United Athletic Conference

DENVER - After 25 years as Supervisor of Women's Basketball Officials for the Western Athletic Conference, Kaye Garms has announced her retirement, effective June 30, 2015.

Garms joined the WAC staff in July of 1990 and assigned officials for all WAC women's basketball home games, working extensively in identification, recruitment and development of new officials while enhancing training and evaluation of veteran officials.

“Kaye not only has been an invaluable member of the conference staff, she is one of the most highly respected individuals in women's basketball in the country,” said WAC commissioner Jeff Hurd. “Her countless contributions to the WAC will be greatly missed and we wish her the very best. She always will be a part of the WAC.”

She was honored last fall as the Naismith Women's College Official of the Year, which is presented to individuals “who display character, integrity and dignity, and have contributed mightily to the growth, success and viability of college basketball.”

A pioneer-era player in women's basketball, Garms was a four-year member of the Wayland Baptist Flying Queens from 1954-58, when women's collegiate teams played in the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU). Her teams went an astounding 131-1 and won four AAU national titles during her career. Garms was an AAU All-American in 1956 and 1957 and was co-captain and MVP of the Flying Queens in 1957-58.

In 2013, she and her teammates were recognized as “Trailblazers of the Game” by the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame. Individually, Garms was inducted into the Wayland Athletic Hall of Honor in 1996.

Garms earned a bachelor's degree in physical education and history at Wayland and earned a master's degree in education from the University of Oklahoma. She then began a 33-year teaching and coaching career, spending 25 years as a physical education instructor and girls basketball and track and field coach for Jefferson County (Colo.) Public Schools.

Garms was selected to officiate the first 15 state girls basketball tournaments and was assigned to 12 state championship games in Colorado from 1975 until her retirement in 1991.

On the collegiate level, Garms worked the 1990 NCAA Division II women's championship game, the 1989 and 1990 NCAA Division II Regional Tournament and the 1989 Division I Women's Midwest Regional. From 1987-89, she served as an NAIA Tournament official, officiating the championship game all three years.

In 1995, Garms was the first woman official to be inducted into the National High School Sports Hall of Fame. She received the Dorothy Mauk Pioneer Award from the Sportswomen of Colorado in 1983, and was inducted into the Colorado High School Activities Association Hall of Fame in 1991 and the Colorado Coaches of Girls Sports Hall of Fame in 2005.

QUOTES ON KAYE GARM'S RETIREMENT

Karl Benson, Former WAC Commissioner
“Kaye Garms is one of the living legends of women's basketball in the U.S. and the WAC is so lucky to have her as part of its history as well.”

Patty Broderick, Coordinator for the Women's Basketball Officiating Consortium
“As someone who refereed with Kaye in her last game as an official, I can tell you that as an official she made it an environment where basketball players could showcase their talents, but also have a good time. She was always friendly, made people comfortable and was a player's ref, which is rare. Her whole life has revolved around basketball and teaching and that served her so well in her 25 years as a coordinator. No one will ever compare to Kaye.”

Sally Bell, Coordinator of Women's Basketball Officials (SEC, Sun Belt, Southland, SWAC, A-Sun and OVC)
“Kaye has meant so much to women's basketball. It has been her life's passion and her gift to our game. From her legendary playing career at Wayland Baptist, her NCAA refereeing career, her Coordinator's career, the 2014 Nasmith award winner - she was and is the best of the best! I'm fortunate to have worked with Kaye for many years, but more blessed to call her friend.”

Melissa Barlow, WAC Women's Basketball Official
“We will greatly miss Kaye's leadership - she has meant so much to basketball and to the WAC and her vast experience made us all better. I have learned so much from Kaye over the 20-plus years that we have worked together, not just about basketball and how to be a better official, but more importantly, about life and how to be a better person. There is no greater role model for both of those things than Kaye Garms. Congratulations on your retirement Kaye!”

Lisa Jones, WAC Women's Basketball Official
“Kaye has been an inspiration to me on and off the court. She has been a mentor and supervisor, but also a friend. As a former referee, she absolutely understood our point of view and demonstrated a great balance with correcting errors made on the floor and supporting her officials. Not much, if anything, made it by Kaye. Her genuineness, compassion and wit can never be replaced.”