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Prior to 1972, there were few opportunities for females athletes to participate in interscholastic athletics. Young girls, who showed interest in sports, usually honed their skills in pick-up games involving brothers and friends. Mary Kay Knechtges had the good fortune of having two older brothers in Dick and Don who encouraged her and included her in such games; especially when an additional player was needed to “make a team”. She proved to be quite competitive and was seldom picked last. At Midview High School, Mary Kay played basketball which was played solely on an intramural basis and softball and track and field, interscholastically. She excelled at all of them. She led the Midview girl’s softball team to a conference championship and won the softball throw at the County Track Meet. She entered Bowling Green State University after graduation from MHS and performed on the basketball court and in softball, winning three letters in each sport. Mary Kay received a degree in physical and health education from BG in 1967 and took a position with L’Anse Creuse High School in Harrison Township, Michigan as a Physical Education and English teacher that became a thirty-six year career. In addition to her teaching duties, at L’Anse Creuse, she coached the varsity cheerleaders, started the girl’s basketball program and coached the varsity softball team. Her basketball teams won 154 games and lost 23, winning 8 league, 4 district, 3 regional, 2 state semi-finals and 1 state championship. In addition her JV teams won 89 and lost 47 games. Her coaching accolades are numerous. Among the most noteworthy are: in 1978, she was named “Michigan Coach of the Year” by the Detroit Free Press; Basketball Coach of the Year in 1980 by the Michigan High School Coaches Association and to the Macomb County Coaches Hall of Fame in 1997. In 2003, L’Anse Creuse High School honored her by naming the basketball court “Coach K’s Court”, and in 2005 she was elected to the Michigan Coaches Hall of Fame. Mary Kay Knechteges was a pioneer for women’s athletics at every level of her participation. Mary Kay Knechtges lives in Clinton Township, Michigan, and is the Athletic facilitator and assistant softball coach at L’Anse Creuse High School.
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