DES MOINES, Iowa — An East High legend received the honor of a lifetime Saturday when the school renamed its basketball court after former women's basketball coach Sam Powell.
Powell lead East High School to five state tournament appearances during his 15-year tenure with the team. Tiara Mays was part of the group that went to the Des Moines School Board with the proposal to name the court after him.
"We had to look outside what happened in this gymnasium, we had to look at what Coach Powell has done in the community and what his players have done in the community since we graduated. He's had a 100% graduation rate," Mays said.
Despite Powell's game time success, his former players shared that his biggest impacts he made often happened off the court.
"He wanted us to be the best people, okay. He wanted us to know that regardless of everyone's views on us, regardless of circumstances, situations, obstacles, we could always persevere," said Tia Mays, a former East High basketball player.
After hearing from over a dozen former players, fellow coaches and friends, Powell himself took the stage to wrap up the dedication. He told the crowd that the real honor he received wasn't seeing his name on the wooden floor: it was getting to see the impact he'd made through his long career.
"When I see these people that pack the stands, and most often I see my girls coming here beautiful as ever, successful and they embody the things that me and my coaching staff have instilled in them, it just warms my heart. Thank you," Powell said.
In addition to have the court named after him, Powell also received an official recognition from the Iowa House of Representatives presented to him by Rep. Ako Abdul-Samad during the ceremony.