News

On October 7, Newton Country Day’s College Counseling and Athletics Departments co-hosted a conversation with Kathy Delaney-Smith in the Sweeney-Husson Theatre. Delaney-Smith shared lessons from her 40-year career as the head coach for Harvard Women’s Basketball, providing Newton Country Day parents and caregivers with a deep understanding of the college admissions landscape, the student-athlete experience, and the impact of parental support on the hearts and minds of young athletes.

A Newton native herself, Delaney-Smith opened her talk by explaining the connection between her personal mission, the overarching theme of her book Grit and Wit: Empowering Lives and Leaders, and the mission of Newton Country Day. “I have spent my entire professional life empowering girls and women. It’s why I was put on this earth,” she shared. “Your mantra here is ‘Courage and Confidence,’ and that's what I wrote a book about.”

Drawing from her decades of experience mentoring student-athletes on and off the court, Delaney-Smith shared her belief that the court, field, or track is the greatest classroom in the world. Athletes, whether starting the game or sitting on the bench, have opportunities every day to practice resilience, leadership, teamwork, and accountability. “Where else can you practice leadership, succeeding and failing, communication skills, and pushing yourself to your limits daily? There's no other environment where you can work on these skills, fail, and get up tomorrow morning and try again,” she explained. 

Delaney-Smith also spoke candidly about her unconventional journey to becoming an Ivy League basketball coach. She never played college basketball herself, instead opting for synchronized swimming, as it was one of the only sports offered to women at her school. But a mantra she continues to keep in mind today, and encourages athletes to use, helped her land the job: act as if. She explained that you must act as if you have the skills, attitude, and confidence to ace the interview, be the star player, or get accepted into your dream school. “It’s not pretending,” she explained. “It’s choosing to show up with intention.”

While confidence and intention are essential, Delaney-Smith reminded the audience that true success requires something deeper: balance. She encouraged the parents and caregivers in attendance to teach this lesson to their children. Colleges like Harvard, she said, look for students who are “more than one-dimensional”—those who pursue various interests and passions with equal curiosity and commitment. She implored parents and caregivers to let their daughters explore and be imperfect at the things that interest them. “Perfect is boring,” she emphasized. “Encourage your daughters to take risks, to laugh at their mistakes…When you stop trying to be perfect, you make room for courage,” she said. 

The event highlighted the shared commitment of the College Counseling and Athletics departments to the holistic development of Newton Country Day students. Delaney-Smith reminded the audience that, on and off the court, “with a little time management, a lot of hard work, and plenty of Courage and Confidence, you will be your best self.”