all things are purposed so that the work of God can be displayed in your life. Kay Yow is a great example of that. Through basketball and battling cancer, the work of God continues to be displayed.