The moment she told the team she had cancer, Auburn women's golf head coach Kim Evans said she assured her players she would return.
Evans was diagnosed in May 2013 and underwent surgery to remove a cyst on her left ovary. The cyst was later determined to be cancerous, and Evans was diagnosed with ovarian cancer.
Evans has been cancer free since October.
Evans led the Tigers to eight SEC Championships and 14 NCAA Championship appearances while compiling a 2,434-850-42 record as Auburn's head golf coach.
Evans said she believes it is helpful to have someone other than yourself when trying to recover from cancer.
Making Auburn her healing place and having people in her life who cared about her helped, Evans said.
"I had an amazing group of friends and family to help me through it," Evans said. "The Auburn Family just kind of circled around me and supported me through it. Just knowing that there was always someone there for me helped."
Evans has a great relationship with her players, according to associate head coach Andrew Pratt.
"She treats them like they are her daughters, but they are still her players and she expects a lot out of them," Pratt said.
Auburn sophomore Alex Harrell said she is excited to start the 2014-15 season under the guidance of Evans, whose strength and willpower has taught Harrell to never give up.
"She wasn't going to let it beat her," Harrell said. "She was going to beat it."
Evans tells her players not to take life too seriously, but enjoy the short time they have here.
When her golfers start thinking about something too hard on the golf course, Evans will sing to them, Harrell said.
"Anything that pops in her head," Harrell said. "She may not even get the lyrics right, but she'll sing it."
One of Auburn's best performances last year was in February when the team placed fourth overall at the Annual Lady Puerto Rico Classic.
Much of the team's performance was attributed to Evans returning and the girls motivation to play well for her again, Pratt said.
Evans is feeling good these days. She rests, eats and exercises as much as she can tries to enjoy herself every second of every day.
"I value everyday stuff more than I ever dreamed now," Evans said.
Taking it a day at a time and looking forward to the season, she is seeing how much stronger she can continue to get.
The day Evans discovered she had cancer, she said wasn't sure which way it was going to go, but she knew every day was worth living.
"She's a head coach, but at the same time, she's just an incredible lady," Pratt said.
Evans, a legendary coach who has spent over 20 years as Auburn's women's golf coach, returned last spring and is ready to start the 2014-15 season with her players and staff.
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