T H E
ISSUE XXIII
O F F I C I A L
M A G A Z I N E
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T H E
R A M S
C L U B
THANK YOU, MOM
S A L U T I N G T Aramsclub. R H E E Lcom M O T H1E R S
YOU PROVIDE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE PART OF THE CAROLINA FAMILY. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE RAMS CLUB AND HOW YOU CAN IMPACT THE LIVES OF CAROLINA STUDENT-ATHLETES, VISIT RAMSCLUB.COM. P.O. BOX 2446 | CHAPEL HILL, NC 27515 | (919) 843-2000 | RAMSCLUB.COM |
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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR It was 1993, and I really wanted that T-shirt. Later that evening, Carolina would face Michigan in the national championship game in the New Orleans Superdome. My parents had written me the requisite excuse note to get me out of school so we could travel to New Orleans for the Final Four. By this point, it was well-known in the Wake County school system that I would regularly be afflicted with illnesses that required multiple absences in March and April. One year, my very savvy sixth grade teacher even called me to her desk the week of the ACC Tournament and said, “I can tell by looking at you that you probably won’t be feeling well on Friday and should stay home.” As I walked through a New Orleans store with my family that Monday afternoon, I spotted it—a Nike t-shirt proclaiming North Carolina the 1993 national champion. On the opposite rack was a stack of similar shirts, but featuring the Michigan Wolverines as the champ. Remember, this was back when finding Nike gear featuring the Tar Heels was very difficult. Carolina was still with Converse in 1993. In other words, this was probably some sort of trademark violation. Let’s hope the statute of limitations has expired. I was immediately conflicted. On the one hand, this was perhaps the coolest shirt I had ever seen, with plenty of neon colors and garish lettering. But on the other hand, it seemed like extraordinarily bad luck to buy a championship t-shirt before the actual game was played. I walked around the store with it. Put it back on the rack. Picked it back up again. And in the end, I left it there. I couldn’t take the chance that buying a presumptuous t-shirt would force Donald Williams to miss his three-point shots or Eric Montross to fumble a rebound. You know what happened next. Carolina defeated Michigan, 77-71. And as we celebrated in the Superdome stands, my mom pulled that shirt out of her purse. She’d gone back to buy it and kept it tucked away…just in case. Moms know how to solve almost every problem. Moms write the excuse notes to get you out of school when
the Tar Heels play during the day in the ACC or NCAA Tournaments. Moms wash (or don’t wash, depending on the mojo) those lucky game shirts. Moms pack snacks for the game. Moms have favorite players and poor performances have zero impact on their affection (for the players or for us, fortunately). Moms, in other words, are a key part of making all of us Tar Heels. And that’s why this issue is dedicated exclusively to them. Hopefully, it’s almost as meaningful as a championship t-shirt.
Adam Lucas Editor in Chief
PRODUCED BY THE RAMS CLUB // EDITOR IN CHIEF ADAM LUCAS // CONTRIBUTING WRITERS PAT JAMES, ANDREW STILWELL & LEE PACE // PHOTOGRAPHY JEFFREY CAMARATI & UNC ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS // DESIGN JUJUBE SPORTS PUBLISHING
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“I used to live a pretty selfish existence, which is normal for a pro athlete. Being a mom has taught me to think of another human being before my own needs.” — HEATHER O’REILLY
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THANK YOU, MOM edition ON THE COVER: Carolina athletics is in the bloodlines of Tar Heel softball alum Meleata Pinto and current women’s soccer standout Brianna Pinto COVER PHOTO:: THE PINTO FAMILY TABLE OF CONTENTS: JEFFREY CAMARATI
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BORN & BRED
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& EDITOR’S LETTER p. 3
TAR HEEL TICKER p. 6 THANK YOU, MOM
THANK YOU, MOM
14 Pure Energy
Dre’ Bly knows exactly where he gets his infectious personality BY LEE PACE
THANK YOU, MOM
20 Mother Knows Best
Meleata Pinto helped pave Brianna Pinto’s path to Chapel Hill BY PAT JAMES
28 Daily Dialogue
Makenna Jones and her mother make a daily connection BY PAT JAMES
THANK YOU, MOM
30 Life is Grand
Being a grandmother suits field hockey head coach Karen Shelton BY PAT JAMES
THANK YOU, MOM
34 A Work of Heart
Taylor Moreno’s mother has helped influence her artistic endeavors
THANK YOU, MOM
26 Having It All
Being a new mother hasn’t slowed down Heather O’Reilly’s transition into the coaching world BY ADAM LUCAS
BY ANDREW STILWELL FIRST PERSON
38 Home and Away
A future national champion had his life changed on and off the court by his mother BY JUSTIN JACKSON
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TA R H E E LT I C K E R MEMBER STORIES
THANK YOU, MOM
Rams Club members tell us how Mom shaped their Tar Heel world
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I am one of those rare people fortunate enough to have not only one wonderful mom … but two. UNC brought my parents to Chapel Hill 30 years ago, where they met and fell in love with the Carolina spirit, Dean Smith, and each other. I can only imagine how difficult it was for two women to start a family together thirty years ago. UNC has my deepest gratitude for inspiring my parents to lead such impactful lives both personally and professionally. My mom, Nancy, often says that her education in Chapel Hill opened her eyes to the world, and her fond memories colored my dreams and my bedroom walls Carolina blue for years. I went to my first UNC basketball game in utero and aspired to earn my own UNC jersey since I could walk. Thanks to many years of my mothers’ combined efforts in coaching and cheering me on, I was able to earn a spot on the UNC Cross Country and Track & Field Teams. Now when I look back on many of my own favorite memories of winning the Cross Country ACC Championship, walking across Kenan Stadium at graduation, and donning my UNC School of Medicine white coat, these memories are awash in that beautiful Carolina blue and both of my moms are always right there with me.
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-EMMA ASTRIKE-DAVIS DURHAM, NC
My mother, along with my late daddy, guided me to be a Carolina fan and has been a trooper, tagging along with me as we heeded the call from years ago to “follow the Tar Heel teams” that was a postmark on envelopes from the Carolina ticket office. She has ridden shotgun in the car up and down the east coast, from New York to Florida and has traveled as far west as California to take in Carolina basketball, football, and lacrosse games in addition to innumerable trips for those events as well as baseball and soccer in Chapel Hill. From making turkey sandwiches for our road trips, preparing tailgate meals for football, and joining me for a 17-day road trip that took us to Phoenix for the Final Four in 2017 (during which we were able to take in seven national parks and monuments), Mama has been a blessing and an angel at my side as we have shared our passion for the Tar Heels. I give thanks for this lady every day..
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-GREG CAULEY KINSTON, NC
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““ “ “ I believe my mom, Dr. Roslyn Crisp, DDS, MS, should be recognized as a Carolina Mom. Dr Crisp is a 1980 & 1982 graduate of UNC: UNC Dental School & Pediatric Dentistry Residency. She’s the first African American woman to finish UNC Pediatric Dentistry. She has 2 sons- Alex & Ben. Alex is a 2010 graduate, & he was a linebacker/ letterman under Butch Davis in 2009. Ben is a UNC School of Medicine 2017 graduate. Alex & Ben’s wives are also UNC graduates. Jennifer Durham (Alex’s wife) is a three-time UNC alum: 2009 undergraduate, 2015Dental School, 2020- Pediatric Dentistry Residency. McKinnley Kelsey (Ben’s wife) is a 2014 undergraduate. Needless to say, Dr. Crisp has been a source of Carolina success.
-ALEX CRISP MEBANE, NC
In 1948, my mother, Mary Jo Cain of Florence, S.C., was a graduate student in drama at UNCChapel Hill. She had earned her undergraduate degree in drama in 1947 as a transfer from Furman. On a beautiful fall afternoon, she was in Wilson Library when she heard a crash, followed by a string of – shall we say – colorful language. She looked through the open window to see “the best-looking man I had ever seen, wearing the best-looking sweater and driving the best-looking baby-blue convertible,” which he had just smacked into a parking lot wall. Being a proper Southern woman, she leaned out the window and yelled, “Break it, stupid,” or something to that effect. When she left the library, that “best-looking man” awaited her on the front steps. He asked, “What does a lonesome Marine do on a Saturday night in this town?” My mom answered, “Pick me up at seven, and we’ll find out.” The Marine, B.W. McLean, fresh from service in WWII and in China, had just reported for duty as an NROTC instructor. They were engaged by January 1949 and married in June. My dad’s last posting was at Camp Lejeune in the 1960s, and my mom happily renewed her love affair with Chapel Hill. My earliest memory of her at a Tar Heel sporting event is the UNC-Wake Forest football game in 1966, where my brother and I witnessed our gentle mom shaking her fist and belting out “… when I die, I’m a Tar Heel dead!” I followed Mom to UNC in 1972, graduating in 1976 on Mothers’ Day and marrying classmate Keith Kapp the next year. We have attended many football and basketball games with Mom and are blessed that she is still going strong at 95!
-CHANCY KAPP RALEIGH, NC
Early in our lives, our Mom, Lee Hough Merrill ‘80, ingrained a love of UNC. She and our Dad, Robert L Merrill ‘77, DDS ‘81, often shared their Carolina memories (repeatedly!) as we walked around campus or sat at the Pit. These days, even separated by the miles, we’re often together on the phone cheering on the Tar Heels while providing advice to our coaches through the TV. We cherish those now rare times of all being together on the Hill for games and hanging on Franklin Street.
-JACQUELYN MERRILL MARTIN & JESSICA MERRILL ASHEVILLE, NC
I became an avid Carolina fan as a teenager in the mid-90s and really wanted to attend some of the football and basketball games. I don’t think it was easy, especially for basketball, but my Mom found a way to get tickets for us. It became a great opportunity for the two of us to bond, and we have been going to games together ever since. I will never forget some of the exciting moments we have experienced, which include the comeback against State in 1997, the Marvin Williams putback in 2005, and the Gio punt return in 2012. More importantly, I will always cherish the wonderful time spent with my Mom at the games..
-CHASE CHOPLIN RALEIGH, NC
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TA R H E E LT I C K E R
“ “ “ My mom took me to the Sweet 16 in 2017 when we eventually won the whole tournament! We got to go to the tournament when Luke Maye hit the clutch shot to send us to the Final Four, see JJ, Joel, Theo, Kenny, and many many more amazing Tar Heels! After the game, she waited outside the doors to get autographs of the players. My mom (Sami Cone) is the best mom ever.
-BRITTON CONE NASHVILLE, TN
My mom, Mae Ozment, was a diehard Tar Heel. Went to UNC during the Justice Era, married in Chapel Hill, and passed in May 2009 having just witnessed another basketball championship. My early memories are her listening to games on radio with Bill Currie before everything was on television. She kept the running box score with her notepad on her lap. I was hooked with Moe, Brown, Poteet, Gauntlet and Cunningham. There would never be another school for me because of her.
-TOM OZMENT JAMESTOWN, NC
My mama is the reason I am a Tar Heel. I was raised on Carolina blue and Carolina basketball from a very early age. In fact, the first crush I ever had on a boy was Jeff Lebo, who was the point guard for the Heels when I was four years old. My mama took me to meet him for my fourth birthday when the Carolina seniors would travel and play games at local high schools. I still have that picture framed. She also encouraged me to write my favorite player a letter when I was seven years old. I took that advice, wrote Eric Montross a letter, and he wrote me back. She did the same thing – she wrote Dennis Wuycik a letter when she was a teenager and he wrote her back too. We both still have our letters! She always signed me out of school early on ACC quarterfinal Friday so I didn’t miss my boys taking the court for an early game, and she even let me skip school to go meet Coach Smith at his first book signing. Some of my earliest basketball lessons were learned from her – you don’t bounce pass in the lane, you protect the rebound when you grab it (I’m looking at you, Brendan Haywood), and you never listen to the on-air commentary. One must always mute the TV and listen to Woody Durham. My college suitemate thought I was crazy the first night she discovered me doing this in our Granville Towers suite (yep, I lived there because Woody always told me it was the place to be at UNC). She also showed me the best place to watch a game was lying down right in front of the TV because who can sit still in a chair or on the couch? It was also the best place to yell at the TV as the refs, coaches, and players could definitely hear you if you were that close. She’s also the reason I graduated as a Tar Heel. She and my dad allowed me to pursue my dreams and I graduated from UNC in 2009 with my doctorate of pharmacy degree. While at Carolina, I won tickets to the ACC Tournament in the student lottery and she made sure I was able to go, even though she’d never been herself. She was the first person I called on those April nights in 2005 and 2009 as I ran, tears streaming down my face, to Franklin Street to celebrate not one, but two national championships during my time on campus. She was the only person who would understand just what those nights meant to me. She was also the first person I called on April 1, 2021, to let her know that our Roy was stepping down. Twenty-four years prior, we had watched Coach Smith step down and cried together and we repeated that very same thing during Coach Williams’ press conference. I only hope I can instill the love for this university and its teams in my son as my mom did for me. She’s Mary Anne Dawson, and she’s one of the finest Tar Heels I know.
-SARA COWAN CHARLOTTE, NC
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“ “ “ My Mom, Mary Dailey, turned me onto North Carolina when I was 12 years old. Growing up, while barely 5’ tall, she played guard on her high school basketball team in Waycross, Ga. She attended Stetson University and majored in Physical Education, teaching PE for many years as my sister and I grew up. When we moved to the Carolinas, she introduced me to the ACC Basketball game of the week, which we watched together starting in Al Wood’s senior season which ended with the Tar Heels coming up short against Indiana in the national championship game. The next year with the Heels winning it all, we were both locked in on all things Carolina until she passed away in 2019. She loved Chapel Hill and became the ultimate “Carolina Mom” through my time attending UNC, and then as a dedicated alum following the Heels to ACC tournaments, NCAA Final Fours and five National Championships. In 2008, I was living in Japan at the time of my 40th birthday. I planned a visit back home and she wanted to know what we could do to celebrate my birthday together. I jokingly said that if we all couldn’t go to Chapel Hill, then maybe she could just “invite the coaches” to our family birthday dinner. Well, she took that to heart and wrote handwritten letters to Coach Smith and Coach Williams, probably just hoping to get a return note to share with me. Coach Williams responded with a personal letter and a signed picture of the 2008 team, many of which went on to a dominating run to the National Championship in 2009. She thanked him and continued to support the North Carolina family working with Chad Holbrook in Columbia, S.C. through her service on the Board of Palmetto Health Children’s Hospital, even meeting Coach Williams finally during a golf fundraising event. Coach Smith shared what has become a treasure in our family. He signed a picture, wishing me well and thanking me for my years of supporting our university. Best part of all – in his note on the photo, it closes with this message: “Happy Birthday. It was good of your Mom to write me. Sincerely, Coach Dean Smith.” To the very end of her time with us, we all recounted how Coach Smith “pointed to her assist” in his message. I cannot tell you how many times she would recall Coach Smith and how much he meant to UNC as a person and as our Coach. Mom’s last Carolina Mom gift was a white fleece jacket with the best Carolina Blue “NC” on the chest. Even with the ‘update’ she still wouldn’t let go of her favorite “Carolina Mom” sweatshirt though … that one made the rounds of UNC Basketball seasons from 1986 until her passing in 2019, always breaking it out when she would say “Go where you go, do what you do.” I love my Mom - she was my favorite Tar Heel ever, and I will always “point to her assist” for all I was fortunate enough to share though my time in Chapel Hill and forever as a Tar Heel.
-JEFF DAILEY HIXSON, TN
TA R H E E LT I C K E R
My mom, Jane Boyles Eidson, became a loyal Tar Heel fan in the early 1950s when my father, Fred Eidson (’57), attended Carolina. She attended her first football games in Kenan dressed to the nines in a fur coat as was the custom of the day and attended her first basketball games in the Tin Can. Growing up there was no doubt I would become a true blue Tar Heel regularly attending football games with mom and dad. She and dad travelled all over the country following the Tar Heels in football and basketball including many bowl games and eight Final Fours. My most precious memories from all the games I shared with her were on football Saturdays during my time in school at UNC when she and Dad came to every home game (as well as traveling to many away games including Oklahoma and Notre Dame). She always showed up with an extensive tailgating spread of delicious homemade food. My college friends and I still reminisce about stopping by their parking space in the Bell Tower lot for a welcome homecooked meal before the game. One of my last memories of my mom was snuggled up to her on the couch watching the NCAA tournament a few weeks before she was taken way too early by Alzheimers.
-JEFF EIDSON ELKIN, NC
Ever since my brother and I can remember we have been Carolina fans. Our grandparents Suzy and Papa were huge Tar Heel fans. Mom, Dad, Suzy and Papa took us to many basketball and football games in Chapel Hill.
-TYLER NUTTER CLARKSVILLE, VA
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My Mom graduated from the University of North Carolina in 1978 where she played Field Hockey; her father graduated in the 1940s. Growing up, I was always in Carolina blue, we watched every game together, and I learned the fight song when I was in elementary school. I was only allowed to say “Go To Hell” if it was followed by “Dook.” When I was about seven, we took our first trip to the Dean Dome to see the Heels take on Maryland back when they were in the ACC. The Heels won, and I was in love. We watched every game together. One of my favorite memories is watching the Heels close it out against Illinois in 05 to win the first national title with my mom. The next day, I was able to go to school with the biggest smile on my face (didn’t hurt that one of my friends was a Dook fan). We made many pilgrimages to the southern part of heaven, often staying with her old coach, the legendary Dolly Hunter, who remains one of her closest friends all these years later. As I got older, I realized that there was nowhere else that I wanted to go to school. My mom’s friendships and experiences were still meaningful to her all those years later, her friends and coach still a huge part of her life. Throughout high school, I did everything I could to ensure that I could get in. I wanted to have the same experiences, same love of the campus and same friendships that she had. When I got in, I remember her facial expression, a mixture of pride, disbelief, excitement and probably a bit of jealousy. Fast forward four years to my graduation and the memories never slowed down. From meeting my mom’s friend Phil Ford (whom I never believed she knew until he recognized her) to going to the Sweet 16 in 2016 and seeing the Heels beat Notre Dame to advance to the Final Four, to a few good and a few not so good games against Dook in the Dean Dome, my Mom’s been alongside each step of the way. So here’s to my Mom, one of the most incredible people I’ll ever know and the person responsible for my love of UNC.
-DAVE PECUNIA CHARLOTTE, NC
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It is hard to pick my favorite Tar Heel memory shared with my mom, but it has to the Duke vs. Carolina game from March 4, 2017. Yes, the Tar Heels won that game, and five amazing senior athletes were recognized, but that is not the reason it is my favorite memory … the reason was the recognition my mom and dad received before the game in the “Varsity Hall” room. As a parent myself, I know that all you want in life is to give your children the world, and my parents have definitely done that for me. But, on that night, I got to watch a video that had been prepared spotlighting past and present Tar Heel athletes discussing how the scholarships they received from my parents changed their lives … giving them a chance at their dream, to be part of the Tar Heel family. My mom loves these athletes like they are her own, driving long distances for away games, standing in all types of weather to cheer on her HEELS, feeling the heartache of losses, but most often, celebrating the victories and too many championships to count. Thanks for showing me what it is to be a dedicated mother and part of the Tar Heel family and for giving so many the chance to live their dreams.
In December 2019, my niece, Kara Porter (Class of 2020) and I (Kim Porter, Class of 1991) were able to attend the throwback game at Carmichael with my mom and Kara’s grandmother, Jane Porter, who graduated from UNCG, but is the biggest Tar Heel fan of all. We had a great time and it was a lovely weekend in Chapel HIll! #GDTBATH #CarolinaFamily
-KIM PORTER WEAVERVILLE, NC
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BORN & BRED
-MELISSA WILLIAMS TOPER BURLINGTON, NC
TA R H E E LT I C K E R
“ “ “ “ My mom is a passionate Carolina alumna and is the person whom I looked up to my entire life in so many ways. She took me to Carolina basketball games since I was little, and from there my love for the university and Carolina athletics flourished. I am living out my dream of attending UNC just like my mom thanks to her pushing me and encouraging me, and I definitely would not be attending this fantastic university if it weren’t for her. This picture is from the UNC vs. Duke game in 2017 (when MJ declared the ceiling is the roof), one of my favorite memories in the Smith Center with my mom. I look forward to making many more memories with my mom in Chapel Hill. I love you mom! Go Heels!
-ALYSSA FUTRELL LEXINGTON, NC
I grew up in South Florida, but my mom taught me to be a diehard Carolina fan from a very young age. One of my earliest and most favorite Carolina memories was making the 3-hour drive with her to Daytona Beach when Carolina played at Bethune-Cookman in 1997 – Vince Carter’s “homecoming” game, and one of the first Carolina games I had ever seen in person. That’s a trip I’ll always remember! There have been countless Carolina basketball memories ever since and we still make it a point to try to go to at least one game together every year!
-ANDREW STILWELL PINEHURST, NC
How lucky I was to grow up I the village of Chapel Hill, where everyone knew you, and you could actually walk around downtown barefoot like it was your living room. Growing up in an athletic atmosphere with a father who was the Athletic Director and golf coach at UNC, I was, of course, a Tar Heel fan at birth. I remember those crisp fall days walking from Park Place (now a parking lot) with my mother, Mildred Erickson, and a friend to Kenan Stadium to see the Heels play football while dad, Chuck Erickson, watched from the press box. We were lucky enough to go with the men’s golf team for Nationals at the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs for several years. Basketball games at Woolen Gym were great fun and the best part was we didn’t have to worry about scoring a ticket! We were allowed to get autographs from the players as they came up from the locker rooms, making it feel like we were hanging with celebrities. I enjoyed playing golf at Finley with my mother and shopping on Franklin Street: Fowlers Grocery, The Little Shop, Robbins, Huggins Hardware, Silas, and good old Sutton’s. My grandchildren Sarah and Thayer are now the fourth generation to attend Carolina and cheer on the Tar Heels, and I couldn’t be prouder!
-SUSAN GIBSON CHAPEL HILL, NC
My name is Lydia Waddell and I am a born and bred Tar Heel. Both my parents went to UNC. My mom is a proud graduate of the Kenan-Flagler Business School and I can’t wait to follow in her footsteps. I have been visiting Chapel Hill with her for as long as I can remember and she really fostered my love for this place.
-LYDIA WADDELL LEXINGTON NC
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“ “ “ “ My mom, Isabel McMillen, was a big fan of a different shade of blue (right down 15-501) while I was young and so, so was I. Growing up as a diver in Raleigh, she saw the potential in me and sought out diving programs in the area to help that skill in me. We found that in Chapel Hill and not long after, we were driving back and forth almost every day, not to mention traveling for meets and camps. While in high school I began diving for NCAC and the then UNC diving coach Nunzio Eposto. I was lucky and fortunate enough that my Mom pathed the road for me to be accepted onto the UNC Diving team 1999-2003. She now roots on the Heels with a fervent passion almost as much as her son. Being a member of The Rams Club is a joy for our family and I hope to pass the same feelings along to my two daughters (and future Tar Heels)! Thanks, Mom, for all of the hard work and sacrifices you made for me! I love you!
-ROB MCMILLEN RALEIGH, NC
My mother Traci has been a Carolina fan all of her life. Every year growing up she would write a letter to Coach Smith and he would always write her back. When she got accepted into UNC, he told her that he’d find a place for her with the team. She was a JV statistician when Coach Williams was the JV head coach in 1985-86. Then she was promoted up to varsity statistician from 1986 until 1989 when she graduated. She enjoyed traveling with the team and working the basketball camp every summer. She loved Carolina so much that when she had her first daughter (me) she had to name me Caroline, after the greatest university of course. I have the fondest memories of eating at Sutton’s on Franklin Street and going to men’s basketball games every year for as long as I can remember. So, in 2018 when I was accepted it was a no brainer, I knew where I belonged. Next year, my little sister will be a freshman and I will be a senior. It has flown by but I’ve loved every minute of being a Tar Heel and sharing that special bond of the Tar Heel family with my mom.
-CAROLINE PULLIAM KING, NC
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My Mom took me to Franklin Street to celebrate finishing my exams that concluded my eighth grade year at Our Lady of Lourdes. She was taking me to lunch at the Rathskeller. We parked in the deck behind the Rat and as we were walking up to the alley to go to the restaurant door, we ran into Rick Fox and Pete Chilcutt. My Mom had a pad and pen in her purse and I was able to get both of their autographs. I had a picture taken with Dre’ Bly in Atlanta when the Heels were playing football against Georgia Tech several years ago. The year Dre’ was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame, my parents went. My Mom took the picture of me and Dre’ Bly to New York City and, thanks to my Mom, he not only signed it but also wrote me a note on the picture.
-ALYSEN NASSIF RALEIGH, NC
I have always been a Tar Heel fan since I placed my first Tar Heel sticker right smack on the living room wall and my mom thought I would put it on a piece of paper. I knew that decal had to be the center of our living room since I was the age of seven. I am a freshman this year at UNC and my mom has yet to remove that ram sticker from our wall. My mom got football tickets for us for my dad’s birthday and UNC beat Duke 20-17 in 2019. It was his best birthday present ever! My mom was overjoyed with the win and knew the purchase of those tickets was well worth it. We are a Tar Heel family and I love my mom.
-DAWN YOUNT TAYLORSVILLE, NC
TA R H E E LT I C K E R
“ “ “ My mother’s first game in the Smith Center was the Duke game on March 7, 1993 – Senior Day. We were using a friend’s Rams Club seats. Mom and I sat together in the upper deck and my brother and father were in the lower level. Mom still talks about that atmosphere 25+ years later. A classic Carolina victory! Fast forward to this past season – my goddaughter, Sherridan, is a current student at UNC and I got us all tickets to the February 1, 2020, Boston College game where Cole Anthony made his return after his injury. Sherridan taught Mom the student ritual prior to a free throw and she had it down before the end of the game. The outcome this time was not what we wanted. We are all Tar Heels born and bred!
-SHERRY SMITH CONCORD, NC
My mother, Caroline Ward, is not a real big sports fan. However, she listened patiently to many dinner table sports and Carolina discussions between my father Ira Ward, my brother, Al Ward, and me (all 3 UNC alumni). In the 60s we had a dog who was of course named Tar Heel. One day when my mother came to pick me up at the old Chapel Hill Jr. High School downtown, Tar Heel escaped from her car. My mother went running up Franklin Street shouting “Tar Heel! Tar Heel!” As she ran by groups of students they joined in yelling – “Yeah Lady – Tar Heels – Go Heels!” Soon afterwards Tar Heel came running back to her so everything turned out OK.
-BOB WARD CHAPEL HILL, NC
-MONIKA MOORE LORTON, VA
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PURE
ENER GY
DRE’ BLY KNOWS EXACTLY WHERE HE GETS HIS INFECTIOUS PERSONALITY BY LEE PACE
PHOTOS BY JEFFREY CAMARATI, UNC ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS & DRE’ BLY
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“Men are what their mothers made them.” — RALPH WALDO EMERSON
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f that’s the case, then it’s no wonder Dré Bly is a bundle of energy. The former Tar Heel All-America cornerback who now coaches that position for Mack Brown was raised by a pair of schoolteachers in the Tidewater area of Virginia. Dad D.A. Bly was calm and reserved, mom Gloria excitable and bubbly. “Gloria is a live-wire, full of enthusiasm, very outgoing,” says Kenny Browning, who recruited Bly out of Western Branch High. “His personality takes more after his mom.” “No doubt Dré got his bubbly, fast-paced, energetic personality from his mom. She is a ball of fire,” adds Carl Torbush, who was defensive coordinator during Bly’s 1996-98 Carolina playing career. Donald André and Gloria Bly were the first members of their respective families to graduate from college and both later became elementary school teachers. Their oldest daughter, Donna, became a high-school biology teacher. From his dad D.A., young Dré learned to reason and exercise caution. Dré was always undersized, and it was his father who insisted he start with baseball and soccer in a competitive venue before venturing into football.
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“My husband wanted to make sure that his body and bones were really developed before he actually got on the field with football,” Gloria says. When Dré got too excited, his father could reel him in. One school that made quite an impression on Dré during the recruiting process in 1994-95 was Syracuse, and Dré was bubbling over when he returned from his official visit. “Dad, they have a dome you play in. It’s so cool,” Dré chirped. “Son, have you stopped to wonder why they need a dome?” his father asked. That was that for Syracuse. An assistant coach at Western Branch High during Bly’s junior year kept telling Bill Myers, a Carolina graduate who worked in the school system and helped the football staff with prospect ideas and recruiting information, that they were “missing the boat on this Bly kid.” The coach one time told Myers that Bly couldn’t shoot a basketball but still scored 32 points in a game. “They started pressing and Dré is so quick, he just stole the ball and laid it in,” he said. The coach later told Myers that Bly couldn’t hit a baseball
PURE ENERGY
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“YOU COME TO SCHOOL AND ARE TRYING TO BE THE ALMIGHTY FOOTBALL PLAYER AND YOU WANT TO PORTRAY AN IMAGE. THEY MIGHT MAKE FUN OF YOU, SAY YOU’RE SPOILED AND SOFT IF THEY THINK YOU’RE A ‘MAMA’S BOY.’ I WAS THE PROUDEST ‘MAMA’S BOY’ THERE EVER WAS. AND I’VE BEEN ONE FOR 43 YEARS.”
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THANK YOU, MOM
out of the infield but was still hitting .400. “He bats left-handed, beats the ball into the ground and outruns them to first base,” he said. Browning and Myers first went to see Bly play football, and Browning crinkled his eyebrow reading the roster in the game program that Bly was listed at generous 5-foot-10. Gloria always worried about Dré’s size and that he’d get hurt among the bigger boys. Dré made her promise she wouldn’t run onto the field if he ever needed medical attention. “I don’t need you to come out on the field if I get injured,” he said. “I’m going to be fine. I know I’m your baby and all, but I’m going to get up and I’m going to be fine.” “I’d run to the gate, but that’s all. I know my limitations,” she says.
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Bly proved he could overcome being short a couple of inches with quickness, instincts, heart and all the intangibles he’d been taught at home. “There was a lot of love and respect from one member of that family through all the others,” Browning says. “He was fortunate in that regard to come from a caring family.” From his arrival in Chapel Hill in August 1995 (he was red-shirted his first year), Bly was not timid in telling anyone he was “a mama’s boy.” “You come to school and are trying to be the almighty football player and you want to portray an image,” Bly says. “They might make fun of you, say you’re spoiled and soft if they think you’re a ‘mama’s boy.’ I was the proudest ‘mama’s boy’ there ever was. “And I’ve been one for 43 years.”
“IT MEANT THE WORLD TO ME TO GRADUATE, TO DO WELL ACADEMICALLY. GRADES WERE IMPORTANT AT CAROLINA. THEY WERE FOR COACH BROWN AND COACH TORBUSH. THEY WERE FOR MY PARENTS. IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT I GRADUATED AND FINISHED.”
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Predictably it was Mrs. Bly who celebrated the most when her boy made a big play for the Tar Heels—particularly those 20 career interceptions. “I’m just a hyper person, and you couldn’t keep me in my seat when we were at a game and he intercepted or had a good play,” Gloria says. “I just went completely uncontrollable.” Bly started for three years and had one year of eligibility remaining when he decided to turn pro after the 1998 season. But he promised his parents he would get his degree before he left, which he did in 1999 before going on to a decade-long career in the NFL. “It meant the world to me to graduate, to do well academically,” he says. “Grades were important at Carolina. They were for Coach Brown and Coach Torbush. They were for my parents. It was important that I graduated and finished.”
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Gloria is renowned for her cooking as well, particularly fried chicken with macaroni and cheese, rolls and a green vegetable. “Whenever I brought my teammates home, when I bring my kids now, that’s the go-to meal,” Dré says. Donna Bly in early 2021 organized a 75th birthday celebration for her mother, but because it was during the COVID-19 era, it was a “drive-by” event. “She had over 100 cars which was cool and they lined up on the street and we surprised her,” Dré says, then marvels at her energy level. “I’m like a clone of my mom even right now,” he says. “It’s crazy the amount of energy and the excitement that my mom has at 75 years old. I pray that I have that energy at 75.” Don’t bet against him.
“I’M LIKE A CLONE OF MY MOM EVEN RIGHT NOW. IT’S CRAZY THE AMOUNT OF ENERGY AND THE EXCITEMENT THAT MY MOM HAS AT 75 YEARS OLD. I PRAY THAT I HAVE THAT ENERGY AT 75.”
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FAMILY HELPING FAMILY
DANNY GREEN GIVES $1 MILLION TO ENDOW SCHOLARSHIP by Adam Lucas • originally appeared on GoHeels.com on March 23, 2021 You know Danny Green as a 2009 national champion, or as the Tar Heel who dunked on Greg Paulus, or as a threetime world champion. Green values all of those accomplishments, of course. But there’s something you might have forgotten about him that, even today, is very meaningful to him: He’s a North Carolina fan. “It’s in my blood,” Green says. “I was a fan before I ever got there. And when I got there, I knew it was an honor to be part of it. Anywhere I go, people recognize me for being part of that program and part of that school. It’s a huge honor for me to be remembered in that way. I’ve been a fan since I was a kid. I bleed it every day.” It’s not surprising, then, that Green had an instant connection to the recent video in which Roy and Wanda Williams described their affinity for the University of North Carolina. In the video, Wanda talks about getting cold chills driving up the hill to see Franklin Street. Green instantly related to that comment. The North Babylon, N.Y., native shares a similar background with his former head coach’s Asheville upbringing. Both needed assistance in order to have the opportunity to attend college. And both had a life-changing experience in Chapel Hill. That’s why Green made the decision to donate $1 million to endow a basketball scholarship for the Tar Heels. He loves the program, of course. You will not find anyone, anywhere who is more instantly ready to do anything they possibly can—jump on a Zoom call, stop by the Smith Center, text a struggling player—to help Carolina. He18doesn’t the high-profile assignments. He represents the Tar Heels in ways most fans never see. Earlier B O R N &just B R E take D
this school year, he participated in a Zoom call for all current student-athletes, just because he wanted them all to know the importance of being a Tar Heel. But it’s more than that. It’s the way he feels the four years in Chapel Hill changed his life. “Coach Williams had us working with the Special Olympics and doing Christmas shopping for those less fortunate,” Green says. “Coach Pop(ovich) in San Antonio was very similar. Those things helped raise me. If you make it, you have a responsibility to take care of those who need help. It was a way to change a person’s day, and maybe even change a person’s life. I’ve been one of those kids. People in my community couldn’t afford to go to school. Being part of those activities helped build a foundation for me.” Green is on the short list of greatest Carolina Basketball winners of all time. He is one of just three Tar Heels (Michael Jordan and James Worthy are the others) to win NCAA and NBA championships. He is one of only two players in basketball history, along with LeBron James, to start for three different franchises that won NBA titles. The player who still hasn’t picked up his rings for those two most recent NBA championships knows where his legacy began—in Chapel Hill. “I’ve been trying to find ways of giving back,” Green says. “I’ve always wanted to do something. Eric Montross (member of the 1993 national champions and current Rams Club staff member) gave me some information on it, and I thought it was a great way to do something that honors something I’m so passionate about.” In normal times, a gift like this would have been cemented with in-person visits and sit-down meetings. One of Williams’ favorite in-season releases is traveling to watch his former players in the pros; this year, of course, COVID prevented those trips. In 2021, conversations about the gift were accomplished mostly through Zoom calls. But the impact remains the same. “When Eric (Montross) called me and told me what Danny was doing, it was emotional for me,” Williams says. “Danny Green loves this University just like Roy Williams does, and I don’t think there’s anyone in the world who loves the University more than I do. To have one of my players say I want to be part of this was emotional. It’s hard to even talk about. It makes me feel like someone else believes in this place the same way that Roy and Wanda Williams do, and that means so much to me.” Green thinks back to that video honoring his former coach. He can recite it almost word for word—it was clearly impactful for him. Tonight he will play at Golden State and Thursday he will be in Los Angeles, but right now, he is mentally in Chapel Hill, and you can feel it in the passion in the way he talks about his school. “The opening is what sunk in for me,” he says. “When Wanda talked about getting chills driving up that hill, that’s the same way that I feel. I got a chance to play for North Carolina for four years. That’s still unbelievable to me. I got a chance to play for someone who loves Carolina so much, and that’s the same way I feel. This scholarship was an easy decision for me. “If you can help people in need, especially your family, you do it. And Carolina is my family.”
Find more stories of Rams Club members making an impact at
RAMSCLUB.COM/IMPACT
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MOTHER KNOWS BEST BY PAT JAMES // PHOTOS BY JEFFREY CAMARATI & THE PINTO FAMILY
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MOTHER KNOWS BEST
Meleata Pinto helped pave Brianna Pinto’s path to Chapel Hill
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hen watching her play or hearing her speak, it’s impossible to ignore the impact that the men in Brianna Pinto’s immediate family have had on her soccer career. Recruited to North Carolina by Anson Dorrance when he coached both the men’s and women’s teams, Brianna’s father, Hassan, was a forward for the men’s team in the early 1990s. He went on teach Brianna, 20, and her brothers, Hassan Jr., 23, and Malik, 18, the game from an early age. And as much as Brianna excelled at it, her brothers did, too – Hassan Jr. is currently a member of the USL League One’s Richmond Kickers, and Malik is a freshman midfielder at Princeton. Naturally, because of this common bond, Brianna’s father and brothers have been a top topic of just about every interview she’s done in her three years on the UNC women’s soccer team. But while she didn’t play soccer herself, Brianna’s mom Meleata – a former Tar Heel softball player – is just as passionate about it. She’s also just as responsible for her daughter’s immense success. “To be following in her legacy as a Carolina athlete, it’s truly special,” Brianna said. “She gets to show me the Carolina that she knows and loves, and I’m kind of living the dream right now. I dreamt of coming here and playing soccer for Anson my entire life, and without her investment in me and her unconditional love and her willingness to drive all over the Earth to support me, I really wouldn’t be where I am. I’m incredibly grateful for all that she does.” Among the many ways in which her mom has helped her, Brianna said she’s always appreciated having parents who are extremely active and actually showed her how to play sports growing up instead of explaining them. Meleata and Hassan, of course, wouldn’t have had it any other way. From taking the kids with them to watch them play tennis to holding family kickball games at Finley Practice Fields, Meleata said she and Hassan taught them how to compete. “Athletics has always been such a central part of my husband and my life that we wanted to share that with the kids,” Meleata said. “And so as they entered elementary school and we started introducing them to different sports, we would talk about our competitions. … That competitive drive is really with both of us. So I think Brianna especially saw that and wanted to root for me. Just being her mom, she was like, ‘Oh yeah, I want mom to beat dad.’” Although Hassan’s sport ultimately became all three children’s favorite, Brianna did give softball a try. She played for about two years, and even taught herself how to switch-hit, Meleata said. But the sport’s slow pace – especially in comparison to soccer – couldn’t hold her attention. “I respected that and just loved that she even gave it a shot,” Meleata said. “Our motto
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THANK YOU, MOM
really was you can try anything, and every season I asked if she wanted to try tennis or golf or swimming. She always came back to soccer. So I certainly wasn’t going to stand in the way of that.” Just as long as academics remained a priority. For as long as Brianna can remember, her and her siblings’ performance in the classroom was something Meleata was passionate about. She set an expectation for them to accomplish more than just what they did on the field – and certainly gave Brianna something to which she could aspire. Before Brianna was born, Meleata served as an associate producer at ESPN, a role in which she won an Emmy Award. She then became an associate producer with MLB and later a marketing coordinator with UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health before deciding in 2009 to pursue a master’s degree in marketing and strategy at Duke’s Fuqua School of Business. That eventually led her to a successful career in the tech industry, highlighted by stops at IBM and Lenovo. She’s currently the director of integrated marketing at Dude Solutions, a software company in Cary. Brianna said Meleata’s Emmy rests on the mantle at the family’s home and that she used to brag about it to her friends growing up. As much pride as she took in it, it meant that much more to see her mom work tirelessly toward her master’s degree. “That was pretty special to watch that process and be old enough to remember it,” said Brianna, who was 9 when Meleata enrolled at Fuqua. “Eventually, I’d also love to go back and get my master’s and then create a viable career in business; that’s ultimately why I applied to Kenan-Flagler (Business School), because of the inside of the business world that she has shared with me, and then also how she’s related that with sports.” Two months before enrolling at UNC, back in June 2018, Brianna spoke at the FIFA Congress in Moscow as part of North America’s joint bid to land the 2026 men’s World Cup. For about a minute, she detailed soccer’s importance to her and to the world in a speech that she crafted with President Barack Obama’s former foreign policy speechwriter. And in the end, FIFA voted in favor of the bid, partly thanks to Brianna. Ever since then, Brianna has dreamed of working for FIFA, a goal she’s spent the last three years working toward as a student at Kenan-Flagler and through various off-thefield ventures. The latter has included her work with U.S. Soccer’s Athletes’ Council and serving as a student-athlete representative on the Rams Club’s FORevHER Tar Heels advisory board.
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“TO HAVE HER HERE, AT UNC, AT OUR ALMA MATER AND HAVE HER WALK THE BRICK PATHWAYS THAT WE TRAVELED, IT’S BEEN INCREDIBLE. AND I JUST CAN’T EVEN DESCRIBE HOW PROUD I AM OF HER, THE PLATFORM THAT SHE’S BEEN ABLE TO EMBRACE WHILE SHE’S BEEN AT UNC, JUST THE GROWTH THAT SHE’S UNDERGONE IN THE LAST THREE YEARS. IT’S BEEN HONESTLY A DREAM COME TRUE. AND I KNOW THAT SOUNDS CLICHE, BUT WHEN I SAY SHE WAS THREE AND SHE SAID, ‘THIS IS WHAT I WANT TO DO,’ AND TO SEE HER LIVE IT OUT, I COULDN’T BE PROUDER AS A MOM.”
MOTHER KNOWS BEST
While all of that, in addition to playing for a national championship program, might sound like too much for one person to handle, Brianna said her mom has been critical in helping her make decisions about what she can and cannot take on. “She provides the clarity in the decisions because she’s very thoughtful in how she approaches things and she thinks about long-term implications of what one decision has over another and the pros and cons,” Brianna said. “And she also encourages me to invest in other parts of my life. … She just gives me advice every single day. I’m so, so grateful for it. Like, I truly don’t know where I would be without her.” She’s thought about that a lot over the past few months. On Jan. 13, Sky Blue FC selected Brianna with the third overall pick of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) Draft. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the draft was held virtually via videoconferencing and web streaming. That, however, didn’t matter to Brianna, who was able to celebrate the moment at home with her family – including her mom. “She’s seen all of the hardship that I’ve gone through and all the tears that I’ve cried for this game,” Brianna said. “And to finally hear my name called in the 2021 NWSL draft was just a testament to (my parents’) unconditional love and their investment in me as a person. And to have my mom there and
just give her a hug after that was something I’ll remember for the rest of my life. It was just such a special moment.” Due to an NCAA waiver, players picked in the NWSL Draft could play for their schools in the spring season before joining their club teams. That’s what Brianna opted to do, with hopes of checking one last item off her UNC bucket list: winning the national championship. That would be a dream come true for Brianna, who, from the time she was three, had every intention of playing soccer at Carolina. So strong was her desire to do just that, that when she committed to the Tar Heels as a high school freshman, Meleata said she was slightly concerned that perhaps she and Hassan had “brainwashed” her into making that decision. The last three years, though, have been a blessing. “To have her here, at UNC, at our alma mater and have her walk the brick pathways that we traveled, it’s been incredible,” Meleata said. “And I just can’t even describe how proud I am of her, the platform that she’s been able to embrace while she’s been at UNC, just the growth that she’s undergone in the last three years. It’s been honestly a dream come true. And I know that sounds cliché, but when I say she was three and she said, ‘This is what I want to do,’ and to see her live it out, I couldn’t be prouder as a mom.”
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THE CAROLINA VICTORY FUND
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CAROLINA NEEDS YOUR HELP Tar Heel fans are a loyal and generous group – especially those who give through The Rams Club. As we come together to meet the needs of our student-athletes and coaches in this challenging time, we ask you to consider giving in two important ways: 1. Complete your 2020 annual membership. 2. Make a new gift to the Carolina Victory Fund in addition to your annual gift. Your annual gift and a gift to the Carolina Victory Fund are unrestricted gifts – allowing Carolina to use the funds to address the most immediate needs of the program. With the significant budget shortfalls anticipated this year, unrestricted giving will give Carolina the best opportunity to preserve the level of academic and athletic excellence we all have grown to appreciate from UNC.
TO COMPLETE YOUR MEMBERSHIP AND MAKE A GIFT TO THE CAROLINA VICTORY FUND: • Log in to your account at ramsclub.com and use a credit card. • Contact us at ramsclub@ramsclub.com or 919-843-2000 to speak to a staff member.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT RAMSCLUB.COM/CVF.
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HAVING IT ALL BY ADAM LUCAS // PHOTOS BY HEATHER O’REILLY
Being a new mother hasn’t slowed down Heather O’Reilly’s transition into the coaching world
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eather O’Reilly imagined herself as a world class soccer player. She imagined herself as a national champion and as a Women’s World Cup champion, and of course as a Tar Heel. But imagining herself as a mother? “I couldn’t wait to win a World Cup,” she says. “I couldn’t wait to go to Carolina. But being a mommy? That was far down my list of life dreams.” Which has made the past year such an awakening. O’Reilly and her husband, former Tar Heel lacrosse player Dave Werry, welcomed son William on June 18, 2020. In the middle of a global pandemic, it wasn’t exactly an easy situation for a firsttime parent. But O’Reilly found that it changed her world—in all the best ways. “I love being a mom,” she says. “He is so stinking cute. A few of my peers who had kids told me that you come back as a better player after having a baby, because you have a whole new perspective. I’m not still playing, of course, but there’s no question it gives you more of a balance in life. Sometimes as a pro athlete, you can have tunnel vision and lose perspective. I still have certain ambitions and drives. I want to help the Heels make a run and player development is very important to me. But I have a newfound appreciation for family life and raising a healthy baby, and I feel my marriage is stronger than ever. Being a mom has been a wonderful addition to my already full plate and exciting life.” O’Reilly was a part of two national championship teams at Carolina, and she won three Olympic gold medals and a World Cup in 2015. She isn’t lacking for accomplishments, which makes her voice so respected on the Tar Heel sideline. That highly decorated career meant she was always on the move to somewhere else, and “home” was a very flexible concept. William’s addition has given a new permanence to home, with O’Reilly finding for one of the first times that being away for more than a couple of nights leaves her missing the familiar family routine. During Carolina’s unusual spring season, with COVID-19
travel procedures in place and travel spacing requirements, she occasionally flew to road games instead of traveling on the team bus. That gave her a few more hours— or sometimes even a whole night—at home with her family. The balance between family and work— something every coach at the college level eventually has to confront—reminded O’Reilly of a very good example she observed during her Tar Heel career. “I remember practicing at Finley Fields, and (women’s lacrosse coach) Jenny Levy would be out there with her daughter in a stroller,” O’Reilly says. “I remember thinking that was so badass seeing Jenny do her thing with her baby there. There are times I bring William to practice because of conflicting schedules or whatever, and our players do love it.” Virtually every Tar Heel on the team was well acquainted growing up with O’Reilly’s incredible career. They’ve already patterned their games and their career path after her. And it just might be that they can now see her as an entirely different type of role model. “I’ve got 20 built-in babysitters, so that is nice,” O’Reilly says with a grin. “And if I can show the girls it’s possible to do both, and it doesn’t have to take away your drive or competitiveness, that’s even better. You can be a wonderful mom and a great competitor who is involved in high level sports.”
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DAILY DIALOGUE BY PAT JAMES // PHOTOS BY JEFFREY CAMARATI
Makenna Jones and her mother make a daily connection
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rowing up in Tampa, Florida, North Carolina women’s tennis graduate student Makenna Jones and her mother, former Stanford All-American and WTA Tour player Tami Whitlinger-Jones, had a deal. Three times each week, the mother and daughter practiced together, whether the former wanted to or not. Tennis, after all, was just an activity to her, and she never quite had the same passion for it as her mother. As the years went on, though, and Makenna established herself as one of the best junior players in the country, that began to change. So did her respect for Tami’s teachings.
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“It was very cool growing up, and the older I got, the more I learned and appreciated how amazing she really was – and still is,” Makenna said. “I realized that I really was learning from someone who I wanted to be, and I think that was something I probably took for granted a little bit, but also something that’s just so incredibly cool. It was just really awesome to see the way that we could foster her experience into my game.” And to see how it brought them even closer together. Throughout Makenna’s juniors career, she and Tami traveled to every tournament together. Even now, about five years later, they still talk fondly of their favorite trips. They also
DAILY DIALOGUE
joke about the ones that were memorable for all the wrong reasons. “For a while, it was really she and I against the world, basically,” Makenna said. “I think it just made us so close to the extent that my mom was my person.” As is common, Makenna said she and Tami butted heads as she neared the end of high school. Once she arrived at UNC, though, and got her first taste of the freedom she’d been seeking, she started realizing what her mom truly means to her. “I call her every single day,” she said. “If we miss one day, it’s usually very weird. She’ll text me at night and be like, ‘Sorry, we missed each other. Let’s catch up tomorrow.’ It’s so cute because there’s not that much to say that happens in one single day, but somehow we’ll find things to talk about. I talk to other people and they’re like, ‘Oh, I haven’t talked to my parent in two weeks or whatever.’ I’m like, ‘Oh my gosh, if I don’t talk to my mom once, it’s twice a day.’” At times when she was younger, Makenna said her relationship with her mom felt more like that of coach and player than mother and daughter. That couldn’t be anything further from the case now. “I’m just so lucky to have the relationship that I do with my mom, and I honestly don’t know how I would go about things without her,” Makenna said. “She’s my rock, my best friend, my everything. I just think that’s so cool to have in a mom, and what a special, unique relationship we were able to foster out of what could have been kind of a difficult situation managing the sport and the parenting at the same time.”
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“I’M JUST SO LUCKY TO HAVE THE RELATIONSHIP THAT I DO WITH MY MOM, AND I HONESTLY DON’T KNOW HOW I WOULD GO ABOUT THINGS WITHOUT HER. SHE’S MY ROCK, MY BEST FRIEND, MY EVERYTHING. I JUST THINK THAT’S SO COOL TO HAVE IN A MOM, AND WHAT A SPECIAL, UNIQUE RELATIONSHIP WE WERE ABLE TO FOSTER OUT OF WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN KIND OF A DIFFICULT SITUATION MANAGING THE SPORT AND THE PARENTING AT THE SAME TIME.”
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THANK YOU, MOM
LIFE IS GRAND BY PAT JAMES PHOTOS BY THE SHELTON FAMILY
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LIFE IS GRAND
Being a grandmother suits field hockey head coach Karen Shelton From leading her North Carolina field hockey team to back-to-back undefeated seasons in 2018 and 2019 to becoming the all-time winningest coach in NCAA field hockey history in November, Karen Shelton has made many memories over the last three years. The most memorable, however, didn’t come in a game. It didn’t even come on the pitch. It came in the spring of 2019, in a hospital room. It was then and there that Shelton’s son, William, and his wife, Julia, welcomed their daughter, Poppy, and Shelton officially became a grandmother. Two years later, that’s a title that Shelton – known to Poppy as “Coco” – remains extremely grateful for. “We couldn’t be happier and are just thrilled,” Shelton said. “And it’s just so fun. It’s a different phase in our lives. It’s been a great joy.” Although coaching a national championship program while still taking the time to enjoy being a grandmother might sound difficult, Shelton said it’s been “kind of a simple balance.” That’s been even more the case since the COVID-19 pandemic hit the United States in March 2020. Because William, Julia and Poppy live in Chapel Hill – and are also considered a part of the field hockey team’s bubble – Shelton said she and husband Willie Scroggs, the former UNC men’s lacrosse coach and associate athletic director, see Poppy at least once a week. Shelton certainly understands how fortunate they are to do that. “It’s really nice that we have regular contact,” she said, “especially compared to a lot of grandparents who haven’t been able to see their grandchildren and have been isolated. We’ve been very lucky to have regular testing and such strict protocols that we could see each other.” Generally, Shelton said they’ll bring over dinner and might spend some time reading a book with Poppy or watching a TV show with her. They also enjoy playing with her in the backyard. As much as anything, Shelton said they love taking her on walks. “It’s like you have the fun, the lovey stuff and everybody is happy,” Shelton said, “and then when it’s time to change the diaper or she starts getting fussy, you say, ‘See you later.’ We’ve changed a few diapers and we’ve babysat a little bit. “Julia’s mom has a lot more experience. She’s got six other grandchildren, so she’s old hat
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“WE COULDN’T BE HAPPIER AND ARE JUST THRILLED. AND IT’S JUST SO FUN. IT’S A DIFFERENT PHASE IN OUR LIVES. IT’S BEEN A GREAT JOY.”
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THANK YOU, MOM at this. We’re kind of new. But it’s been such a delight.” Not just for Shelton, but for her team, too. Poppy has been a regular at UNC games the last two years. She even attended the Tar Heels’ win over Princeton in the 2019 national championship game in Winston-Salem when she was only a few months old, as well as the 2018 NCAA championship game in Louisville, Kentucky, when Julia was pregnant with her. On top of that, Poppy occasionally stops by practice, specifically on the family’s Sunday walks around campus.
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[WINNING THE CHAMPIONSHIP ON MOTHER’S DAY] WOULD BE A GREAT THRILL IF THAT WERE TO HAPPEN. WE’LL DO EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER TO TRY AND MAKE THAT HAPPEN. AND FOR ALL THE MOMS OF THE KIDS ON THE TEAM, WHAT A GREAT GIFT THAT WOULD BE.” Shelton’s players love when Poppy visits and ask about her frequently. After one game last fall, Shelton said Poppy ran onto the field toward her and her players cheered Poppy on while forming a tunnel with their field hockey sticks. “As soon as she got close, she turned around and went the other way because she got a little nervous, she got scared,” Shelton said. “But that was fun. I think she enjoyed it, too. She loves being at the games. The whole exciting atmosphere, I think she likes it.” Only time will tell if she likes it enough to want to be a part of it. Poppy already has a field hockey stick, because of course she does. She also has a soccer goal and T-ball set that Shelton got her. Although Poppy is still a little too young to understand the concept of hitting a ball, Shelton also said “she’s pretty girly right now.” “I was talking to my team (recently) about Poppy and how of course she’s the best dressed kid and always looks great. …” Shelton said. “She’s a bit girly right now, but my team said, ‘Oh, don’t worry, because I was really girly early on and became very athletic.’ So there’s still hope for little Poppy.” Soon, little Poppy will be a big sister. William and Julia are expecting another baby – a boy – in July, and Shelton is already looking forward to making more memories as a family.
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Before then, though, she hopes to make another with her 2020-21 team. After winning the 2020 ACC Championship in November at Karen Shelton Stadium, UNC will look to win its third straight national title when it hosts the rescheduled 2020 NCAA Division I Field Hockey Championship on May 9. That also happens to be Mother’s Day. And while Shelton knows as well as anyone that there’s no certainty that the Tar Heels will win that game – or that they’ll even play in it – she can only imagine how special that would be. “I don’t like to jinx us by planning too much, but obviously, it would be a great thrill if that were to happen,” she said. “We’ll do everything in our power to try and make that happen. And for all the moms of the kids on the team, what a great gift that would be.” For the grandmothers, too.
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A WORK OF HEART BY ANDREW STILWELL // PHOTOS BY TAYLOR MORENO
Taylor Moreno’s mother has helped influence her artistic endeavors
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hen watching Taylor Moreno in the cage as a goalkeeper for the Carolina women’s lacrosse team, it might be cliché to say that it’s like watching an artist practicing her craft. In reality, there’s actually a lot more truth to that statement than you might realize. “Art is something that takes patience and time and the right technique, and lacrosse, especially my position as a goalie, is very technique-based,” said Moreno, a senior from Huntington, N.Y. “It takes a lot of time and patience to work through. I think understanding that it’s not always going to be perfect in art or lacrosse. Goals are going to be scored and things are going to happen because lacrosse is a game of runs. But at the end of the day, you have the ability to erase that pencil mark you made and redraw it better than you did before.” Moreno grew up in an artistic household. Her mom, Terry, was a graphic designer before becoming a freelance artist in 1991. Needless to say, Taylor was constantly surrounded by art and creativity growing up, and has continued her love of being creative into her college years. “Whether it was a coloring book and a box of crayons or markers or a trip to Michael’s craft store, my mom would always immerse us in that realm of those kinds of things that she loved,” Taylor said. “Even with school projects, I’d ask my
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mom to help me and she would always throw her creative side in there.” In high school, Moreno was a multi-sport athlete, but took just as much pride contributing to her team off the playing field as she did while on it. In high school, she not only played basketball, but also designed her team’s sweatshirts. “I was asked to design the sweatshirts we were getting for the team, and I would come up with an idea and go back and forth with the team until everyone liked it,” she said. “I remember that being a huge component of playing sports in high school; not only contributing on the field or the court, but also using my artistic abilities to contribute off the field with clothing or posters and things like that.”
“IT’S GOTTA BE THE SHOES”
A self-described “sneakerhead,” Moreno began experimenting with a new form of artistic media in high school, custom shoes, which she still paints to this day. “I saw a post on social media where people were painting on shoes, and I thought it would be something cool that I could try,” she said. “As someone who typically wanted to keep their sneakers nice and clean, taking an all-white pair of sneakers and then touching my paint brush to it, it kind of hurt me just
A WORK OF HEART
a little. But after I did the first pair, I really realized I could eventually take this somewhere.” Her first pair of painted sneakers, a pair of Nike Roshes themed to her club lacrosse team, set the tone for her artistic endeavors. Taylor still receives messages from family and friends asking if she paints shoes, and she recently completed a pair of shoes for the Diamond Heels’ Joey Lancellotti – a UNC themed crossover with one of his favorite comic book characters, The Joker. In addition to painting shoes, Moreno also paints canvases, notably silhouettes of her teammates, which she refers to as her “signature” style. “I knew I wanted to do something sports-related but also that wouldn’t take a long time,” she said. “There was actually a technique I learned in eighth grade that I still use today, but has really evolved for me over time. I’ve improved my painting skills, but also the way that I map it out beforehand in the graphic design realm. Now I can create canvas prints with much more detail than I would have probably been able to draw out and paint freehand, especially in a short time frame.”
EQUALITY
Prior to the current lacrosse season, Taylor was given one of her most important projects to date, a design for the women’s lacrosse team’s pre-game warm-up shirts, the product of a team Zoom call that focused on a variety of issues facing the world today. Following the call, head coach Jenny Levy asked Moreno if she had been taking notes and was ready to design the shirt. The answer was a resounding yes. “I think that the big thing that came from that Zoom call was that while we all believe in what was going on at that time and the world was important and deserves attention, I think we all
also saw an opportunity to shed light on a lot of other topics that are important to our team,” Moreno recalled. “I think once we kind of sat down and laid out the different topics in the different social causes that were important to people, it made it a lot easier for us to pick the aspects that we wanted to have featured.” When the final product was unveiled, it was an honor for Taylor, not just because her teammates trusted her to create the design, but also because of the causes to which the shirt continues to bring awareness. “It really meant a lot to me, knowing that my team had the faith in me to create such an important design for our team and believed in me enough to come up with the concept. It’s a huge honor,” she said.
A “GINORMOUS” PROJECT
However, it’s not just shoes, canvases or apparel that Moreno creates. Recently, Taylor was tasked with creating a mural for the lacrosse tunnel at Dorrance Field, her largest project to date. The tunnel mural, in her own words, was “ginormous.” Having never painted anything quite that large, she called in for some advice from one of her favorite artists: her mom. “I called my mom and was like, ‘I have no idea how to approach this. I don’t know how I should do it,’” Moreno recalled. “She walked me through a lot of the strategies she used when she was doing paintings and larger murals when I was younger.” Terry was ready for the call, and eager not only to give advice, but also provide support. “A lot of it was technical advice, and a lot of it just was how to execute the painting itself on a large scale,” she said. “The other part of it was more of a supportive aspect. It’s a daunting task to create and execute large murals on a regular day. She
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THANK YOU, MOM
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“TO WATCH TAYLOR AS A LITTLE KID, DISCOVER HER LOVE FOR ART AND HER LOVE FOR LACROSSE, AND JUST CONSTANTLY WORK AT AND EXCEL IN BOTH, I AM SO PROUD OF HER WORK ETHIC, HER CREATIVITY AND HOW SHE IS ABLE TO INTEGRATE BOTH INTO TWO THINGS SHE IS SO PASSIONATE ABOUT.” was doing this all on her own. I know she had her teammates that were helping her, but I wanted to keep her motivated, positive, and confident that she could pull it off, and she did.” The mural took about a week to complete, and Moreno was grateful for her mother’s expertise and support. “If I hadn’t had her to walk me through and explain to me how I should approach it, I definitely don’t think it would have come out the way it came out,” she said.
A WORK OF HEART
The mother-daughter duo stay in close contact when it comes to discussion regarding art. “Taylor will call and ask, ‘What do you think of this?’ or ‘How would I pull this off?’ It is very cool to have those professional conversations with her on that respect,” Terry said. “She is very good about calling and asking for advice. I’ll call her and say, ‘This is what I am working on now,’ and ‘What do you think about this?’ She will give me advice and her opinion. It’s a great give-and-go.” When asked about Taylor’s artistic pursuits combined with her success on the lacrosse field, it was easy for Terry to gush about her daughter. “It makes my heart glow because art has always been an important aspect of my life. It was always my hope that my children would find that love of being creative as well,” she said. “To watch Taylor as a little kid, discover her love for art and her love for lacrosse, and just constantly work at and excel in both, I am so proud of her work ethic, her creativity and how she is able to integrate both into two things she is so passionate about. “Designing those shirts was amazing and doing that mural was just fantastic. It was her way of giving back to what lacrosse has given to her,” she continued. “It is so cool to know that she has integrated her creative side and the methodical, technical side of her with the sport. I am just amazed that she’s made that connection and makes it work.”
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My mom, Sharon Jackson, has had an incredible impact in my life for so many reasons. My story is a little different, because I was home schooled throughout high school. She was always making sure we were on top of our schoolwork before we did anything else, which prepared me for college and life in general. She has always encouraged me to be myself and who I am no matter where I am or what I’m doing, which has translated into me being able to do that now as an adult. I think the best thing she ever did for me was lay the foundation of who God is and what it looks like to have faith. When I got older and built my own relationship with God, I already had the right foundation.
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“[My mom] wouldn’t let me shoot any three-pointers until I was strong enough to shoot with the right form. She taught me all the fundamentals of basketball and made sure to always focus on those even as I got older.
Then let’s go to the basketball court. She wouldn’t let me shoot any three-pointers until I was strong enough to shoot with the right form. She taught me all the fundamentals of basketball and made sure to always focus on those even as I got older. Another basketball aspect she helped me with was the mental side. She’s told me multiple times in my life, “No matter what situation you are in, you can choose to lay down or choose to keep on going.” That has and always will help me in life, on and off the court. She’s the REAL MVP when it comes to how my life and career has turned out. I cannot thank her enough for what she means to me.
JUSTIN JACKSON Men’s Basketball
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