Dawn Staley visits South Carolina football practice
There was a special visitor on hand for South Carolina football’s spring scrimmage on Saturday.
Head women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley, who recently led her team to an undefeated, national title season, dropped by and had some words for Shane Beamer’s team.
Before Staley began to speak, Beamer pointed to how Staley has built a powerhouse in the SEC.
“We talk about you a lot, your team, and the respect we have. Every single game you got everyone’s best shot, and every single week ya’ll responded,” said Beamer, who is heading into his fourth year at South Carolina. “We’ve talked about the process that you have to go through. It doesn’t just happen. When you took over your program was not what it is right now and the work that went into it, I’m blessed to call you a colleague.”
The 2024 Naismith Coach of the Year nodded to Beamer’s long time support of her program.
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“Coach was coming to our practices even before we were winning championships during his time. I’ve never had a football coach want to come to our practice,” said Staley. “We lost in the SEC Tournament championship and that next week, he was there. He saw the good, the bad, the ugly.”
As Gamecock football players listened intently, Staley dispensed some valuable advice on how to become a winner.
“It’s the process,” he said. “Every day you have to be great at the little things. They’re boring, to do something over an over and over and perfect it. You need to do that until it’s habit, so in the game, when it’s time to make a great play, you can make a great play.”
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There's nothing better than having @dawnstaley stop by with some wisdom! pic.twitter.com/vKHe41CHVV
— Gamecock Football (@GamecockFB) April 13, 2024
Beamer can frequently be seen at women’s basketball games in Columbia, and he traveled to Cleveland to watch South Carolina capture a third national title.
Staley reciprocates by regularly taking in Gamecock football contests.
“This is the best place to be on Saturdays,” Staley told the team. “If it’s not here, in front of my television, watching you guys, pouring into ya’ll, all the positive Gamecock vibes to ya’ll.”
Staley’s scheduling philosophy is to put together a slate that always ranks among the most challenging in the country. Gamecock football, being in the SEC, is in the same boat.
The final words from Staley on Saturday were about the opportunity that playing great competition presents.
“I know you’ve got a tough schedule,” she said. “So what?”
