Mary Kalich scored 1,635 points over her career at Poplar Bluff High School, still first for girls and second all-time only to Tyler Hansbrough. She set the single-season record for the Lady Mules with 707 points and has the single game record as she totaled 45. She also holds the girls record for season average with a mark of 24.3 points per game. [Click to enlarge]

By ALEX ABATE | DAR Sports Writer

Mary Kalich's list of basketball records for Poplar Bluff is quite extensive. Now she is being added to another list as one of the 2008 Poplar Bluff Sports Hall of Fame Inductees.

Kalich, who played varsity basketball for three years for the Lady Mules and ran track and cross country for two seasons before graduating in 1991, is honored to be with such a fine group of athletes.

"I don't even know what to say," Kalich said. "I know Cindy (Chronister) and Tara (Caputo) are in the Hall. They were my idols when I was growing up. Just to be in their company is pretty amazing."

Through her time with the Lady Mules, Kalich set high marks in many categories. She totaled 1,635 points over her career, still first for girls and second all-time only to Tyler Hansbrough. She set the single-season record for the Lady Mules with 707 points and has the single game record as she totaled 45. She also holds the girls record for season average with a mark of 24.3 points per game.

Former coach Cindy Chronister wasn't surprised to hear that Kalich will be inducted.

"Oh no, it was just a matter of her getting to the (minimum) age," Cindy Chronister said. "The women have been breaking down that door the last few years. (I am) just real proud to see her get in there."

Kalich holds the Lady Mules career rebounding record with 668. She also grabbed 290 in a season and set the single game record with 21. She has 719 field goals over the course of her career, logging 286 in one season.

"Mary was just a very, very dedicated individual," Lady Mules coach Kirk Chronister said. "Whatever she was involved in, she was dedicated. She gave 100 percent."

Kalich has 141 more points than Teresa Grimes who is second on the Lady Mules scoring list with 1,494 career points. Kalich has 310 free throws over the course of her career, 135 in her best season and set the single-game mark with 16.

Kalich went on to play at Yale where she set even more records. She set the women's record with 1,663 career points and averaged 16.0 points per game over the course of her career which ranks first in the program's history. Kalich attributes her solid college career in part to the preparation she had through her years with the Lady Mules.

"I think I had a great opportunity and Poplar Bluff definitely prepared me," Kalich said. "(There's) no way I could have dreamed about going to a school like that without all the support and encouragement."

After her playing career at Yale, Kalich had various stints as assistant coaches including working as an assistant for her former coach Cecelia DeMarco. After being an assistant at Yale she was an assistant at New Hampshire University for seven years. Through her time as a coach, Kalich expanded her basketball knowledge.

"There are plusses and minuses to (coaching)," Kalich said. "You get to deal with strategy and decision making and you can critically watch the game, that is good.

"The bad part is that I think you lose a little enthusiasm because you are thinking so much about the strategy."

Kalich started playing basketball at an early age, thanks to her parents, Richard and Patricia, who also taught her the value of hard work and discipline. Her winning attitude at the high school level was great to see.

"It started at home because her parents, the way they raised her is that she could do anything she wanted to do," Cindy Chronister said. "Her work ethic, I wish I could bottle it and sell it. You don't really find that nowadays."

Kalich, who now lives in Kansas, is engaged to her fiancee Simon who has two children, Carlos and Patrice. Kalich works in the retail business said her experiences in sports have transferred to other areas of her life as well.

"You learn so many life skills when you participate in athletics," Kalich said. "Basketball was the first love of my life. When you get older, you start to realize all the little things that being involved as an athlete has taught you -- it teaches you how to be a good teammate."