It's Mary Beth

I went down to Junction City last Saturday to look over the remnants of what used to be Dual State. Actually, it was the girls championship game but, you know what I mean.
It really is sad how that event has fallen.
Anyway, as the game was getting under way, a blonde woman bounced up from a few bleachers below me and jumped up to the top bleacher, sitting beside me. It startled me at first until I recognized her as Mary Beth Gilmore, a former Player of the Year at Union.
Gilmore (now Sims) graduated from high school six years ago. She signed a letter-of-intent to play basketball at SAU, red-shirted a year after ankle surgery then quit. She is now married and living in Homer. She's expecting her first child. I hope it's a boy because if it's a girl, she's gonna name her Harley.
I hadn't seen Mary Beth since her freshman year in college. She's changed a little bit. Yeah, she went and got herself a boob job - a double D boob job.
That's right, I talked about boobies with Mary Beth Gilmore. Her life is now complete. Mine is over.
We actually had a good, long conversation. She told me why she quit playing basketball. Turns out, she made a mistake choosing SAU over UA-Monticello. She said she tried to transfer but SAU refused to release her so she quit, telling Coach Biley what she thought of him in the process.
Mary Beth was never one to bite her tongue.
When she told her parents she quit, she said her father kicked her out of the house. Former Union coach Gary Don Smith took it even worse than her father did.
It was an eye-opening conversation, which initially began with basketball. She was outraged at the quality of play in our area.
"Girls basketball sucks in Union County," was the way she delicately put it.
Mary Beth was never known for her tact.
Perhaps something good came out of it, though. The poor basketball she saw inspired Gilmore to look into becoming a coach. She has her master's degree in business and said she could teach math. She thinks maybe a coach like her could inspire young girls to take basketball seriously.
I don't know if she could or not. It would be fun to watch her try. She's still one of the hardest workers I've ever covered.
Somehow, I think her blunt manner would rub some parents and referees the wrong way.
But, I learned years ago not to sell Mary Beth Gilmore short.
* * *
Parkers Chapel coach Mark Young and his Lady Trojans gave me a sympathy card on Friday. It was signed by each of the team members with a nice message from Coach Young.
He said he hoped it made me feel good and it did.
I have a little box where I keep special cards or letters I've received over the years. When I'm feeling depressed or under-appreciated, I open the box and read the letters. This card will definitely go in that box.
Thanks Lady Trojans.