KENNESAW - It's only fitting that the guest speaker at the 22nd annual Bobbie Bailey Awards on Monday night is a basketball floor leader.

Many of the female athletes selected for this honor will be moving on in the fall to play collegiate athletics received some guidance from 27-year-old Atlanta Dream point guard Lindsey Harding. She spoke about her experiences and how she succeeded in the Women's National Basketball Association.

The former Duke University phenomenon was the first overall pick in the 2007 WBA draft by the Minnesota Lynx. She spent the first two seasons there before being traded to the Washington Mystics and then to Atlanta in 2011 where she helped the Dream to their second straight WNBA final.

She's also a member of the USA Basketball Women's National team and has played professional basketball in Russia, Turkey and Lithuania.

During her speech Monday night, she talked about one of her biggest scare when she tore her ACL her rookie season. Not sure if she would ever be the same player following her recovery, she stressed the importance of academics and education to go along with athletics.

McEachern forward Pachiyaanna Roberts, who signed with Syracuse, and Marietta guard Courtney Sprague, who is still seeking her college destination, were among the 18 Cobb County athletes selected who were listening.

Hillgrove 3-point shooter Meredith Heyer, who will be playing college softball next year, was also selected as was Osborne forward Malea Maye.

"I thought it was very inspiring and always work hard and never stop working hard," Sprague said. "If you don't reach one goal, you're going to reach the next. I just want to play in college and see where that takes me."

A few of Cobb County's top volleyball players were also chosen for the Bobby Bailey Awards.

Walton outside hitter Kelly Murphy, who will be taking her talents to Michigan after leading the Lady Raiders to two straight state titles, was among them. So was outside hitter Tori Forrest, who led North Cobb to its first state semifinal. Lassiter middle hitter Rebecca Arndt, Allatoona middle hitter Dessaa Legros and Sprayberry outside hitter Blair Winston were also selected.

Harrison's Hannah Deltrac and Walker's Alyse Scott, who both won state championships in soccer for their respective teams, were 2012 Bobbie Bailey recipients. Kennesaw Mountain soccer player Amanda Fenton was also awarded a Bobby Bailey plaque.

A few cross country and track and field stars were also recognized, most notably Kell state champion hurdler Kendell Williams. Georgia-bound cross country star Molly Schenck of Pope is another recipient along with Wheeler cross country runner Samantha Kiblinger and Campbell sprinter Monti Willis.

South Cobb volleyball and lacrosse player Uduak Obot and Pebblebrook tennis player Keyanna Russell were also among the Bobby Bailey recipients as was wheelchair athlete Christina Young of BlazeSports Georgia, who attended Kennesaw Mountain High School before transferring to Cass.