The ascent of the Women's Basketball coach of the University of South Carolina, Dawn Staley beyond the Basketball Kingdom, could have started three decades ago, when she won the Gold Medal as a Atlanta player with the American Pioneer Olympic team in 1996. She would continue to win two others.
Between there and now, there was a moment that almost cuts the period of 30 years in half – her decision to train the gamecocks on May 7, 2008. She led them to three national championships, in 2017, 2022 and 2024. Although she continued to be ambassador for sports and women's rights, her achievements remained largely linked to basketball.
Until Wednesday.
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The newly unveiled statue of Columbia, South Carolina, honoring the athlete and the coach decorated Dawn Staley represents his inheritance of basketball, as well as his fight in progress for equality.
The city of Columbia, in partnership with statues for Equality, has unveiled a sculpture to the resemblance of Ms. Staley at the intersection of the Lincoln streets and the Senate. The work shows the famous coach cutting the nets, and it honors the “global mission of the organization to balance sex and racial representation in public statues”.
“This is a pose that captures not only victory, but resilience, leadership and the culmination of years of dedication,” said a statement read during the statues for Equality, which also installed tributes to Harriet Tubman and Ruth Bader Ginsburg. “Our mission has always been to help correct the severe imbalance between the sexes in public monuments by honoring extraordinary women in the world. We believe that when people see sculptures of powerful female models in their lives, this helps to move perceptions and possibilities. ”
Ms. Staley, as usual, was remarkably humble and pensive. She first thought that having a statue of the LaS Vegas Aces superstar and the old Gamecock A'ja Wilson with a few houses in colonial Life Arena should be “the only one forever”. But she changed her mind after hearing about the group's mission.
“I accepted the statue. Not for me, but for the girl who will work one day and ask me who I was.” I hope she sees that I was a champion of equity and equality, that in my own way that I pushed to change. … If this little girl sees that I was the first to do something, I want her to know that it is only so that I would not be the last.
In the basketball game of Ms. Staley's resemblance is another sculpture – the sign of the American sign language for “I Love You”, also a common gesture made by Gamecock fans. During the unveiling of the statue, it was a visible reminder of the love story of this city with its women's basketball coach, a really larger affinity than sports and larger than South Carolina.
“She is loved by the community, by everyone around the world, whether in South or far Carolina. “I have the impression that his presence here is worth it. Having a statue not only by the stadium, but in the open air where everyone can enjoy it is a victory. ”
In a state where some officials are obstinately trying to protect the more conflicting ideals, the image of Ms. Staley resonates. In March, two state legislators from South Carolina Bills presented To strengthen the law on state heritage, largely aimed at preserving the Confederated statues of the State. At the State House, there are statues and pro-confergally segregationist sculptures.
But in downtown Columbia, the heritage of Ms. Staley and that of her pupil takes place in bronze. The two parents of Ms. Wilson were on site for the last unveiling, including her mother, Eva, who spoke brilliantly about Columbia coach and much more.
“Seeing this statue means the world for us as a family, and in particular for A'ja. She really wanted to be able to be here, but she is in the training camp. … But all those who are here understand what it means. It is well deserved,” she said.
In these political times, she lives by this motto, she says: “The plan of God in time of God.”
Ms. Staley also invoked the plan of God in his speech: “I proudly stood in space that God called me to live, not as someone perfect or extraordinary but as an ordinary girl who used her gifts to open doors so that other girls would not have to strike so hard.”
If the successes of A'ja Wilson are an indication, Ms. Staley does not have to speak abstractly to be a model. It already happens.
