John Calipari makes trip to Dawson Springs to stress community will not be left behind

John Calipari has gone out of his way to ensure the Dawson Springs community is not left behind. Following the Dec. 10, 2021 tornado that killed over 70 people in Western Kentucky and 13 in Dawson Springs, the Kentucky head basketball coach made two separate trips to the area — one a few short weeks after the disaster, then again in April — along with inviting the Dawson Springs High School boys and girls basketball teams to Lexington to watch the Wildcats practice.

And then on Thursday, a return trip to Dawson Springs, this time to watch the DSHS Panthers take on 2024 four-star guard Travis Perry and his Lyon County Lyons. Sure, he wanted to see the in-state standout play, a recruit he offered last summer. But he could’ve seen him play anywhere at any time.

Calipari wanted to see that matchup in that gym, one with just six rows of bleachers on each sideline. In that community.

Again, an opportunity to show those in the area they won’t be forgotten.

“Their basketball team sends me a video prior to every game, wishing my team and me luck,” Calipari said during his call-in radio show Monday evening. “Mickey Blue, their coach, is a great guy and wanted me to come down to a game while they were playing Lyon County so I could go down and see a young man that I wanted to see — who scored 100 that night.

“But I did it and you know what? I’ve been down there three times and we raised money. And to be honest, it made me feel so good to be down there, it gave me a jolt and gave me a lift. People were asking for pictures, just appreciating the fact that we have not forgotten about the tornado victims.”

Calipari sat with the family of former Dawson Springs student Logan McKnight, a young man who died in a car accident shortly before the tornadoes hit the area. And then his parents lost their home in the disaster almost immediately after. The UK head coach listened to their stories throughout the game and left with a photo of Logan so he could pray for him back home in Lexington.

“I sat with Ashley and her husband, the McKnights who — it’s a tough story. She lost her son like the week before the tornadoes and then lost their house,” Calipari said. “And I was able to sit with Ashley and just listen to her, to talk about her son. She gave me a picture so I could pray for him. When I do stuff like that, I’ll be honest with you, it lifts me. Yeah, I may be going down there and they may feel good by me being there, but it lifts me. To do it and knock out a couple of things — you know, I’m not afraid to travel and go see things, especially if I’m going to make someone’s day or make them feel good. Then that makes me feel good.”

And that’s not even accounting for the recruiting side of things, with Calipari on hand to see Travis Perry explode for a Lyon County record 61 points in a 114-56 win. He was there with Kentucky assistant KT Turner to witness the historic performance.

“Cal and KT both told me congrats and they were glad to see it and glad to be there! Cal texted me and told me congrats again and glad to witness it!!” Perry, who visited UK for Big Blue Madness in October, told KSR through text.

Calipari first made the trip to Dawson Springs alongside Governor Andy Beshear, Lt. Governor Jacqueline Coleman, UK AD Mitch Barnhart, Darius Miller and Jack “Goose” Givens to deliver shoes to tornado victims a few weeks after the disaster. Then in April, he brought his team down to the area to visit with students.

His third trip to Dawson Springs was yet another overwhelming success.