Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski honored with ‘Coach K Highway’ :: WRALSportsFan.com
Durham, N.C. — There are a lot of signs in Cameron Indoor Stadium. Banners, decals, more banners, but it’s a new one that brought former Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski back on Friday afternoon.
“Coach K Highway” will run down a stretch of NC 751 and Cameron Blvd. A chunk of road he drove when going into work at Duke for so many years.
“I’m wondering if they would have put my whole name on it, would I have gotten a bigger highway, one that had more than two lanes!” Krzyzewski laughed during his speech. He even made a promise.
“There will be no toll booths on Coach K highway,” he proclaimed.
State and city officials, including N.C. Board of Transportation’s Landon Zimmer, Duke University President Vincent Price, U.S. House of Representative member Valerie Foushee, City of Durham Mayor Leonardo Williams, President and CEO of the Emily K Center Adam Eigenrauch, Secretary of the N.C. Department of Transporation Joey Hopkins and Governor Roy Cooper took part in the ceremony.
One thing was made clear, this sign isn’t just for Krzyzewski’s legacy on the court.
“What I know him mostly by is how committed he is to changing that one little kids life, who may have been presented with circumstances beyond their control that are mostly set up to fail,” City of Durham Mayor Leonardo Williams.
Krzyzewski looked to the work the Emily Krzyzewski Center has done over the years, helping to educate young people in Durham. K may not have been born here, but he says he feels like he’s from here.
“This is our home, and it’s been our home for 44 years, we’ve raised our family here, our grandkids, our three daughters have raised their kids here and so you’re honored by your hometown,” Krzyzewski said.
Even though his name is on the sign, Coach K says this isn’t just him.
“You know we’re a summation of the people how have had an influence on us. I’ve had great people in my life, starting with my mom, dad and my brother, my wife,” Krzyzewski reflected. “This is about our family, but it’s also about the great teams that we’ve been on, that bring the community up. Hopefully when people come into our community using this part of the highway, it’ll make our community better, and when they leave, they’ll feel like they’ve been in an amazing community.”
The “Coach K Highway” sign is now being displayed on both ends of NC 751 and Cameron Blvd.
Source: wralsportsfan.com