Robert Kirby, the assistant coach for the men's basketball team at the University of Memphis, never had any intention of becoming a coach. In fact, his early career in coaching began after being hounded by one of his coaches his senior year of college.
Kirby had two weeks left at Three Rivers Community College in Poplar Bluff, Mo., when his assistant coach called and tried to offer him his job, because he was about to resign. Kirby declined his offer. He already had a contract to play basketball overseas after he graduated, but his assistant coach did not give up.
"He called me a third time and about cussed me out," Kirby said. "He said, 'Hell, Robert, you can try it for a year, and if you don't like it, you can always go play.'"
While his coach was calling, Kirby was trying to prepare for his final exams to wrap up his final semester. After studying vigorously and taking his first exam, Kirby walked into his next exam with heavy eyelids.
"I slept through the whole exam," Kirby said. "I was just completely knocked out."
Kirby talked to his professor earlier that semester, so she knew how busy he had been with other responsibilities that semester. His professor told him that he could retake the exam in two weeks, but the rescheduled test conflicted with his overseas contract.
"I was begging her to let me retake the exam earlier, and she said, 'My bags are packed, my car is outside, and I'm going on vacation. If you want to pass this class, you can retake it in two weeks,'" Kirby said. "I saw her again in two weeks."
Since Kirby had to stay to retake his test, he lost his contract and ended up taking an assistant coaching position at Arkansas College.
After his start at Arkansas College, Kirby coached at the University of Arkansas Little Rock, Georgetown University, Mississippi State, Louisiana State University and the University of Houston.
Kirby, a native of Memphis, started visiting home more often after his sister was diagnosed with kidney failure. One of her kidneys had completely failed and the other was deteriorating, too. Their mother died years ago at the age of 68 due to kidney failure and complications with Lupus after she refused a transplant from all of her children.
"So, after what had happened with my mother, when my sister's complication came up, it wasn't a matter of 'would I' but 'could I,'" Kirby said.
Kirby's sister, Virginia Kirk, was never surprised by his willingness to help.
"He's always been - if I can say this - the perfect child," Kirk said. "I was always like a second mother to all the other brothers and sisters, and he never ever gave me any trouble."
Kirby's family was very supportive of his decision, and there was never a question of whether or not he would do the transplant, Kirk said.
"He's a coach, so his health is important to him," she said. "He was so willing to help that he gave up a part of his life."
During the three-year process of preparing for the transplant, Kirby took the job as assistant coach for the men's basketball team at the U of M in May 2013.
Kirby underwent surgery in early October and said he immediately witnessed a huge turnover in his sister's health.
"Sometimes when you get wrapped up in what you are doing every day, you don't think about some of the little things that mean more in the whole scheme of life. To actually see my sister two days after the surgery - the 360 degree turnaround in her health and the color of her skin - there's no question about it," he said. "It was well worth it."
Kirby is still recovering, but he is now back at work and dealing with the challenges of coaching his first season at the U of M.
"This is the only profession that I know of that the highs never outweigh the lows," Kirby said. "You can go 38 and 1, win the national championship, and you enjoy that moment, but then it disappears and that one loss eats at you like cancer in your stomach."
