Beverly Kearney (Texas)

Beverly Kearney From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Beverly Kearney was the head coach for women's track and field and cross country at The University of Texas at Austin. She held this position from 1993 with the Texas Longhorns until her resignation on January 5, 2013 .[1][2] Under her leadership, Kearney guided the Lady Longhorns to six NCAA Championships: Indoor Championships in 1998, 1999, and 2006, and Outdoor Championships in 1998, 1999, and 2005. She was placed on paid administrative leave on November 11, 2012 to investigate issues within the program that were undisclosed at the time.[3] On January 5, 2013, she resigned after admitting to an improper coach-student lesbian relationship that occurred in 2002.[2]

Contents [hide]
1 Early life
2 Coaching career
3 Auto accident
4 Philanthropy
5 Awards and accolades
6 References

[edit] Early lifeBorn into a challenging family situation, Kearney lost her mother at 17, experienced homelessness and worked multiple jobs at an early age to support herself.[4] She was a standout student-athlete and began her track and field career at Hillsborough Community College where she earned National Junior College All-America honors. Earning scholarships she then moved to Auburn University where she claimed two AIAW All-America honors and was selected the Auburn Athlete of the Year and team MVP as a senior. In 1980, Kearney qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials in the 200m before closing out her career at Auburn in 1981 and earning a bachelor's degree in social work.[1][5] She was graduated in 1982 with a master’s degree in physical education at Indiana State University, where she began her coaching career in track and field.

[edit] Coaching careerTrack & field coach Beverly Kearney is recognized[who?] as one of the winningest coaches in the history of the sport.

Coaching positions[6]

Head Coach, University of Texas, 1993-present
Head Coach, University of Florida, 1987-92
Asst. Coach, University of Tennessee, 1984-86
Head Coach, University of Toledo, 1982-84
Grad. Asst. Coach, Indiana State, 1981-82
University of Texas coaching highlights[1]

Has led Texas to six NCAA Championships
3-time NCAA Outdoor Champions (1998, '99, 2005)
3-time NCAA Indoor Champions (1998, '99, 2006)
Posted 14 top-three team finishes at NCAA's
3-time NCAA Outdoor Coach of the Year (1997, '98, 2005)
2-time NCAA Indoor Coach of the Year (1999, 2006)
15-time Conference Coach of the Year
[edit] Auto accidentOn December 26, 2002, Kearney was a passenger in an SUV that flipped over several times, throwing her some 50 feet from the car. The accident left Kearney paralyzed from the waist down. Two friends died on the scene including Ilrey Oliver Sparks, a 40-year-old academic counselor at UT and former Jamaican Olympic track star, and Muriel Wallace the mother of the driver. Three passengers survived including Kearney, the driver Michelle Freeman former Jamaican track & field athlete and Olympic bronze medalist, and Ilrey’s two-year old daughter Imani Sparks. When paramedics found Kearney on the pavement, she was barely breathing. Her spinal cord was badly injured, a chunk of her back had been ripped out, her skull was fractured, and she was bruised all over.[7][8][9]

When doctors explained to her that she'd never walk again she refused to accept it as fact and began her own personal race applying the same lessons she used when motivating her athletes to her own situation; push past limits and see beyond "realistic expectations." After multiple major surgeries, months of substantial rehabilitation and physical therapy, and excruciating pain she achieved her goal. First standing on her own to a crowd of 20,000 cheering people in the Mike A. Myers Stadium during the 2003 Texas Relays, four months after the accident. Within a year of the accident, she had abandoned her wheelchair and one year later, she traded her walker for two canes. After a couple of years, she only needed one cane to keep her balance.[10][11]

[edit] PhilanthropyIn 2006, Kearney founded the Pursuit of Dreams (POD) Foundation a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to reconnecting and assisting individuals with their life’s purpose, passions, and dreams. POD uses proven sports-based “coaching” methods and principals in a broader setting to strengthen individuals and communities. Each spring during the Texas Relays weekend the organization hosts a symposium and networking conference for teaching, inspiring and mentoring student-athletes and the entire community.[12][5] The purpose of the event is to bring together a distinguished group of minorities with stellar credentials from the entertainment, sports and music industries coupled with highly profiled individuals from academia, political and Corporate America to provide minority students with insight on making a successful transition into the corporate world.

[edit] Awards and accoladesIn 2012, Kearney was recognized with The BET Honors Education Award[13][14] for her achievements and accomplishments as a coach and mentor. She received her award during the 5th annual awards ceremony at the historic Warner Theatre (Washington, D.C.)

2011 - Selected as one of the 2011 faces for Oil of Olay’s “Positive Role Models In Our Community” Promo.[15]
2011 - Women of Distinction Honoree by Girl Scouts of Central Texas - Austin area[16]
2009 - Named one of "50 Women on a Mission" and Women Who Are Changing the World by Woman's Day magazine.[17]
2008 - Auburn University, Lifetime Achievement Award[18]
2004 - Inducted into the International Women's Sports Hall of Fame[19]
[edit] References^ a b c "Player Bio: Beverly Kearney - Official website of University of Texas Athletics - Texas Longhorns". TexasSports.com. http://www.texassports.com/sports/w-track/mtt/kearney_beverly00.html. Retrieved 2012-01-11.
^ a b "Texas coach admits relationship with athlete,resigns". USAToday.com. http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/2013/01/06/texas-womens-track-coach-bev-kearney-intimate-relationship-with-athlete/1811737/. Retrieved 2013-01-06.
^ http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?section=trackandfield&id=8694632
^ http://66.219.35.136/?nd=austin_wod
^ a b "UT track coach touts mentor program | The Daily Texan". Dailytexanonline.com. 2011-04-07. http://www.dailytexanonline.com/news/2011/04/08/ut-track-coach-touts-mentor-program. Retrieved 2012-01-11.
^ "Head Coach Beverly Kearney - TexasSports.com - Official website of University of Texas Athletics - Texas Longhorns". TexasSports.com. 2005-02-21. http://www.texassports.com/sports/w-track/spec-rel/090606aad.html. Retrieved 2012-01-11.
^ http://www.thesurvivorsclub.org/survivor-stories/extreme/its-a-place-of-healing
^ http://www.blackenterprise.com/2010/05/28/outrunning-fate/
^ "PLUS: TRACK AND FIELD; Texas Coach Injured In Car Accident". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2002/12/27/sports/plus-track-and-field-texas-coach-injured-in-car-accident.html.
^ http://www.blackenterprise.com/2010/05/28/outrunning-fate/
^ http://www.thesurvivorsclub.org/survivor-stories/extreme/its-a-place-of-healing#fbCommentMainContent
^ "Symposium offers college athletes glimpse of career possibilities". Statesman.com. 2011-08-24. http://www.statesman.com/news/symposium-offers-college-athletes-glimpse-of-career-possibilities-1389143.html. Retrieved 2012-01-11.
^ "BET Networks PR Website - News Releases". Bet.mediaroom.com. http://bet.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=946. Retrieved 2012-01-11.
^ "Beverly Kearney | BET Honors | Shows". BET. http://www.bet.com/shows/bet-honors/2012/honorees/beverly-kearney.html. Retrieved 2012-01-11.
^ "Olay’s iRock Inspiration: Bev Kearney | Black Girls Rock! | Videos". BET. http://www.bet.com/video/blackgirlsrock/2011/exclusives/bgr11-olay.html. Retrieved 2012-01-11.
^ http://66.219.35.136/?nd=austin_wod
^ "Women Who Are Changing the World - Woman's Day". Womansday.com. http://www.womansday.com/life/Women-Who-Are-Changing-the-World-2. Retrieved 2012-01-11.
^ "Auburn Alumni Association Lifetime Achievement". Aualum.org. 2008-03-01. http://www.aualum.org/awards/lifetime-recipients2008.html. Retrieved 2012-01-11.
^ "Women Who Are Changing the World - Woman's Day". Womansday.com. http://www.womansday.com/life/Women-Who-Are-Changing-the-World-2. Retrieved 2012-01-11.