Carol Anne
Joined: 09 Apr 2005
Posts: 1739
Location: Seattle
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 Posted: 09/07/05 6:52 am ::: Hmmm.... |
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When I read Sherri Coale's journal entry about her "special" seniors, one anecdote made me remember something that happened to a Lady Vol.
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| In the middle of an extremely difficult conditioning day, one senior reached behind her and grabbed the hand of her teammate who was struggling, slinging her in front so that she could push her to the finish line. That is special. |
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Thursday, 02/17/05 -- Ely shows Lady Vols leadership By TIM VACEK For The Tennessean
KNOXVILLE — Freshman Sa'de Wiley-Gatewood was struggling at practice Monday. Tendinitis in her left knee was causing pains to shoot up and down her leg, and her lungs were searching for oxygen.
Worst of all, she still had one sprint looming in front of her. As she looked up the length of the floor, the 94 feet from one baseline to the other had never looked so long.
She had serious doubts that she could even make it. Then senior Shyra Ely walked up.
''Can I run this one with you?'' Ely said.
Ely never went more than about 5 feet ahead of her teammate during the sprint, and Wiley-Gatewood did what every player in her position is expected to do. She followed her leader — literally.
''If she didn't run with me, oh, I would not have made it by myself,'' Wiley-Gatewood said. ''I wasn't expecting that, especially from Shyra.''
As it turns out, Wiley-Gatewood ended up reaggravating her tendinitis on that sprint. She got a friendly push across the finish line by some of her teammates and twisted her leg a little before the knot on her knee crashed into the padding under the basket.
She is doubtful for No. 6 Tennessee's game against South Carolina tonight at 6, but that's not because Ely didn't do her part. |
That's not my idea of senior leadership! I'm glad the Oklahoma player wasn't hurt when the "special" senior pushed her across the finish line.
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