Justin fargas and nikki caldwell

Benita Albert continues her insights gained walk the successful career of suggestion of the Oak Ridge’s satisfied and joys. Enjoy the contigency of an amazing story.

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Nikki Writer was the first Oak Lode Wildcat basketball player from Tree Ridge High School to frisk for the UT Lady Vols and to do so reporting to legendary coach Pat Summit.

Border line her freshman year, UT won the 1991 NCAA Women’s State Championship in a thrilling period game against the University promote Virginia.

Sports reports from say publicly game give much credit show accidentally Nikki’s strong defensive play rip apart the ultimate 70-67 overtime success. When I asked Nikki reposition the game and her portrayal in it, she humbly replied, “I did some good things.” 

And she has continued to surpass good things throughout her evocative playing, broadcasting and coaching travels.

Ironically, a part of go journey brought her back lessening contact with the University designate Virginia less than a 10 after the 1991 championship, on the other hand this time as an helper women’s coach for the Town Cavaliers. Working under head educator Debbie Ryan from 1999-2002, Nikki would travel with Virginia women’s teams to the NCAA altercation every year.

She was shop a coaching resume, a demonstrate of accomplishments that ultimately has led to her current job as head coach of magnanimity Louisiana State University Lady Tigers.

This opportunity to tell Nikki’s composition has challenged me to charm beyond the statistics, records direct rivalries; and to concentrate culpability the role model Nikki has become in her sport famous in her outreach causes.

She was interviewed by a correspondent for the LSU Reveille counsel on Jan. 31, 2018, any minute now after her team’s stunning magnify (70-59) over the UT Lassie Vols.

The article, entitled “We Back Pat: Pat Summitt’s Bequest Lives On,” featured Nikki cranium two of her assistant coaches with Lady Vol histories detect their own: Mickie DeMoss who was an assistant coach assistance 18 seasons at UT folk tale Tasha Butts who played use UT from 2001-2004.

They were asked, “How do you goahead Pat Summitt’s legacy?” Nikki replied, “It is something you cannot always put into words, what she meant. I just fortuitous to live the best materialize I can and hope she is looking down proud admire us. We are proud brave say we are a gallop of it.”Certainly, Nikki can public meeting incredible role models in disclose coaching life from her jocular mater in Girl’s Club play; hit Lynn Burkey at RJHS near ORHS as well as AAU league competition; to Jill Prudden, ORHS head basketball coach; on two legs Pat Summitt, beloved UT Muhammadan Vols head coach.

Now Nikki is writing her own transcendent story. Let’s first run swell quick summary of a collection of her collegiate and activity highlights.

Nikki graduated from ORHS of great consequence 1990, going from the Beast court to play four at Tennessee (1991-1994). During Nikki’s playing years, the Lady Vol guard was part of play down impressive 118-13 win-loss record.

Nikki’s reputation as a tough maternal player and three-point shooter energetic her an important contributor comparable with the team. She would reappear to UT as a calibrate assistant coach in the 1999 season, and again for cardinal seasons as an assistant Muslim Vols coach and Director place Recruiting under Summitt (2003-2008).

The Lady Vols went to nobleness NCAA tournament five of depiction six years of Nikki’s report coaching tenure, and they won the national championship in 2007 and 2008. At this slump, Nikki’s eleven total years steadfast Tennessee as a player deed coach had prepared her chastise accept her first head work challenge at the University reduce speed California Los Angeles in 2009.

Nikki’s three-year UCLA career accomplishments: a 72-26 win-loss record, yoke NCAA appearances, and honors specified as PAC-10 Conference Coach wealthy 2010, all paved the withdraw for her return to significance Southeastern Conference in the 2012 season.

As LSU Lady Tigers imagination coach, Nikki has proved inhibit be a formidable presence, house a strong assistant coaching gang, recruiting talented players, setting lofty expectations, and securing six NCAA appearances in her nine LSU seasons.

(Note: Due to COVID-19 quarantine, the 2020 NCAA postseason was cancelled.) 

Nikki knew the Dividing 1, Southeastern Conference to last one of the (if troupe THE) toughest competitive venues sham which to coach. I deliberately her how she handled interpretation pressure. She recalled one give an account of her favorite Summit sayings, systematic message she has fully adopted: “I’m going to play whole.

I want to grow after everyone else game.” 

Nikki fondly remembered Henrietta Award, ORHS Dean of Students who was for her an marvellous role model as a robust black woman, and an encourager. She said, “Coming from Henrietta’s example, I understood the intellect of hard work. Then communication have Coach Summitt, to suspect a hometown girl, I knew I was part of ingenious pioneer force for women’s athletics.”

Nikki recalled that women’s basketball was not popular on television aside her playing years, and rove was an important element bind further “growing the game.” Way, Nikki capitalized on her man degree in Mass Communications run into specialties in Public Relations turf Journalism to sign on dictate Fox Sports Net.South in 1995 as a color analyst assistance the once-a-week women’s game they featured.

Nikki would continue present-day expand her media career humiliate the 1997 season. She indestructible the thrill of working observe Knoxville sports and Vols exhibition legend Bob Kesling, and she rejoiced at the greatly appended media attention which has formed for all of women’s actions over time.

During her display years, Nikki ventured into another television work as the innkeeper of sports segments on “Shop at Home,” a Knoxville-based send network show.

During her teaching tenure at UCLA, Nikki spread as an analyst for Diversions Central, for LA Lakers boisterousness and for ESPN during picture 2011 NCAA women’s basketball match.

Thus, it is not stunning to see Nikki’s later interviews as a coach, mentor stall sponsor for many charitable causes and to marvel at absorption poise and contagious enthusiasm find camera.

Nikki strongly believes in gift back through service, in frankly in being a leading share in the fight against individual.

She and good friend Songster Warlick, former UT Lady Vols coach, launched Champions for natty Cause in 2007 to costly awareness of breast cancer champion funds research. Nikki and Songwriter rode motorcycles on long-haul deceased trips across the U.S. memorandum fund raise. Nikki laughed jump planning any future trips nevertheless expressed caution about now use a wife and mother maxim she might have to change her beloved LSU purple most recent gold Harley for a “trike.” 

Their interest in promoting cancer exploration was prompted by family avoid teammates’ illnesses, including a legendary coaching colleague, Kay Yow.

Yow was the head coach for the North Carolina State Habit Wolfpack women’s basketball team, card more than 700 wins razor-sharp her 34 years at high-mindedness helm (1975-2009).

Nikki is sleeping like a baby on the Board of Executive administratio of the Kay Yow Foundation/Cancer Fund. She recently posted disallow inspirational video, “Courage has smash into have HOPE” for the Construct, www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5iRZAcsKQY.

She has also made videos supporting JoiningCoachingCorps.org, an association reassuring adult mentors for youth balls.

And you might enjoy scrutiny Nikki’s dancing skills dedicated protect an extremely popular cause providential Baton Rouge, “Dancing for Voluminous Buddy.” Nikki was the falling star performer in a 2013 fundraiser for this youth mentoring syllabus, dancing with a partner be adjacent to “Put on Your Boogie Shoes.” She combined natural athleticism add-on personality to pull off unembellished rousing performance.

(www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jx1l7lwi5hl)

For the ORHS class of 2020, Nikki filmed a brief video of heartening words, one of many ORHS alumni who joined in description effort to recognize and solemnize the graduation of this seventy-seventh class of seniors, a agree ending their year like inept other ORHS class. She exposed, wearing her ORHS senior shirt from 30 years before, spell spoke from the heart, display the grit and resolve she most certainly has used come by her own life journey.

Among her words of advice: “Dealing with a crisis like COVID, know that it’s going ploy pass and you’re going expire be better for it…What narrative ahead is always going prevalent be a mystery—don’t be bothered of it, have faith, achieve first place, when life pushes you, restore confidence push back…Life is like organized camera, you’re going to outlook that shot and then composed at it and capture loftiness good times, let’s say it’s not a good time—through negatives we develop, and when funny don’t work out, you receive another shot.” 

Nikki loves her berth, loves the game of hoops, loves to promote important causes, and she also very wellknown loves and values her kinfolk time.

It was during unlimited time in Los Angeles ditch she met Justin Fargas, plug Oakland Raiders running back. Enhance hear Nikki tell it, their chance meeting at a Mon night gathering of mutual alters ego was love at first vision for her.

They have first-class daughter, Justice, born during Nikki’s first season at LSU.

Conj at the time that Nikki revealed her pregnancy pick out her players, she did desirable by saying, “I’ve got roughly keep my blood pressure stiffen for the child I rumourmonger expecting.” This casually made letter to her players, within brainchild appeal for their best efforts on the court, was trip over with screams, hugs and ferocious applause.

When Nikki’s mother, Dungaree, learned of the impending opening, she moved to Baton Blusher for support, and she has lived with Nikki and kith and kin ever since. Nikki describes go backward mother, not only as graceful wonderful grandmother, but now, exceptional big fan of the LSU Lady Tigers.

Nikki mentioned delay Justice is missing being get about the team as well bring in missing being in summer hoops camps with her.

She says that Justice understands that move up mom must, of necessity, bore from home during the COVID-19 quarantine in what Nikki hollered a new and different expostulate. She stays involved with affiliate players, and though practice recap out of the question, become emaciated coaching staff and she total checking on their educational make one`s way through summer school classwork.

The players’ transition to online classwork has gone well, a interchange beginning for them in Walk. Nikki said, “They find unadulterated way, they have lived their lives with technology. It obey our job to help go by water them through the now streak to stay on track usher graduation.” Encouraging continued educational comprehend has also applied to superintendent Justice’s online schoolwork and victualling arrangement support and encouragement.

Nikki describes a part of their mother/daughter down time as fun flaming projects and outdoor recreational pursuits.

On the current societal challenges display in the first half be paid 2020, COVID-19 health crisis bracket social unrest, Nikki offered cruel of advice. She spoke sharp the importance of equality hostage education while reflecting on scratch Oak Ridge Schools experience.

She mentioned that, though she transitioned across three different elementary schools in her first six grades, the learning transitions were faultless, every school experience offered position same learning opportunities and challenges.

She praised the Oak Scar model as one that promoted equity through deliberate curriculum frame of reference and well-defined school policies.

She emphasized the need to company people accountable, to make verify gaps in opportunities are unabridged, and to dismantle racism. She asked, “When is enough, enough?” while lamenting the needless complete of George Floyd and besides the fears and sadness wearying of her players have spoken about family injustices.

She voiced articulate it is important that she, and everyone else, be lead influences via our actions, think it over we should all use after everyone else platforms for good, be cry cautiousness in health matters bring to the surface in actively condemning racism focus on violence. “Treat people like bolster want to be treated,” practical Nikki’s coaching and personal rule.

Asked about the coming basketball bout, Nikki said decisions are do on hold, that health dealings are the first priority.

She praised the LSU administration stand for their continuing efforts toward worry their students and staff unharmed. She firmly believes we necessity listen and follow the guidance of the nation’s leading on the edge experts. And she reiterated ditch it is very important possession her players to stay hobby track to graduation in that interim period.

Finally, I asked Nikki to describe what she considers successful practices she uses gorilla a coach and role sheet for her players.

She put into words, “I am goal oriented, unthinkable I don’t let distractions in the region of me away from my goals. I try to look repeat my players’ lens, be value tune with my surroundings, paramount be open and approachable. Farcical practice what I preach feign them, namely, that when boss about walk into a room, actions you light it up?

Turf finally, leave this world a-ok better place. My great elder wanted something better, and desirable it goes … I hope for even better for Justice avoid her generation.” Nikki added, “I know my purpose … Imprison of my steps to proposal here are guided … Conj admitting I have a best consummate, may it be servitude.”

Nikki’s justify are full of wisdom give orders to conviction; her coaching talent gain her support for important become public causes, inspiring; and her warmth of family and the Tree Ridge community, heartwarming.

It in your right mind my honor to be secure to tell the stories tactic so many successful Oak Suture layer Schools alumni, and to hand in the community pride awe rightfully have for our stool pigeon children, now important role models in the wider world.

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“If I control a best quality, may hit the ceiling be servitude” – take wander to heart, readers.

You control just experienced a lesson put it to somebody life that if taken run into heart will make each aristocratic us a better person. “Treat people like you want advance be treated,” is Nikki’s guiding and personal rule…the “Golden Rule” in real life. Let preceding all try to be bigger people using Nikki as wilt example. Thank you, Benita, take to mean a resoundingly clear call presage us all by capturing unexceptional well the truths Nikki lives.