Basketball | 12/9/2021 1:25:00 PM

DENTON, Texas – From Texas Woman's University basketball player to now head basketball coach of her own program, Kam Daily lives her life with positivity, passion and family as her cornerstones.

Originally from Virginia, Daily began her high school basketball career at Centreville High School in Clifton, Virginia before moving to Tomball, Texas, where she played her junior and senior year of basketball at Tomball High School.

Thanks to an open tryout in 2017, Daily said she knew she wanted to become a Pioneer from her first experience on campus.

"I loved the gym," Daily said. "I loved the campus, meeting Coach [Beth] Jillson—it was really just a good experience, almost refreshing. I also liked the academics of the school, which was also important not just to me, but my family as well. Overall, the family vibe I got from the team as well. It felt like a big family."
 
Daily, a forward, played for the Pioneers from 2017 until 2021. During her time at TWU, Daily scored 220 points, grabbed 233 rebounds and recorded 24 blocks.
 
"Kam embodies what it means to be a true servant leader," TWU head coach Beth Jillson said. "Because of her character, she left a huge mark on every person during her time here. She really looked out for everyone on the team, so we all called her Momma Kam, which I think just shows the type of person she truly is—a loyal and loving friend, teammate and player."  
 
Yet, despite all her personal achievements during her four years, Daily said the moments that will "stick with her forever," are the moments where the family aspect of the team was on true display, through their fight and effort to win.
 
"During my junior year at Tarleton State, we came back from being down really bad and we ended up winning," Daily said. "It was just a great game, where we all came together and had to really fight to get the win. It was the first game where we all felt really connected and knew we could be really good. That was one of my favorite games."
 
Because Daily's parents lived four hours from Denton, Texas, Daily said she leaned on her teammates and coaches for support, which made being a Pioneer a special experience.
 
"I was far from home," Daily said. "My team, my coaches and athletic trainers really became people who I confided in and looked at as my family away from my family."
 
After graduating with her undergraduate degree in Kinesiology, with a Sports Management focus in three years, Daily decided to continue her education at TWU by working toward a Master of Science in Kinesiology with a concentration in Coaching, which she will graduate with this weekend, Dec. 10, 2021.
 
While earning her Master's Degree, Daily said she really worked hard to balance her time between her studies and basketball, personifying the true strengths of a student-athlete.
 
"It was definitely a challenge trying to get used to graduate level courses, especially in the COVID year for our season," Daily said. "Our season was really all over the place because last year we were in quarantine so much, so it was really crazy trying to figure out a balance. Once I found the right study times, it made it easier to be able to get my work done and be able to focus on basketball. It's really about balancing your time and figuring out what works best for you."
 
On December 8, 2021, Daily was named the Interim Head Coach of the Women's Basketball team at Cisco College in Cisco, TX, after previously serving as the team's Head Assistant.
 
Daily said she fell in love with the game of basketball early on in her life and she wanted to make it her mission to spread her love of the game to others through coaching.

"I love the game of basketball, because it was always there for me and was always a stress reliever," Daily said. "I was always able to go play basketball and relax, learn new things and hang out with my friends and teammates. It's been fun to continue to learn the game and develop my skills."
 
As a coach, Daily said she wants to translate the importance of a family culture to her team at Cisco, a value she learned while playing for Coach Jillson at TWU.
 
"There are a lot of things that I think translate for me as a coach from TWU to Cisco," Daily said. "Coach Jillson taught us— build yourself, so you can build a team around you and be better on the floor. I am trying to educate my girls about how important it is to be a team and be a family, because it translates to the court and how well you play with each other."
 
In hopes of inspiring the next generation of basketball players through her coaching and imparting of wisdom, Daily said the biggest lesson she preaches to young athletes is the value of hard work and having a support system.
 
"Work hard, stay positive and use your friends, family and teammates as a support system, because you never truly realize how much they are there for you," Daily said.
 
Daily's ultimate dream—become a Division I basketball coach. Equipped with knowledge and passion for the game, Daily steps boldly onto the path to her dream, confident she will succeed because of the support and experiences she gained while a Pioneer.