As Texas legend Jody Conradt had said the night before, "we are the caretakers of the game." She spoke about our ability as coaches to help our student-athletes win and to win the right way.
She spoke about all the trophies she had captured as a collegiate coach as well as all the rings she had garnered. She then quickly said the trophies were gathering dust and she doesn't wear the rings. But what she does cherish from her many years of coaching are the relationships.
She then gave two great examples and got emotional speaking of both.
The first was in regard to Coach Pat Summitt. As the many reports of her retirement flooded the airwaves of television, filled the pages of newspapers and magazines and covered the screen of our computers via the Internet, there were numerous quotes from many people that had played for her, worked with her, played and coached against her, or just learned from her from afar. Of those people, none ever mentioned the number of wins or championships -- only her impact on them as people and teachers. As Coach Sharp stated, "It wasn't 'what' she won -- it was 'how' she won.:
The second example was about Coach Kay Yow. Of course we all know she is a Hall of Fame coach with over 700 wins and a Gold Medal head coach for our Olympic team. But Coach Sharp talked about being with her in the weeks before she finally succumbed to breast cancer. She talked about the amazing journey of so many people who came by to see her in her final days.
Coach Sharp: "No one said thanks for the wins and the championships. They told her they loved her."
