Dawn Staley keeps striking Olympic gold

The North Philadelphia native has been a winner on the court as a player and coach

Congratulations to coach Dawn Staley after becoming the first Black woman to lead the U.S. women’s national basketball team to Olympic gold.

At the 2020 Summer Olympics on Aug. 8, in Saitama, Japan, Staley coached the United States to win its seventh straight gold medal in women’s basketball, beating Japan 90-75.

Staley won gold medals as a player on the 1996, 2000 and 2004 teams and helped the U.S. win gold as an assistant coach in 2008 and 2016. She joins the late Anne Donovan as the only Americans to help the U.S. win gold as players, assistants and then head coaches.

Breaking barriers is nothing new for Staley, who rose from the Raymond Rosen housing projects in North Philadelphia to become one of the best female basketball players and coach.

Staley played basketball at Dobbins Technical High School where she shined in the city’s Public League.

After high school, she played point guard for the University of Virginia and made three trips to the NCAA Final Four. Staley was a two-time National Player of the Year and Most Outstanding Player of the Year of the 1991 NCAA Final Four.

After college, Staley played in the American Basketball League for the Richmond Rage and later in the Women’s National Basketball Association for the Charlotte Sting and Houston Comets. She was a five-time WNBA All-Star.

While still a player, Staley started coaching Temple University Owls women’s basketball team, where she led the team to six NCAA tournaments, three regular season conference championships and four conference tournament titles. In 2008, she was named head coach for the University of South Carolina women’s basketball team, where she guided South Carolina to its first women's basketball national championship in 2017.

The four-time Olympic gold medalist, Staley was elected to carry the flag for the United States at the opening ceremony of the 2004 Summer Olympics.

In March, 2017, she was named head coach of the USA national team.

Staley is the second female to win a gold medal as a player, assistant and head coach.

She is also making a difference off the court.

Staley heads the Dawn Staley Foundation, which gives middle school children a positive influence in their lives by sponsoring an after-school program at the Hank Gathers Center.

She has also been outspoken on social media about gender inequity and social injustice.

“We’re at the NCAA Tournament and we see stark differences of what the men’s tournament looks like,” said Staley in a story in the Philadelphia Inquirer. She points out the difference in the amenities and resources provided to women players as compared to men and how the programs are marketed. “If you see that, you need to speak out.”

Despite barriers, Staley has not let anyone deter her from her goals.

She credits preparation and dedication as keys to her success. “A lot of people notice when you succeed, but they don’t see what it takes to get there.”

The 51-year-old North Philadelphia native is a true inspiration.

Irv Randolph is an award-winning journalist. You can call follow him on Twitter @IrvRandolph and at the RandolphReport@substack.com