Changing lives was a common theme among the four people – three standouts associated with Wayland Baptist's track and field program and one of the most decorated players in the history of the Flying Queens – who were inducted into the WBU Athletics Hall of Honor on Saturday morning at the Pete and Nelda Laney Center.
Decorated track and field and cross country coach Rick Beelby, 13-time all-American and five-time national champion middle-distance runner Kisute Kiboko, nine-time all-American and decathlon school-record holder Rodney Wallace, and No. 2 all-time Flying Queens scorer Hazel Taylor were inducted as the 22
nd class into the Hall of Honor, which now includes 83 members.
With close to 100 people in attendance, WBU Athletics Director
Rick Cooper introduced each inductee, briefly telling about each of their accomplishments.
"Did I do all that? That you very much for reminding me," joked Kiboko, an 18-year veteran of the U.S. Navy who traveled from Tokyo, Japan, where he is currently stationed on board the USS George Washington.
Kiboko went on to tell about how Wayland changed his life, allowing him a chance to come to the United States from Tanzania and earn a degree. He said he and his parents could hardly believe it when in 1986 they saw the letter from then coach John Creer offering Kiboko a track scholarship. When Kiboko told his school principal about offer, the principal told him, "Son, you are very, very lucky."
Kiboko thanked Creer, who was inducted into the HOH in 2009, along with Beelby, who coached him his final year at Wayland, and all of his professors.
"There are no words to explain my appreciation," he said. "I truly believe, if not for Wayland, I would not be where I am today."
Wallace also spoke about how Wayland changed the path of his life and how it's been a "journey of faith," starting with how Beelby offered him a scholarship without seeing him run or compete. Wallace said he was more interested in wrestling and football while going to high school in Arizona, but he said his uncle – and God – had different plans.
"My uncle said it was my choice, but that I was going to run track," Wallace said, adding that "God brought me to Plainview to get a plain view of him. I was trying to be the author of my own life, but through Wayland I met God – the most important thing – and I met my wife."
Not only was Wallace a success on the track during his time at Wayland from 1991-96, but he was considered a role model on campus, earning awards for leadership and citizenship.
"Sometimes people don't read the Bible, they read you," he said.
A veteran math teacher who is in his first year as assistant principal at Estacado Junior High, Wallace thanked everyone who had a hand in his success, including his personal and church families.
"Hard work pays off," he concluded.
Beelby, who won two indoor national track and field championships along with two runner-up and four third-place finishes from 1998-2001, spoke of his appreciation to the entire Wayland family and especially to the student-athletes he coached.
As evidenced by both Kiboko and Wallace, he said, "They were great athletes on the track but also great in the arena of life."
The former coach who is now director of the physical activity program at Howard Payne University in Brownwood got choked up as he recalled his relationship with his student-athletes.
"The interaction with athletes was beyond competition," he said. "You see down times and up times, and you get to see all of those relationships. It's great to be a coach."
Taylor, who despite playing just three years at Wayland wound up only 15 points shy of the all-time Flying Queens scoring record, recalled how in 1996 she hesitated to leave Trinidad & Tobago to come to the Texas Panhandle to play basketball, in part because she had a 3-year-old daughter. But coach Johnna Pointer eventually talked her into it.
"I had some great years at Wayland, and some great teammates," said Taylor, who works as a Wal-Mart sales associate in Lubbock.
She said she still treasures the friendships she created during her time here, especially with Pointer and her family.
"Thank you for putting up with me," she told her former coach and professors. "Thank you from the bottom of my heart."
