Full Court Fight
Alex Semadeni
Throughout the entirety of Jayda Clark’s career, her father, Jay, had the same pregame tradition.
He would be one of the first fans to show up to ExtraMile Arena during home games, waiting outside with the most loyal Bronco fans before the doors opened an hour before tipoff. He had a seat to get to, and wanted to make sure he had enough time to claim it before the rest of the Blue and Orange faithful could.
His seat was in section 6, right at the end of the aisle. J24.
“In all of the years since freshman year, my dad would show up to the games literally right when the doors would open,” Jayda, who wears No. 24 for the squad, said. “He did that so he could get his seat and no one ever sat in his seat. It was this little superstition that he had. I always asked, ‘Why do you need to sit there like that?’ and he would say, ‘It's J24. What do you mean? Why wouldn't I sit there?’”
When Boise State women’s basketball takes the floor for senior night on Tuesday, his seat will have a reserved sign, as it has had for a little over a year now. Jay was diagnosed with stage 4 kidney cancer on Nov. 3, 2023 and passed away a little over two months later on Jan. 5, 2024. Right in the middle of the 2023-24 basketball season.
Since his passing, graduate assistant coach Maggie Cornelius, with the help of ExtraMile Arena staff, has reserved the seat for Jay.
“After his passing, Maggie made this reserved sign on the seat for every game for him,” Jayda said. “That just meant a lot to me. It’s definitely hard to look up there and know he’s not there anymore. Having that seat reserved, it’s almost like he’s still there a little bit and no one is taking his seat.”
Unfortunately, Jayda isn’t the only member of the women’s basketball program who has been impacted by the disease. Months after Jay’s passing, guard Dani Bayes returned home to Australia for the summer and was informed that her father, Leon, had also been diagnosed with kidney cancer. Since his diagnosis, he continues to battle the disease back home in Australia while Bayes continues her junior season with the Broncos.
The duo, bonded together by unfortunate circumstance, have leaned on each other, their teammates, coaches and support staff members while dealing with their respective tragedies. As the end of their season draws closer to its conclusion, the duo approached the coaching staff about finding a way to honor their fathers during the game, as March serves as Kidney Cancer Awareness Month. The coaching staff agreed without hesitation.
“This past year or so has easily been the hardest year of my life,” Jayda said. “I literally mean that I wouldn't have been able to get through it without the coaches, my teammates, and all the resources here. I think about it all the time – I definitely was meant to come to Boise State. I just don't know what I would have done or would do still without everyone here. If there is a silver lining to cancer I would say that you really see how much people really do care for you and it definitely makes you feel less alone. My team made me feel like I wasn't alone and I would be okay.”
Dani concurs.
“I could not even describe how much it's meant to me to have so many people surrounding me and just lifting me up in a time that feels so dark and can be so lonely for a lot of people,” Bayes said. “From my teammates supporting me and the coaches supporting me, my family and I are just so grateful for everything that they've done for me. It is a time that can feel really isolating but when you get a second to look around and see everyone that cares for you and is there for you, it means more than words can describe.”
INITIAL DIAGNOSIS
From a young age, Jayda remembers her dad always being in the gym with her. With a passion for weightlifting and bodybuilding, Jay encouraged his daughter to spend as much time in the gym as possible, whether that meant lifting weights or working on her skill set on the hardwood.
“He would take me to the gym almost every day, whether I wanted to or not,” she said.
As she got older, several of her father’s characteristics made an impression on her. He encouraged her to work hard, maintain a strong mental mindset, and practice her faith through action. Most importantly, his presence alone would light up a room. He could easily connect with anyone in his vicinity, with his constant positivity always cheering up those around him.
“My dad probably had the best spirits in the room,” Jayda said. “I don't know how, but he just had a way of making everyone feel comfortable around him and seen. He just knew how to connect with people and I definitely miss that presence in my life.”
Jay’s diagnosis in November of 2023 left her devastated.
“It's obviously a really hard thing to hear,” Jayda said. “Everyone knows that their parents, and anyone older than them, is going to pass at some point. You hear stories about how this person died at such a young age and how horrible it is and stuff, but you never actually think it's going to happen to you. Then it does and it almost feels really unfair. It is difficult and it still is difficult.”
Jay’s health deteriorated over the holiday season and Jayda did not return from the holiday break in early December. She remained with her family during that time at their home in Richland, Wash., missing the team’s first two games of the Mountain West season.
On January 5, 2024, a day before the Broncos were scheduled to face New Mexico in The Pit, Jay passed away.
The team received the information before taking off for Albuquerque in the morning. The news of Jayda’s father passing put an obvious damper on the team morale, with everyone reeling for the Clark family.
The news added to what was an already bleak outlook from a basketball perspective. The Broncos had lost their first two league games and were looking to avoid an 0-3 start in conference play for the first time in Gordy Presnell’s tenure with the program. The Broncos had only one active point guard on the travel squad, as the team just received news that starting point guard Mary Kay Naro wouldn’t be making the trip due to injury, and Clark was obviously spending time with her family.
When the team arrived at The Pit for its scheduled practice block, Presnell began the two-hour window much differently than he usually does. He had every member of the travel party – including assistant coaches and support staff members – sit down at center court. He spoke eloquently to the team about Jayda’s loss, reminding the team that there are a lot of things in life that are much bigger than basketball. He encouraged the team to be the best support system they could possibly be while their grieving teammate was going through the worst moment of her life.
“I remember that speech because it wasn’t about basketball,” Dani said. “It was all about how we can support Jayda. We all came out of it just wanting to do whatever we could do to be there for her.”
Inspired to uphold that challenge, the squad went into action mode at the hotel. Every member of the squad had sent a text to their grief-stricken point guard, but the team went a step further. and decided to don orange ribbons, representing the fight against kidney cancer, in their hair against the Lobos.
Knowing her father’s desire to sit in his patented J24 seat back at ExtraMile Arena, Cornelius, with the help of the New Mexico staff, found a J24 seat in The Pit and created a makeshift reserved sign.
Once the ball tipped off, it was apparent that Boise State wouldn’t lose the game. The Broncos’ first 18 points came from beyond the arc, and the squad used the 3-point barrage to upend the Lobos on their home floor, winning 64-56. Bayes had a career performance in the victory, drilling five 3-pointers to finish with a career-high 21 points.
“I remember I was watching them on my phone,” Jayda said. “It was a big game at New Mexico and I pulled it up and everyone had an orange ribbon in their hair. Then Dani had the game of her life. We were down some people and we won and just played really well. I just got a bunch of texts from my teammates after the game. They sent me a selfie of everyone. It was just really awesome to be able to watch that game. I could just tell that they were fighting and made sure that they won that game for me a little bit.”
Jay’s funeral was two weeks later four hours up the road in Richland, and the team used their weekend off to attend. Jayda rejoined the team after the funeral, and for the remainder of the season, the players wore the orange in their hair while the coaching and support staff members displayed orange ribbons on their chests.
I look forward to the day that we get to see each other again. But until that day, I just want to say thank you. Thank you for who I am today. I would definitely not be near where I am today without the impact that you had on my life. Thank you for being my best friend. And thank you for giving us all something that makes saying goodbye so hard. I count myself very lucky to have been your daughter. I miss you and I love you and I can't wait to see you again someday.”Jayda Clark in a speech at her father's funeral
A SECOND DIAGNOSIS
Following the last week of classes in May, Bayes had her belongings packed and was eager to make the long trek from America back home to Australia.
Immediately when she arrived, her parents informed her that her father was having health issues, which at the time was believed to be gallstones. After further testing ruled gallstones out, he was diagnosed with kidney cancer. A few days later, he was given a 50-50 chance of survival. He was later told that the disease was incurable.
“It’s something that happened so quickly and it was so fast,” Dani said. “I really don't even think I had a chance to process it and I still don't think I have. One week you go from knowing my dad was struggling, but we had no idea about what it was and so you just think everything's normal and fine. Then the next week it's gallstones, and then it's cancer, and then it's 50-50, and then it's incurable.
“I remember exactly hearing that he had a 50-50 chance and just broke down,” Dani said. “I hated the thought of percentages. Looking back, I would do anything now for a 50-50 chance. But in the moment, you just don't know and that's what you hear. Every week it just got worse and worse and worse until they said that it could not be cured.”
The news was tough to swallow. Dani greatly looked up to her father, particularly his determination to muster through any challenge that was thrown his way. No matter what had occurred in his life, he was persistent to get through it, and was intentional about showcasing that mentality to Dani as she grew up.
“I couldn't wrap my head around it and I couldn't understand why this was happening, especially to someone that had already gone through so much and had fought so hard for so much of his life,” Dani said. “Then it feels selfish because it feels unfair. I still don't think I've processed it at all. It all happened so fast.”
Dani informed both her teammates and coaching staff of the situation. When Jayda received the news, her stomach instantly dropped. Knowing too well that mix of emotions that comes with that kind of information, she decided that she would do whatever it took to support her teammate.
“I just remember getting a text from Dani about all of it while she was still in Australia for the summer,” Jayda said. “It just made me sick. I wouldn't wish any of it on my worst enemy. I wish that we didn’t have this commonality, but it has been nice to almost repay the way that she was there for me when I was going through everything. I want to try and kind of give that back to her. In a way it's good, but it's not good. There's a silver lining.”
As her father continued to battle the condition, Dani began dreading the day she would have to make the long jaunt across the ocean back to Boise State. She knew her dad wouldn’t let her remain at home, and right before she left, he made her a promise: he would do everything he could to fight the disease while she continued pursuing her dream in America.
“My dad is a really important aspect of my life right now,” Dani said. “His strength and seeing him fight to be here is so inspiring to me. We made a promise that he would fight through it back home as long as I was over here so it's really important to know that. I know that he wants me here. My mom always says that when he's watching our games he's got the biggest smile on his face. Knowing that I can bring him happiness by doing what I love does give me a sense of comfort. It’s comforting knowing that I'm doing what he wants me to do. I also think with cancer, it is so out of your control. Knowing that I can bring happiness to him and that I control that aspect gives me something to focus on.”
With that in mind, Dani came back to the team with a renewed sense of determination. She realized the opportunity the team had coming into the year, and she showcased strong leadership over the four-week summer period. The coaching staff walked away from the summer session blown away by her improvement.
“Being over here has allowed me to just zone in to our goals here in our season,” Dani said. “One of the reasons why I did come back was because this is a really special group. We have a chance to do something really special. I feel when you are in that situation, and have a team that supports me like they do here, it is easier to kind of focus on the good that is happening.”
Dani credits her teammates, coaching staff and the support staff that the Boise State Athletic Department utilizes in helping her cope with all the tragedy that is going on back at home. She has leaned on Jayda throughout the process, who has been more than willing to be a shoulder to lean on.
“Having someone that has gone through it means a lot,” Dani said. “You’re able to ask questions that some people wouldn’t understand. There's so many mixed emotions with it, so being able to just go to Jayda and ask, ‘Hey, this is how I'm feeling. How did you feel? Did you struggle with this? How do you deal with this?’ She's been super supportive and understanding and it’s just really nice to have someone. It’s a horrible situation for someone to be in and it happened so recently for her. Even though there's so much that she still has to process because she lost her dad so recently, I can sense that she’s there for me and that just means a lot to me. It’s been really great to have her.”
KIDNEY CANCER AWARENESS GAME
A year after her father’s death, Jayda was reflecting on her career in anticipation of her senior night. As one of eight seniors that will be recognized prior to tipoff against Utah State on Tuesday, March 4, in the regular season finale, Jayda realized she wanted to find a way to honor her late father.
After watching various collegiate basketball games on television that featured cancer awareness games, and knowing that March doubled as Kidney Cancer Awareness Month, Jayda approached Dani with an idea. The duo then asked assistant coach Cariann Ramirez if they could do something to honor their fathers during the team’s last home game in March.
“I was just thinking how cool it is to honor people like that and recognize them for something that they've been through and battled through,” Jayda said. “I wanted to do it because it's obviously something that's impacted us and impacted lots of others. We both just wanted to honor our dads in that way. And for me personally, it's senior night. I just wanted to make sure that my dad was part of it in some way. I mean I know that he's there, but physically he's not, so I just wanted to do something for him.”
The result? The final game will double as Kidney Cancer Awareness night. Fans will be encouraged to wear orange, the color that represents the fight against the disease, to support not only the Broncos but those who have been impacted in the fight against kidney cancer. The first 300 fans that show up to the contest will receive an orange wristband and the first 250 fans will get to take home an orange t-shirt in support of kidney cancer awareness.
“I think we just want to raise awareness. If there is someone that we could help in terms of sharing our stories, I think it would mean so much to both of us. Saving someone the pain that we've gone through, and not that the difference is catching it early compared to catching it late, but just being aware of how fast things can change. I think it's really good to raise awareness about it.”Dani Bayes
Kidney Cancer Awareness Night is just one of the many examples that demonstrate how deep the program’s support system runs. All season long, their teammates, coaching staff and support staff members have checked in on the two, but the support runs much deeper than that.
For example, on the one year anniversary of Jay’s death, several of Jayda’s teammates took her out to eat at one of her favorite restaurants. They then drove up to Table Rock while listening to reggae music, Jay’s favorite. Once at Table Rock, they all wrote messages to Jay on a balloon, and then let them go to the night sky.
Bayes is looking forward to playing in a game dedicated to her father. Knowing her dad will be tuned in while fighting the disease across the ocean brings her comfort, and has refocused her mindset to focus on living in the moment.
“If there is anything that this experience has taught both of us is that today is a good day and that is all that matters,” she said. “I think in too much of our life we look forward to what's next, look forward to the weekend, look forward to the vacation we have coming up. This experience has made me realize that the people around you are really what matters and there's always something good to look forward to in every day. The fact that we can be here and we can be in this awesome place in this awesome facility with amazing coaches and amazing teammates is a blessing. I know it means a lot to Jayda and I know it means a lot to me.”
Though both fathers won’t physically be in attendance on Tuesday, their presence will certainly be felt.
“I feel like I could say this for both of us, but we just have a different purpose now with this season,” Jayda said. “This season has been for both of you. We love you.”
“I want to tell my dad that I love him and I miss him,” Dani said. “And I'm really grateful for everything that he has done for me, everything that he's taught me. I want him to know that he means so much to me. I think it's sad that things like this happen, and it makes you realize how many things go unsaid - that's the silver lining of it. But I would just want him to know that I miss him and I love him.”