DURHAM, N.C. - GoDuke.com recently sat down with former Duke women's basketball student-athlete Kira Orr, who played for the Blue Devils from 1994-97, to see what she is doing these days, get her thoughts on Duke women's basketball and to reflect on her time in Durham.
Orr was a second team All-ACC selection in 1997, while leading Duke to the NCAA Tournament on three different occasions. Orr tallied 1,388 career points and played in 119 games over her four-year career.
GoDuke.com: Give us a run down on what you are doing now.
Kira Orr: I am currently working at my high school alma mater, Bullis School in Potomac, Md. I am the head of the P.E. Dept., as well as, Head Varsity Girls Basketball Coach. I also coach middle school field hockey in the fall and Varsity softball in the spring.
GD: What do you like best about your career?
KO: Bullis is a private school that has kids from grades 3-12 and with all my teaching and coaching duties, I am afforded the unique opportunity to work with kids at each grade level. I begin my day with the little ones, then coach the middle schoolers in the early afternoon and finish up with the high school kids later in the day. I'm just a big kid myself so it's the perfect job for me. I feel like I've never really worked a day in my life because my job is so enjoyable. It also helps that I get summers off.
GD: Do you come across many Duke fans?
KO: There is a lot of Duke alum in the DMV (DC, MD, VA area), so Duke fans aren't that hard to come by. However, I also live in the heart of Terrapin country so you can only imagine the amount of trash talking I've had to endure over the years. While I can talk a good game myself, recently I've just allowed the success of our men's and women's basketball teams do the talking for me.
GD: Do you still play basketball recreationally?
KO: Not really. My new passion is actually flag football. It's pretty big around here. I can't even tell you how many former Div. I basketball players there are in our league. It almost looks like an ACC/Big East reunion out on the field at times.
GD: What are some of your favorite off-the-court memories of Duke?
KO: I'd like to tell you, but I probably shouldn't. ;-) Let's just say I had a really, really great time while I was at Duke.
GD: What was your major?
KO: Sociology & Markets & Management certificate.
GD: What made you choose to come to Duke?
KO: Aside from the obvious factors such as academic reputation and the beauty of the campus, I loved the fact that everyone I talked to spoke of the importance of having balance in your life. It wasn't just about books, or just about basketball, or just about socializing. It was about all three. I remember being told, "Here at Duke we not only work hard, but we play hard, too." That went a long way with me.
GD: Where did you live when you were at Duke?
KO: My freshman year I lived on West and then I lived in the apartments on Central campus the other three years. Shaeeta Brown (now Williams) was my roommate when we lived on Central.
GD: How much has women's basketball changed since you played?
KO: There are bigger, stronger & more athletic women playing now therefore I believe the game is played a bit faster & more physical than when I played.
GD: How has Duke changed since you were in school?
KO: Newer and nicer facilities.
GD: What are your impressions of the program today and this year's team?
KO: I feel like we are one of the premier programs in the country now. I think there are only a handful of programs that are consistently in the hunt for a national championship year in and year out. I feel like we are one of those programs now. I know this past year's team fell a little bit short of its goals, but I am still extremely proud of them for the wonderful year that they had. I absolutely love watching Jasmine Thomas play. She has gotten better and better each year and really is developing into a dynamic guard. Of course, I am partial to guards from the DC/MD/VA area so my viewpoint may be a little biased.
GD: How exciting has it been to watch Duke grow into one of the top programs in the country?
KO: I can't put into words how much pride I have in the program. I like to believe that the teams I was fortunate to be member of had a small hand in getting the whole thing going. Former players like Ali Day, Carey Kauffman, Jen Scanlon Semioli & Tye Hall really laid the foundation for success. Then to sit back watch as players like Georgia Schweitzer, Alana Beard, and Monique Currie take us to an even higher level has been amazing. I remember calling Jen Scanlon Semioli and the both of us crying on the phone when we made it to that first Final Four. That's how much we were, are all still, and will always connected to this program.
GD: How often do you watch Duke basketball games? When was the last time you were able to see a game in Cameron?
KO: Because of my own season, I will admit I don't get the chance to watch many Duke games. I probably only see the women play three or four times each year. I get to watch the men play a lot more because they have more television games. The last game I saw at Cameron was Duke/Tennessee in 2007 (I think) when Coach G was still there. I usually see them play up here at Maryland every year though.
GD: Have you had a chance to come back and see the new practice facility? If so how nice would it have been to have that when you were playing at Duke?
KO: Haven't seen it in person. Of course it would have been great to have had when I was there, but I'm not complaining. I actually loved that we practiced in the same place that we played our games. Plus Cameron is such a special place. Who wouldn't want to play there everyday?
GD: What kind of impact has a Duke degree had on your life?
KO: Honestly, my Duke degree has opened a lot of doors for me that otherwise may not have been opened. It's instant credibility. Plus Duke grads are very, very good to one another. We take care of each another and sometimes that has its benefits. As season ticket holders, Duke grads always have the best seats to various athletic events. Many thanks to all those who have hooked me up over the years!
GD: Do you keep in touch with your former teammates?
KO: Not as much as I'd liked to or should. I've never been great about that, but thankfully Facebook came along to help me out a little bit.
