Helen Grant (1993) - Southern Miss M-Club Hall of Fame

Helen Grant

Induction:
1993

It is difficult to excel in one sport or maybe even two. In fact each year we see an individual that has accomplished that feat. But think for a minute how extraordinary it is to have lettered in four different sports in your college career and make contributions in each.
   Helen Grant began her athletic odyssey at Southern Miss in 1977-78 and 1978-79 as a member of Kay James’ Lady Golden Eagle basketball team. And although some of her contributions may not show up as readily as some of her teammates, she nevertheless played an important role in laying the foundation for the successes that our women’s basketball team enjoys today. She was there to show them what had to be done, what had to be sacrificed, what had to be given to reach the dreams that you dream. Not that Grant was unique in this you understand, but she was a leader who showed some of the young players then, what mountains had to be climbed and how to climb them.
   Those same athletic and leadership abilities carried over into the other sports in which she competed. In tennis she also earned a couple of letters playing both singles and doubles. And to be honest one of the reasons she played was the school needed her, needed someone that was willing to give their time and abilities to get the program off the ground. Not many of our athletes today would do it, but Grant did back then.
   When volleyball and softball were started guess who was one of the first to line up and volunteer. Knowing that resources at the time were small and that the competition would be tough, Grant was first in line.
   While many of us finish college and disappear for a while, Grant stayed and continues to make our women’s athletic strong. She didn’t kid anyone, she knew she was climbing a steep hill as coach of the tennis and volleyball and softball teams at one time or another. But somebody had to do it, someone had to take a chance, to lay the groundwork, to take the lumps and when no one else would do it, Grant did.
   Even today Grant continues to have a wonderful and magical influence on our women’s programs and all our student athletes. As primary women’s coordinator she is in the forefront of making improvements and changes to make our women’s programs even stronger and in the capacity of compliance officer serves as an interface between the University, NCAA and Conference USA.
   Many of us are cheating ourselves when we don’t take the time to watch our women’s teams at USM compete in volleyball, golf, indoor and outdoor track, cross country, tennis and basketball, because our women student-athletes are some of the best in the country in competition and in the class room.