Seriously, how good was this year’s Women’s March Madness? The South Carolina-Iowa national championship matchup drew a record 18.7 million viewers, making it the most-watched basketball game since 2019. With their 87-75 win, the South Carolina Gamecocks completed an undefeated season and won their third national title. At the helm of SC is coach Dawn Staley, who won Naismith Women’s Coach of the Year honors for the third straight season.
I’m lucky (and old) enough to remember Staley as a player (check her out in one of the best women’s basketball movies). That relentless pursuit for greatness mixed with playful humor? She’s always had it. Today, she’s rightfully recognized as one of the best and most impactful basketball coaches. Certainly, she positively influences her players, but she’s always offering insights and inspiration that we can all take to heart.
So, in this post, I’ve collected 24 of the most memorable Dawn Staley quotes. Many of these are from just the past few weeks, but I threw in a couple classics as well!
Best Dawn Staley Quotes
1. A Singular Focus on Passion
“I just stay singularly focused on what I love. I love basketball. And I owe it.”
Coach Staley recognizes the powerful impact basketball has had on her life and she has referenced “owing” the game several times.
2. The Women’s Game Deserves Respect
“I mean, I don’t really want any credit. I want our game to be treated like a sport because when you do, you get this.”
After receiving her AP Coach of the Year award, Coach Staley used the moment to advocate for women’s basketball to receive the recognition it deserves.
3. Hard Work vs. Dreams
“Problem is, y’all got league dreams with backyard work ethic. And your parents applaud it.”
Not everyone knows what real hard work looks like. Here, Coach Staley critiques a culture of hard work among athletes with professional aspirations.
4. Respect, or No Thanks
“If they respect their parents, they are going to respect us. If they don’t respect their parents, we don’t have a shot.”
When asked about what she looks for in a recruit, Coach Staley reveals her emphasis on familial respect.
5. Lessons in Every Setback
“There were moments in which we didn’t play good basketball. And we used those moments as a lesson. Every single one of them we used as a lesson.”
Coach Staley was unsure how this season would turn out after losing five starters and shares how her team turned every challenge into a learning opportunity for growth, all while going undefeated.
6. Sometimes You’ve Got to Pivot
“Pivot is a great name because we’ve all got to pivot.”
During a guest appearance on the Pivot Podcast, Coach Staley used the show’s title to highlight the need for flexibility and adaptability.
7. Leadership Beyond X’s and O’s
“I think I’m masterful when it comes to knowing certain things on the floor. But that doesn’t make me a great coach; because I know more than other people. What makes me a great coach is that I know how to meet people where they are and take them where they need to go.”
Coach Staley defines great coaching not just as technical knowledge but as being able to connect with and guide players on a personal level.
8. Respect for a GOAT
“I have to congratulate Iowa on an incredible season. Awesome. And I want to personally thank Caitlin Clark for lifting up our sport. She carried a heavy load for our sport … You are one of the GOATs of our sport and we appreciate you.”
After defeating Iowa in the national championship, Coach Staley took the classy route and celebrated Caitlin Clark’s contributions to women’s basketball.
See: Our curated list of the best Caitlin Clark shirts
Funny Dawn Staley Quotes
9. Step Up Your Defense, Martin
“Were you supposed to be defending me? Or was that the famous Matador defense? Ole!”
Okay, not technically a Dawn Staley quote, but I had to include this one. During a cameo appearance on Martin, Staley (with ‘96 US National Team teammates Rebecca Lobo, Teresa Edwards, and Sheryl Swoopes) hilariously critiques Martin’s defensive skills.
10. Friendly Opposition
![A Dawn Staley quote graphic that reads: “Actually they were [friendly], they were calling me boo.”](https://homeschoolhoop.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/DawnStaleyQuotes_10_FriendlyOpposition_Compressed-683x1024.jpg)
“Actually they were [friendly], they were calling me boo.”
Here, Coach Staley jokingly interprets LSU fans’ crowd “boos” against her as a term of endearment.
11. A’ja Double-Double Dilemma
“You can’t even get to a double-double! I mean, you’re averaging like nine. How can you be short of a double-double with like nine rebounds? Who does that? Even that thing out! It’s a contract year.”
In this funny Dawn Staley quote, she gives former Gamecock A’ja Wilson a hard time on Instagram Live about her lack of double-double performance that WNBA season.
See: Our favorite A’ja Wilson shirts
12. Grammar Check
“I have a brief question, ‘cause you guys are writers, right? I just posted a tweet and we had a long discussion in our coaches meeting. So our players were in the locker room, lying or laying down?”
Ahead of the 2024 Final Four matchup with NC State, Coach Staley playfully asked the media for grammar advice. She went on to add, “I told our coaches, someone taught me, you lie to get laid, right?,” blending humor with her query.
13. Confetti Love
“I like confetti.”
This came after her team tossed confetti over Coach Dawn’s head while she was being interviewed by Holly Rowe. Her South Carolina squad had just beat Oregon State to advance to their 4th straight Final Four.
14. Playful Accountability
“Uh, we gave up a 17 or 20-point lead.”
In this Dawn Staley quote, she uses humor in a post-game press conference after player Raven Johnson touted “How can you guard us?” She pointed out her team’s lapse, yet light-heartedly called attention to their (no-so) dominating performance.
Motivational Dawn Staley Quotes
15. Pride in Seeing Her Former Athletes Succeed
“This is a proud moment. To be just on the other side of this mic. Proud of your professionalism. Proud that you know the game so much. That you are representing at the highest level.”
Talking with her former player Aliyah Boston after beating NC State in the Final Four, Coach Staley expresses pride in her former player’s representation of the game.
16. Mantra of Resilience
“Control what you can control.”
Coach Staley has shared her guiding principle for managing stress. This is the mantra that she repeats in her head whenever overwhelmed.
17. Building Respectful Champions
“I’m always going to make sure that our players are respectful. I’m always going to make sure that they know the history of the game. I’m going to make sure that they are always respectful to our opponents. When you do it that way, in return you have success.”
As a coach who also succeeded as a player, Coach Staley values having admiration for the game. Here, she underscores the importance of respect for opponents and the game of basketball in fostering a successful program.
18. The Invisible Effort
“A lot of people notice when you succeed, but they don’t see what it takes to get there.”
One of the most well-known of all Dawn Staley quotes, where she highlighted the unseen hard work and dedication needed for success.
19. Mottos to Live By
“I live by two mottos: A disciplined person can do anything. Dare to do what you don’t want to get what you want.”
In her 2015 The Players’ Tribune article, Coach Staley shared the personal philosophies that guide her life and coaching.
20. The Power of Shared Vision
“I found quickly that when you have a connection and a shared belief with your team — when you share a vision — you can accomplish a lot together.”
Here, Coach Staley discussed the importance of shared goals in team success, as shared in her The Players’ Tribune article.
21. The Value of Failure
“Your parents don’t want you to fail, but I love you enough to allow you to fail.”
Coach Staley talked about the importance of taking blows as part of growth.
22. Growth of a Legacy
“I have to go back to when it was just a couple of handful of people that used to come to our games my first year, and then our second year you just saw seats being filled up, my third year there were very little vacant seats, and then my last year we almost sold the place out every home game.”
The game has grown immensely since Dawn Staley played hoop. Here, she reflects on the growth of fan support during her collegiate career at Virginia, touching on the journey from sparse attendance to sell-out crowds.
23. Open Dialogue with Officials
“We should be able to talk about the officials, whether we agree or disagree, and I think officials should be able to talk.”
Coach Staley isn’t afraid of tough conversations, which is one of the many reasons she’s so respected. In this example, following a tough South Carolina loss to LSU in the 2023 tournament, she advocated for transparent communication between coaches and refs.
24. Getting Players to Believe
“I like the challenge of getting players to rise to certain levels, but that’s the easy part. The biggest challenge is to get them to believe in what we’re doing. They have to understand that it’s O.K. to have good days and bad days.”
Coach Staley outlined the real challenge in coaching: instilling belief in the team and getting players comfortable navigating the ups and downs together.
Related:
Top 25 Becky Hammon Quotes to Motivate and Inspire
Boost Your Spirit and Confidence With These 22 A’ja Wilson Quotes
18 Inspirational Lisa Leslie Basketball Quotes to Motivate You
Dawn Staley photo in featured image: By Gamecock Central – https://www.flickr.com/photos/100058519@N05/49518458488/, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=107693435
