I have had a little birdie tell me how Carol's life was after she left our house and began her life as Cooper's wife and Roxy's mom. I am so grateful for the many people who have shared with me what an amazing young woman she turned out to be and how she was "getting it" about many things. One thing in particular I wish I could have heard myself was the speech Carol gave her basketball team about how badly they were playing in a regional game when they came into the locker room at the half down 12 points. Carol apparently gave the girls the "we are gonna get out there and overcome a 12 point deficit and we are going to win this game and go on to the next level " in an unexpected speech.
Ashley Hofer told that story to Trey Williams when he wrote an article about Carol in the Johnson City Press. Ashley said as soon as everyone who had been playing got in the locker room at half-time, Carol lit into them. I don't think she normally did that which might explain their looks on their faces when Coach Brandon got back there. He said "do I need to say anything?"They looked at him and said "no, Carol took care of that." And you know what? They came out of the locker room and won that game and went on to win the first girls state title in basketball in their conference for TCCS.I think a little birdie would have told me "you would be proud of Your daughter,".Carol gave an inspiring/motivation speech that lit a fire under her team. And her words were probably a mix of each coach all the way back to Mrs. Wheeler, Mrs Hill, and Mr. Kevin and what they might have said in the same situation... What Mr. Hall ,Mr, Hofer, Mr, Stribling, Mr. Hayes, Mr. Jim Richmond, Coach Leuzinger, and Coach Jack Blevins, Coach Brandon Stamper, and Coach Anderson would have said to motivate them like they needed to be.
Maybe Carol knew it was her place to say some things her team needed to hear said from one of their own. Urging them to "go play like they knew they could; to never give up, to give it their all, cause it wasn't just about a game or them or any one person. It was about their team and what they could do for one another." And to think all of it came together... to one who had a passion for playing, to one whose desire was to do her best, to not let her team down, and to do what they all knew in their heart was possible, and my daughter may have told them something probably very different ....but I like to think it was a speech pulled from all the ones she had heard before... a reminder of all of those those prior comebacks that they had ..and some encouragement that they needed to get in their hearts, and how they needed to play as a team. Now, that makes me proud!
In his eulogy of Carol, her youth pastor Johnny Byrd, told how proud he was of Carol when she stood up one night and gave those at youth group an unprepared talk how they could make their lives count. And that makes me even prouder!
Maybe as time goes along and others pause to remember Carol Hensley Singletary they will have something come to mind that is special enough to share. And a little bird with tell me so. Thank you God for gifts of stories from little birdies about my girlie!!
Judy Hensley
jan/2018
