Going Above and Beyond to Serve
In November, Becky Lindsey, A.B.C. ’08, stood on the field at McLane Stadium where the crowd cheered as she was handed a Baylor Football jersey. It was a small gesture recognizing and honoring her more than 20 years of service and support for the student-athletes, support staff and coaches of Baylor Athletics.
The impact Becky and Claude Lindsey, A.B.C. ’08, have made at Baylor reaches beyond the University. From scholarships to facilities, their generous support has literally opened doors for Baylor’s students. Their hospitality and Becky’s selfless service are the stuff of legend.
“Becky is one of the most caring, selfless people I have had the privilege to serve with — as a volunteer, she worked tirelessly in tending to our injured players and in providing a caring touch on the sidelines at football, baseball and tennis games,” said Mike Sims, an Athletic Trainer with Southwest Sports Medicine & Orthopaedics and former associate athletic director. “She loves our players and student trainers, and they loved her in return.”
In a nod to her impact, both the Athletics Training and Women's Tennis programs bestow annual student awards named in Becky's honor. Strong supporters of scholarships, the couple endowed The Rebecca and Claude Lindsey Athletic Training Scholarship, among other contributions to the University, and they showcase the athletic trainers in the Homecoming Parade in their green 1951 Chevy pickup when the game kick-off time allows.
"The trainers work so hard, and perhaps they don't get the recognition that they deserve,” Becky, a former nurse, said in a 2016 interview for the couple’s Baylor Legacy Award recognition. “Claude and I have adopted them, and we do everything that's possible to help them through the year.”
Everything that’s possible. This same sentiment extends to their view of supporting Baylor, where Claude and Becky have always been ready to meet a need — funding some of the less glamorous needs like parking lot renovations or paving site jobs — often through work provided by the family business at the time, Lindsey Contractors. The Lindseys, who reside in Waco and have five grandchildren, support community organizations such as the Historic Waco Foundation, Brazos Forum, Talitha Koum, American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, Meals on Wheels, Texas Sports Hall of Fame, CareNet, Baylor's Martin Museum and the G.H. Pape Foundation.
“Claude and Becky have made a truly transformational impact at Baylor and through Baylor Athletics with their care and concern for our student-athletes and student athletic trainers,” said Kenny Boyd, senior associate athletics director for student-
athlete health and wellness. “Becky’s service to our players, and her mentoring of others has inspired generations of graduates to pursue careers in sports medicine. She is an example to our students of how faithful stewardship in a profession can come together in Christian service, and we are grateful for her wonderful support over the years.”
Becky has spoken candidly about how her service helped her through a 2012 battle with cancer. The thought of missing time with Baylor Football inspired her to get back on the sidelines as quickly as she could.
“If it hadn't been for the football program, I probably wouldn't have resolved to work as hard as I did," says Becky, who soldiered on the sidelines between chemo treatments despite feeling “awful.”
“One game in Oklahoma, the wind was blowing about 40 knots, and Becky was in the middle of chemo and was wearing a wig under a baseball cap,” Claude recalls. “Some of the players called her Momma, and she told [former football player] Cyril Richardson, 'If my cap blows off, my hair is going with it. Somebody better be out there jumping on it.' Cyril tells her, 'Don't you worry, Momma, I got you.'”
Those words underline the bonds Becky built with the students over the past 20 years. Her diligent care and commitment to the wellbeing of student-athletes, as well as her genuine devotion to the development and support of student athletic trainers have been a gift. Always away from the spotlight, Claude and Becky Lindsey have lived lives of service and support that continue to bless Baylor’s students.