Tonight Kay Yow is in a Raleigh-area hospital receiving treatment for breast cancer, a battle she's faced head on since 1987. And she's announced she'll take the rest of the season off as the head coach of the NC State women's basketball team.

Coach Yow, is one of the winningest coaches ever in women's basketball. She coached the U.S. Olympic team to gold in 1988. And she has roamed the sidelines at NC State for 34-years, nurturing and inspiring many young athletes.

Over the years, many nice things have been said about Coach Yow. I'd like to add a few of my own.

Back in the early 1990's while I was working at a tv station in Raleigh, I had the priviledge to play in a charity golf tournament with Kay Yow. We were not off the first tee box before I realized why so many considered her such a champion.

Coach Yow was a chatter box constantly encouraging the team. She was a cheerleader. There were never any bad shots.(actually, there were) Each shot, no matter how ordinary, represented an extraordinary opportunity for the team. She was always a "coach." She believed at all times, our names were on the winner's trohpy sitting in the pro shop.

This past weekend I saw a feature on Coach Yow on ESPN that talked about her amazing career and what she has meant to generations of young woman who played for her down on tobacco row. Geno Auriemma, coach of UConn women's team, said no one has ever had anything bad to say about Kay Yow. I agree!

What an impact she had on her sport. What an impact she had had on people. And now she continues to need our thoughts and prayers and encouragement. She's a fighter and to know her is to want to fight this cancer battle with her.

By the way, we never won that charity golf tournament but we were in it until the final shot. Coach Yow would have it no other way.

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