DENVER — For Alice "Cookie" Barron, basketball runs through her core.
"I loved sports I think from the day that I was born, so I competed four years in high school," Barron said.
That was at a time when girls were not permitted to play high school sports in most states. The Texas-native was then recruited on a full scholarship to play hoops at Wayland Baptist College for the Flying Queens -- a historic run for the program.
"We didn't lose a game for all three years that I was there," she said. "Sure came close."
An accomplishment that earned those teams "Trailblazer" awards in the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2019. But that wasn't the only trail she'd blaze throughout her 87 years.
"In order to make change, you can't just complain about it, you have to go about a proper way to make changes," Barron said.
To do that, Barron moved to Colorado with fellow Flying Queens player Kaye Garms and worked in athletic administration, despite having no previous experience. She worked her way into becoming the first woman in the Colorado Athletic Director's Association with the goal to bring girls' athletics to the forefront, all before the federally passed Title IX.
"So I was fortunate enough to be in the Jefferson County Schools that was a very progressive school district," Barron said. "They wanted girls to have athletics -- most people wanted girls to have athletics, but not all people, there were a few bumps in the road -- but the board did, and the superintendent did, and my boss did."
But Barron was one tough cookie. She persisted until all girls had the opportunity to play high school sports in Colorado until her retirement in 1990. Her accomplishments in administration earned her spots in the National High School Sports Hall of Fame, the Colorado High School Activities Association Hall of Fame, and the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association Hall of Fame.
"I just felt like it was the right thing to do and why wouldn't they want it? I knew that I had a wonderful time and it was a life-changing thing for me and it's been my lifelong ambition to be in athletics," she said.
Barron will return to Knoxville this June for the second time, earning her second Women's Basketball Hall of Fame honor and her first as an individual. This time, she will be honored as a veteran player and recognized for the lifetime of achievements and contributions she's made to the game.
"I was very shocked and surprised that I was nominated. I knew I was a pretty good athlete, but to be selected as one of the top athletes in the veteran category, and the work I've done, it might be because this is the year that Title IX is celebrating 50 years, and that's the only thing I can think of."
Barron will be honored alongside fellow Colorado legend, Becky Hammon, who played her collegiate career for Colorado State before making history as the first woman to coach an NBA Game.
The other honorees are: Debbie Antonelli (Contributor), Doug Bruno (Coach), DeLisha Milton-Jones (Player), Paul Sanderford (Coach), Bob Schneider (Coach) and Penny Taylor (International Player).
The 2022 class will be inducted on June 11 in Knoxville, Tennessee.
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