The purpose of this award is to recognize a Christian athlete who has also shown courage in the midst of difficult circumstances, while at the same time inspiring others to live out their faith. God Himself puts a premium on perseverance and endurance. It is our desire to encourage those who are doing just that in unusual circumstances, and to say thank you for truly reminding us of our Living Hope.
On January 20, 2014, the Colorado Christian University women’s basketball team lost one of its most valuable members, manager Kaylee McBeth. From that day forward, the team has never been the same and their mission to be “ONE” heartbeat and personify what it means to be #KayleeStrong has never been greater.
Although constantly serving others with a smile, Kaylee was battling a fierce war inside. In 2009 as an eighth grader, Kaylee suddenly and unexpectedly lost her father to an unknown and undiagnosed heart condition. A few months later, Kaylee was diagnosed with a calcified tumor at the center of her heart.
Kaylee had become the most valuable team member and a consistent example to the players of what it looks like to face an obstacle head on with a fierce determination. Through it all, she continually served with grace, poise and an unwavering belief that God was going to heal her heart. She was always looking for opportunities to encourage and support the team, including this year when two student-athletes suffered ACL tears one week apart from one another.
During the middle of November, Kaylee approached the coaching staff quite saddened. She told them that she was no longer going to be able to travel on road trips with the team. She was placed on the heart transplant list and needed to be one hour away from Denver at all times. She was devastated. Head Coach Tim Hays decided to let Kaylee share her story with the team. That day changed CCU’s team and sparked a movement called #KayleeStrong. The team decided that Kaylee should be recognized and supported for the fight that she was enduring. Their shooting shirts morphed into #KayleeStrong t-shirts, bracelets were created and they petitioned the NCAA to allow them to put heart patches on their jerseys with her initials embroidered on them. A Facebook page was created in her honor and a foundation started to help raise support for a possible heart transplant. CCU Women’s Basketball became “ONE” heartbeat and promised to play by living out Kaylee’s mission of truly loving and serving others so that they may see a picture of the love of Christ.
As attention on Kaylee began to mount, Coach Hays had a conversation with the girl who preferred not to be in front of people but behind them. Hays made sure Kaylee was okay with the groundswell of hype her cause was generating. In response, Kaylee mentioned that, while she preferred to not have to talk about it in front of people, if her message impacted just one life for Christ, then it would all be worth it. This was two days before her death.
On January 20th around 9:30am, the team gathered in the locker room to hear the heartbreaking news of Kaylee’s passing. Two days later, the girls garnered up the courage to practice, fully understanding that being back on the court would bring back thousands of memories of the girl who “held” them up. The team made it out of the locker room and, one by one, each girl fell to the floor in tears. Although only for a short time, the girls practiced through the tears, determined to honor Kaylee.
Later that evening, Coach Hays received a phone call from CCU’s Vice President offering the option to cancel the games for the upcoming weekend. However, with the same spirit of determination and fight that Kaylee had always demonstrated, the team decided to press on.
It is challenging to even begin to write about the events that transpired that weekend. Over 1,000 students, friends and fans showed up wearing red to honor Kaylee and to support the team during the game against Fort Lewis College. After an emotional and hard fought game, CCU prevailed with a one-point victory and a game ball to present to Kaylee’s family. One thing is for certain, Kaylee’s knack for bringing people together was apparent as Jason Flores, Head Coach at Fort Lewis College, spent precious moments after the conclusion of the game to hug each CCU student-athlete. Kaylee’s testimony had transcended the boundaries of sport to connect people in a meaningful way. The weekend ended with a beautiful memorial service to honor Kaylee and another victory against Adams State.
CCU’s goal is to spread Kaylee’s message with her aim – to speak of God’s goodness and grace to anyone and everyone willing to listen. Kaylee was a woman of tremendous faith, unwavering hope, and limitless courage, and now everyone who knew her, or of her, lives with her far-reaching legacy. Her love for her savior never faltered, even in the face of death.
