They Came Back (Part 1, Bobbie)

It's exciting that Tara added two coaches who are former Stanford players to the coaching staff this year. It says so many positive things to me about them and our program. And I love seeing the “kids” I cheered for then as grown-up professionals now. (That's Bobbie's picture, taken about 10 years ago, to the left.)

During her five-year Stanford player career (1991 to 1996), the Cardinal played in three Final Fours, including the 1992 National Championship. Yet, when I heard Bobbie Kelsey was returning to Stanford as a coach, I couldn’t remember her as a player very well, or playing in that memorable FF in Los Angeles. There were the long arms . . . what else? The reason I don’t remember is that she was plagued with knee injuries throughout her playing career, missing her first year at Stanford entirely (including playing in the 1992 FF) and then suffering a second ACL injury.

But she remembers us, the Stanford boosters. (She assures me it is a fond remembrance.)

Injury didn’t keep Bobbie from contributing to the team, however. Despite never playing a game during the 1991-92 season, Kelsey was voted by her Stanford teammates as their Most Inspirational Player. For the 1992-1993 season, Bobbie was named the team’s most improved player and was team co-captain in 1995 and 1996. Given that she was at Stanford longer than most players, by her last year of eligibility, Bobbie was known as “Grandma BK.” Bobbie majored in Communication; one facet of this may be her fame for storytelling. (We should remember to ask her at a post-game event the one about “We don’t want to eat your eggs!”)

And speaking of communication, did you all hear her voice from the bench during the game Saturday? I know Bobbie is back—I heard her!

Fun Quiz: What position did Kate Paye play?

Last week's question: What former members of the "Stanford basketball family" do the UWy Cowgirls play against during their conference season?
Answer: Wyoming plays in the Mountain West Conference, also home to the San Diego Aztecs, coached by Beth Burns and Heidi VanDerveer.