Kay Yow won over 700 games during her 38 years on the sidelines. The legendary NC State basketball coach passed away in January 2009 after a long battle with cancer. She established the Kay Yow Cancer Fund prior to her death. Throughout her Naismith Hall of Fame career and her mission to combat women’s cancers, she consistently imparted life lessons and exemplified them to her players. Yow’s words of wisdom—affectionately known as Yowisms by those who were closest to her—have made a lasting impact that continues to resonate with her friends and former players. “Kay Yow was the best of the human spirit on display,” said Stephanie Glance, Yow’s longtime associate head coach at NC State. “She left us a lot of wisdom on how to live life.”

Proverbs 31 – Biblical Womanhood

There’s no doubt that Kay Yow was a remarkable woman. The closing chapter of Proverbs is renowned for its portrayal of biblical womanhood, as it centers on another remarkable woman. It’s often referred to as “the Proverbs 31 woman.” It’s a picture of godly wisdom on display in family life. The chapter begins by advising a young man to pursue the figurative Lady Wisdom. It closes with counsel from a mother and a portrait of the literal woman worth pursuing for a wife.

This chapter emphasizes the importance of moral purity, linking good leadership closely to devotion to the Lord. Immorality acts as a destructive force on both the physical and spiritual life of any leader.

The Kingdom Coach and Athlete understand that all biblical leadership is grounded in moral authority. They strive to promote righteousness through their actions and maintain a clear conscience.

Bible Memory Verse – “He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth.” Isaiah 53:7 (LSB)