When I was a child, my father arranged for me and my brothers to attend a sports camp at Cheyney University. It was at these camp sessions we were lucky to meet Coach Stringer. She left the boys at the camp enthralled because she was beautiful.
For us young ladies, it was awesome to see this lady coach standing next to the men commanding the same respect. She was the Queen of the camp and was treated as such.
When Coach Stringer taught us basketball, she demanded excellence and accepted nothing less. As she was building our bodies, she DEMANDED that we respected her, ourselves and the English language. She was a living role model of success.
Because of that experience, I felt compelled to follow her career with pride. I carried with me the lessons she taught me. I learned that preparation (conditioning) was just as important as learning the fundamentals of the sport.
My sense of self has helped me in my personal and professional life. This is important because my basketball skills were not going to feed me.
My guess is Coach Stringer will forgive Don Imus and encourage her team to do the same. Not for him, but for them to heal.
Coach Stringer's teachings reach beyond the basketball court.
I am living proof.
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