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Recognizing, Honoring, and Celebrating Dawn Michelle Staley, on the occasion of her induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2013.
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WHEREAS, Dawn Michelle Staley was born on May 4, 1970, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Clarence and Estelle Staley and thereafter proceeded to set the city on fire with her outstanding basketball talent aided by her staunch Philly work ethic, and her upstanding moral character; and
WHEREAS, As a high school senior, Dawn Michelle Staley was named the USA Today's National High School Player of the year in 1988, during her final season at Philadelphia's Murrell Dobbins Technical High School, which eventually retired her jersey as the result of her outstanding basketball career; and
WHEREAS, After careful consideration of the multitude of colleges actively recruiting her to play for their basketball teams, Dawn Michelle Staley selected University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia, which began recruiting her when she was in the seventh grade. While attending UVA as a student-athlete, Ms. Staley distinguished herself as a 'player among players' and started by being named ACC Rookie of the Year in 1989; and
WHEREAS, During her four seasons at UVA, Ms. Staley led her team to four NCAA Tournaments, three trips to the NCAA Final Four and one NCAA National Championship game appearance in 1991, after which she was named NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player. Ms. Staley's outstanding basketball talent and skills were recognized by the following awards wherein she was named: Two-time ACC Player of the Year (1991, 1992); Sports Illustrated Player of the Year (1991); Honda-Broderick Cup Award for Collegiate Female Athlete of the Year (1991) and three-time Kodak All-American (1990, 1991,1992). She finished her career as the only player in ACC history to record more than 2,000 points, 700 rebounds, and 400 steals. She finished her career as UVA's all-time scoring leader and the ACC's all-time leader in assists. In 1992 Ms. Staley completed her studies at UVA and was conferred a Bachelor of Arts degree in Rhetoric and Communication Studies. In April 2008, she was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame; and
WHEREAS, After graduation from UVA, Ms. Staley played professional basketball in France, Italy, Brazil, and Spain. In 1996, she joined the Richmond Rage of the American Basketball League (ABL) and led the team to the ABL finals in 1997. In the 1999 WNBA draft, Ms. Staley was selected by the Charlotte Sting. In 2001, she led the Sting to the Championship game of the WNBA Playoffs. On August 1, 2005, Ms. Staley was traded to the Houston Comets and announced her retirement at the end of the season. In 2011, she was voted in by fans as one of the Top 15 players in the fifteen-year history of the WNBA. During her career, she was a five time WNBA All Star (2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006); she was a two-time recipient of the WNBA Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award (1999, 2006); and was named to the WNBA All-Decade Team; and
WHEREAS, Throughout her career, Ms. Staley played for Team USA (1994-2004). In 1994, she competed in the World Championships and was named the USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year. She led the 1996 team to an undefeated record of 60-0 and the gold medal at the Olympic games in Atlanta. Dawn Michelle Staley gave her 1996 Olympic gold medal to her mother, Estelle, whom she cites as the biggest influence in her life. Prior to the Olympic Games, Ms. Staley was immortalized with a 67-by-100 foot mural (seven stories high) on a building at 11th and Market Streets in downtown Philadelphia, commissioned by Nike. She was one of nine Nike athletes to have their likenesses painted on buildings and the first woman to be featured. At the unveiling of the mural, Ms. Staley stated Hope exists for people like me who grew up in the inner city and thought that that was all there was. Life is out there for you. You have to take it; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Staley was also a member of the 2000 Olympic team that defended the gold medal in Sydney, Australia. She won a third gold medal with Team USA at the 2004 Games in Athens where she was afforded the honor of being named the flag bearer for the United States in the Olympic Games Opening Ceremony. Her Olympic performance that year led to her second time being amed USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year. Ms. Staley continued her winning tradition as an assistant and head coach for the USA Women's Basketball team, winning gold medals in the Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 2007 and the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Staley was named as head coach of Temple University's women basketball program in 2000 and in her first season Temple University advanced to the WNIT. In 2001, 2002 and 2004 her teams won the Atlantic 10 tournament to qualify for the NCAA tournament. She reached the 100 win plateau during the 2004-05 season, becoming the fastest coach in women's basketball history to achieve that status. During her career at Temple, Ms. Staley's teams amassed a record of 172-80, made six NCAA tournament appearances and won four Atlantic 10 titles. On May, 7, 2008, Ms. Staley left Temple basketball for a position as head coach of University of South Carolina, where she continued her winning ways with a 92-66 record over five seasons, two NCAA Tournament appearances (including one Sweet 16 appearance), one Women's NIT appearance and was named BCA Female Coach of the Year in 2012; and
WHEREAS, Dawn Michelle Staley has created, cultivated and nurtured the next generation through her Dawn Staley Foundation which most notably has sponsored an After School Program which is designed to involve girls in a variety of academic, athletic, and extracurricular activities designed to guide girls through the challenge of middle school by helping to develop self-confidence, teaching the importance of teamwork and enhancing participants leadership skills. In the summer of 2013, Ms. Staley organized INNERSOLE, a movement to provide new sneakers to school age children in need; and
WHEREAS, It is the sincere intent of this legislative body to truly commend Dawn Michelle Staley on her stellar, unblemished career and for her unmatched desire for excellence in all that she has attempted and accomplished. She has been an example and outstanding role model for people all over the world as evidenced by her August 2013 ten day tour of Africa with President Clinton and his daughter Chelsea, with the Clinton Foundation; and
RESOLVED, BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF PHILADELPHIA, That we hereby recognize, honor, and celebrate Dawn Michelle Staley, on the occasion of her induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Class of 2013; and
FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Dawn Michelle Staley as evidence of the sincere sentiments of this legislative body.
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