Temple University Athletics
DeSean celebrated his fourth birthday at the Owls' game vs. Cincinnati with his mother Mykea & Hooter
The Impact of One Family on Another
3.5.14 | Women's Basketball
Ed LeFurge, Communications Intern
The relationship between players and fans is usually nothing more than fans watching the players' performances on the court; however, for the Temple women's basketball team, things are a little different.
The Mckill family, natives to North Philadelphia, started attending Temple's games last fall. The family, made up of grandmother Karen, daughters Mykea and Myia, and grandson DeSean, have yet to miss a home game.
"We came during the preseason, which was one of the free games, and ever since then we started coming," said Mykea, the 22-year-old mother of DeSean.
After a difficult year, the family sought an outlet, and the Owls seemed like the right fit.
"We lost two family members last year, and my daughter Mykea was trying to get me out, because I was getting depressed after losing family," Karen said.
As the season went on, both the team and the Mckill family grew closer. The Mckills enjoyed being around the players so much that DeSean decided to have his fourth birthday party at the Liacouras Center when the Owls hosted Cincinnati last month.
"He was excited that I had it there. It was his first time in the Liacouras Center," Mykea said, "He was so amazed with all the lights, and when they said his name on the loud speaker, he was just so excited."
DeSean was in for a real birthday surprise as he spoke with the Temple cheerleaders, Hooter, members of the team, and even head coach Tonya Cardoza.
"The cheerleaders came over and sang happy birthday to him. They made us feel so special honoring his birthday," Karen said, "Even when we give up for them, they gave back to us on his fourth birthday, and made it more intimate and more special to us.
"He met with the coaches, and Tonya was so nice. They had lost that day, and he told Tonya, 'Please don't be mad at my best friends'. She said, 'Okay, I'm not going to be mad at your best friends, not today.' So she really made him feel special on his birthday."
It's not only the Mckill family who love to be around the players, the players enjoy it, too.
"To know that he looks up to most of us on the team, makes us feel good. Everyone on the team loves him, every time we see him, we hug him, play around with him," said freshman guard Feyonda Fitzgerald, "He just brings joy to us. Whenever we see him, it just gives us a good mood and makes us want to go out and make him happy."
"It's definitely a great thing to see DeSean's smiling face all the time, just jumping up and down, just always happy, just bringing that positive energy to us," added senior forward Natasha Thames.
After every game, DeSean and his friends head onto the court to run around and play. While on the court, the kids pretend that they are members of the team, often arguing over who gets to be whom.
"I wanna be T," shouts one little girl, excited to be junior guard Tyonna Williams.
"No, I wanna be T," shouts another child as they jump up and down.
But no matter what, DeSean always has to be his favorite player, as he says cheerfully, "I love Mo!" referring to sophomore guard Monaye Merritt.
"That means a lot. Growing up, we all have favorite players, no matter what sport it was, or even if it wasn't a sport, you had someone that you looked up to, and to be that for someone else, to be that role model, that feels amazing," said Merritt, "I know I'm doing something right to have someone who looks up to me."
The surprises kept coming for DeSean on his special day, as the players gave him his favorite present of all as the Owls, along with his friends, packed his house for the Ninja Turtle themed birthday party.
"It was fun. We were all dressed up and dancing around. We had an amazing time," said Merritt. "His mother and grandmother are really generous, and you know it's great to have fans like that."
DeSean couldn't believe his 'best friends' came over to his house.
"He was overwhelmed and full of excitement," his mother said.
As the season came to a close, it came to the point where the Mckills relied on the Owls, not to get a big win over an opponent, but to teach them.
"They are our babies. They have brought me a long way from when I lost my family, and they opened their hearts to us," Karen said. "When my grandmom passed, and my godfather passed, they made us feel like we were one of them, like we were on the team. I will always be so grateful to them. They opened their arms to me, and just the overwhelming love that we had from them was a special thing."
It's not only way the Owls accepted this family as part of their own, but it's how the Owls taught this family to overcome and persevere.
"They might get knocked down, they get right back up and shake it off," Karen added. "They taught me how it's okay when things are down, you're a being human, because you are hurting. They hurt everyday when they fall and hit their head, but they get back up; it's going to be okay, and that's what they taught me.
"They mean love, family. They just make us feel whole. Even them walking by right now gives me the chills."
Not only have the Owls impacted Karen, but Mykea as well.
"When I see them play so hard, and they get punched, pushed, and fall on the floor, then get right back up, they show me not to give up and enjoy life," Mykea said, "Everything that they do, the places they go, and everything that they see, they're just so grateful and so humble."
Because of their actions, the Owls have impacted this family tremendously, and the team is proud to be able to do such a powerful thing.
"It's a great feeling to know that the team can have a big effect on their family. The fact that the way we play, or what we do on the court makes them happy, it makes us happy," said Fitzgerald.
Thames was almost speechless when she found out just how big of an impact the team has had on the Mckills.
"That's really deep, I didn't know we had that impact on somebody. That's definitely an amazing thing," she said.
Not only was the team proud to be able to help the Mckills, but they also loved having the family out to support them.
"It means a lot to us, because there is somebody who is going to be there no matter what. It's not just gameday, his mom works here (at the Frut Bar in McGonigle Hall), so we see him all the time," said Merritt. "We've built a bond with that entire family, and that's really fun."
"That's awesome! People like that, that's just special. When you know that you have an impact on someone, good or bad, rain or shine, the fact that they are still their supporting you, you need people like that in your corner, knowing that they'll always be there for you. I'm glad we have people like that," Cardoza said.
As always, Coach Cardoza was proud of her players and praised them for their outstanding character.
"That means that we're doing a good job making sure that our kids understand that it's not always about them but making someone else feel good about themselves," Cardoza said. "That's something that we try to convey to them, to get out and do community service, to be good people, and good role models. Sometimes just going out of your way to make someone else feel good goes a long way."
It's clear that the Owls took the lessons taught by their head coach, and made an impact on the Mckill family. Both the family and the team look forward to having each other next season.
The relationship between players and fans is usually nothing more than fans watching the players' performances on the court; however, for the Temple women's basketball team, things are a little different.
The Mckill family, natives to North Philadelphia, started attending Temple's games last fall. The family, made up of grandmother Karen, daughters Mykea and Myia, and grandson DeSean, have yet to miss a home game.
"We came during the preseason, which was one of the free games, and ever since then we started coming," said Mykea, the 22-year-old mother of DeSean.
After a difficult year, the family sought an outlet, and the Owls seemed like the right fit.
"We lost two family members last year, and my daughter Mykea was trying to get me out, because I was getting depressed after losing family," Karen said.
As the season went on, both the team and the Mckill family grew closer. The Mckills enjoyed being around the players so much that DeSean decided to have his fourth birthday party at the Liacouras Center when the Owls hosted Cincinnati last month.
"He was excited that I had it there. It was his first time in the Liacouras Center," Mykea said, "He was so amazed with all the lights, and when they said his name on the loud speaker, he was just so excited."
DeSean was in for a real birthday surprise as he spoke with the Temple cheerleaders, Hooter, members of the team, and even head coach Tonya Cardoza.
"The cheerleaders came over and sang happy birthday to him. They made us feel so special honoring his birthday," Karen said, "Even when we give up for them, they gave back to us on his fourth birthday, and made it more intimate and more special to us.
"He met with the coaches, and Tonya was so nice. They had lost that day, and he told Tonya, 'Please don't be mad at my best friends'. She said, 'Okay, I'm not going to be mad at your best friends, not today.' So she really made him feel special on his birthday."
It's not only the Mckill family who love to be around the players, the players enjoy it, too.
"To know that he looks up to most of us on the team, makes us feel good. Everyone on the team loves him, every time we see him, we hug him, play around with him," said freshman guard Feyonda Fitzgerald, "He just brings joy to us. Whenever we see him, it just gives us a good mood and makes us want to go out and make him happy."
"It's definitely a great thing to see DeSean's smiling face all the time, just jumping up and down, just always happy, just bringing that positive energy to us," added senior forward Natasha Thames.
After every game, DeSean and his friends head onto the court to run around and play. While on the court, the kids pretend that they are members of the team, often arguing over who gets to be whom.
"I wanna be T," shouts one little girl, excited to be junior guard Tyonna Williams.
"No, I wanna be T," shouts another child as they jump up and down.
But no matter what, DeSean always has to be his favorite player, as he says cheerfully, "I love Mo!" referring to sophomore guard Monaye Merritt.
"That means a lot. Growing up, we all have favorite players, no matter what sport it was, or even if it wasn't a sport, you had someone that you looked up to, and to be that for someone else, to be that role model, that feels amazing," said Merritt, "I know I'm doing something right to have someone who looks up to me."
The surprises kept coming for DeSean on his special day, as the players gave him his favorite present of all as the Owls, along with his friends, packed his house for the Ninja Turtle themed birthday party.
"It was fun. We were all dressed up and dancing around. We had an amazing time," said Merritt. "His mother and grandmother are really generous, and you know it's great to have fans like that."
DeSean couldn't believe his 'best friends' came over to his house.
"He was overwhelmed and full of excitement," his mother said.
As the season came to a close, it came to the point where the Mckills relied on the Owls, not to get a big win over an opponent, but to teach them.
"They are our babies. They have brought me a long way from when I lost my family, and they opened their hearts to us," Karen said. "When my grandmom passed, and my godfather passed, they made us feel like we were one of them, like we were on the team. I will always be so grateful to them. They opened their arms to me, and just the overwhelming love that we had from them was a special thing."
It's not only way the Owls accepted this family as part of their own, but it's how the Owls taught this family to overcome and persevere.
"They might get knocked down, they get right back up and shake it off," Karen added. "They taught me how it's okay when things are down, you're a being human, because you are hurting. They hurt everyday when they fall and hit their head, but they get back up; it's going to be okay, and that's what they taught me.
"They mean love, family. They just make us feel whole. Even them walking by right now gives me the chills."
Not only have the Owls impacted Karen, but Mykea as well.
"When I see them play so hard, and they get punched, pushed, and fall on the floor, then get right back up, they show me not to give up and enjoy life," Mykea said, "Everything that they do, the places they go, and everything that they see, they're just so grateful and so humble."
Because of their actions, the Owls have impacted this family tremendously, and the team is proud to be able to do such a powerful thing.
"It's a great feeling to know that the team can have a big effect on their family. The fact that the way we play, or what we do on the court makes them happy, it makes us happy," said Fitzgerald.
Thames was almost speechless when she found out just how big of an impact the team has had on the Mckills.
"That's really deep, I didn't know we had that impact on somebody. That's definitely an amazing thing," she said.
Not only was the team proud to be able to help the Mckills, but they also loved having the family out to support them.
"It means a lot to us, because there is somebody who is going to be there no matter what. It's not just gameday, his mom works here (at the Frut Bar in McGonigle Hall), so we see him all the time," said Merritt. "We've built a bond with that entire family, and that's really fun."
"That's awesome! People like that, that's just special. When you know that you have an impact on someone, good or bad, rain or shine, the fact that they are still their supporting you, you need people like that in your corner, knowing that they'll always be there for you. I'm glad we have people like that," Cardoza said.
As always, Coach Cardoza was proud of her players and praised them for their outstanding character.
"That means that we're doing a good job making sure that our kids understand that it's not always about them but making someone else feel good about themselves," Cardoza said. "That's something that we try to convey to them, to get out and do community service, to be good people, and good role models. Sometimes just going out of your way to make someone else feel good goes a long way."
It's clear that the Owls took the lessons taught by their head coach, and made an impact on the Mckill family. Both the family and the team look forward to having each other next season.
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