The University of Alaska and its athletics give Alaskans chances they’d never get otherwise

Athletics has taken me around the world and now back to my birth state of Alaska. Not too many people can say that they work across the street from where they were born. I grew up watching University of Alaska Anchorage Seawolf athletics and dreamed of one day competing on that stage and representing my home state.

I didn’t know just how rewarding the honor of representing UAA and the state of Alaska would be. Together, we’ve become one of the most recognizable brands in college athletics. But honestly, it’s not about the wins, the media attention and the way our program has been elevated. Take all that success and multiply it -- still, it will pale in comparison to the ways in which athletics and UAA have positively affected the young people who have graced these halls and have had their identities and dreams changed.

Take one of the first student-athletes I recruited to UAA, who at age 19 returned home to find it had been repossessed. She was living in her car and working at a gas station part-time, all to help pay for her junior college courses. She came to Alaska because of our women’s basketball team, and it changed her life. It gave her the opportunity to not only be part of the university family but to better herself and prepare for the world that lay ahead of her. She now returns every summer to the Alaska Airlines Center and works basketball camp. She calls Alaska home and is a professional basketball player, seeing the world and branding our great university internationally.

Another young lady, a first-generation college student, worked part-time to send money home for her sister who had a medical condition that prevented her mother from working. Here at UAA, she competed for a national championship and earned her degree in Health Sciences. Then, she worked as a medical professional in our community right here in Anchorage. What a story! None of it would be possible without UAA and athletics.

There’s the student-athlete from Galena who nobody knew of because of the remote location she lived in. Little did people know of the elite academic potential and even stronger athletic skill. UAA did, and she graduated with a degree in education and now lives in Anchorage. Or the young lady from Kodiak who, despite great high school success, came to UAA as a walk-on because of the lack of opportunity elsewhere. She became a two-time All-American with a degree in Natural Sciences, now living in Anchorage and contributing to this great state and community.

There are so many of these stories that end the same way, young women (and young people across the department and university) who have elite potential and find themselves and their opportunity at UAA. The university provides an elite college experience, and a large piece of that is because of the commitment the state has made to its students. In fact, some legislative members were able to forge their path thanks to state funding at UAF or UAA. Within our program, we aim to be elite in whatever we do. I get calls and emails from people around the country asking me what our secret to being one of the best programs in the nation is. It’s simple: We develop young ladies to lead and to recognize what it takes to be elite. That’s universal here at UAA.

The Legislature passed a budget that could preserve UAA. However, Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s veto, if it stands, will cripple the ability of this university to be elite. It will hinder the mission of this place I call home, and while it may be easier for some to make this decision while no longer directly affected by the university, I ask that we all consider where we’d be without college experiences, regardless of whether or not you personally attended. The investment in this university is creating elite stories, elite leaders, and should be an institute that this great state of Alaska takes enormous pride in. If we choose to cut these opportunities from not just this generation but those to come, who knows the negative impact that will be compounded by lack of opportunity, access and education. Alaska is an elite place, and it’s special. This university is special. I ask that legislators consider this and look to override the governor’s veto in order to protect the future professionals, leaders and generations to come.

I’m proud to be an Alaskan and proud to be a Seawolf.

Ryan McCarthy is the head coach of the University of Alaska Anchorage’s women’s basketball team.

The views expressed here are the writer’s and are not necessarily endorsed by the Anchorage Daily News, which welcomes a broad range of viewpoints. To submit a piece for consideration, email commentary(at)adn.com. Send submissions shorter than 200 words to letters@adn.com or click here to submit via any web browser. Read our full guidelines for letters and commentaries here.