Title
Also naming Diamond Street between 23rd Street and 25th Street as Dawn Staley Lane.
Body
WHEREAS, Dawn Michelle Staley was born on May 4, 1970, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Clarence and Estelle Staley and raised in North Philadelphia at the Raymond Rosen housing projects; and
WHEREAS, Coach Staley attended Murrell Dobbins Technical High School, also in North Philadelphia, where as a high school senior she was named USA Today’s National High School Player of the year. Her jersey has been retired by the high school to memorialize the outstanding high school basketball player’s career; and
WHEREAS, Coach Staley attended the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia. During her four seasons in college, she led her team to four NCAA Tournaments and three Final Fours and one National Championship Game. She was named the ACC female athlete of the year and national player of the year in 1991 and 1992. Staley finished her college playing career with 2,135 points; and
WHEREAS, After graduation from UVA, Coach 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. Also in 1996 Coach Staley was chosen to run the Philadelphia Museum of Art steps during the 1996 Olympic Torch Relay at Philadelphia’s Torch Celebration; and
WHEREAS, In the 1999 WNBA Draft, Coach Staley was selected with the ninth overall pick by the Charlotte Sting. In 2001, she led the Sting to the Championship Game of the WNBA Playoffs; and
WHEREAS, In 2000, Coach Staley was named Head Coach of Temple University’s Women’s Basketball Program, where she credits the late Dave O’Brien, Athletic Director at Temple, for coaxing her into coaching. There, she coached the Owls to six NCAA City of Philadelphia tournament appearances, winning four Atlantic 10 titles along the way. She became the fastest coach in women’s basketball history to win 100 games; and
WHEREAS, In 2008, Coach Staley began coaching at the University of South Carolina, winning the SEC regular season championship from 2014 through 2017 and the SEC tournament Championship from 2015 through 2017; and
WHEREAS, In total at South Carolina her team has made six NCAA tournament appearances, including three Sweet 16’s, two Final Fours and won the ultimate prize, the NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship on April 2, 2017; and
WHEREAS, Her list of accomplishments also include five Olympic Gold Medals, induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Class of 2013, and she is the coach of the Women’s National Basketball Team through 2020; and
WHEREAS, Coach 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; and
WHEREAS, Coach Staley is selfless, as evidenced by presenting replica National Championship trophies to players she has coached in the past, and has been an example of an outstanding role model for people all over the world; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That Diamond Street between 23rd Street and 25th Street shall be also named as “Dawn Staley Lane” to honor and pay tribute Coach Dawn Staley.
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