South Carolina Gamecocks coach Dawn Staley once explained how she keeps her bench players’ morale high. In Jan. 2023, Staley appeared on the “What Drives Winning” YouTube channel, where host Brett Ledbetter asked her about the same.
For Staley, it’s all about transparency and communication in a way that, while they are not being utilized to the fullest, they still feel that they are a vital component to the overall success of the team.
“I mean it’s constant communication. I think young people want to be valued. All they want is to feel like they’re making an impact, and it’s usually directly related to playing time. We had to try to flip the switch on them and just have them really understand their value. It is not a glorified role; it’s not one that you would just say, ‘Oh, let me embrace this role. I want this one,'” Staley shared (9:22).
“It’s an unappreciated role that we made sure that we appreciate time and time again,” she continued.
Staley and her Gamecocks squad are now seeking vengeance after they were defeated by the UConn Huskies in the 2025 national championship game by 23 points, 82-59. Should South Carolina win the national title in the 2025-26 season, it’ll be their fourth overall NCAA championship in program history.
Read More: “We Are The Hunted”: When Dawn Staley Sent a Blunt Message Setting The Record Straight On South Carolina Mentality
Dawn Staley details what exactly coaches are supposed to say to bench players
In the same interview, Dawn Staley shared what exactly coaches should be saying to the bench players for them to feel valued.
For Staley, this is what will ultimately lead the players to a place where they will perform without any doubts.
“You can’t just say, ‘Oh, that’s what you’re supposed to be doing.’ Although that’s what they’re supposed to be doing for our team, it’s what they’re supposed to be doing, and what we’re supposed to be doing as coaches is valuing their roles. And we did that pretty often. We took the onus off of them. Their minds going to a place of not playing a whole lot to their minds being valued,” she explained (10:10).
“When you’re valued and you feel loved, you know, you do your job and you do it to the best of your ability and you do it without complaint,” Staley concluded.
Staley and her Gamecocks are coming off a 2024-25 season in which they finished with an overall record of 35-4 (15-1 SEC), and won both the conference regular season championship and the conference tournament title.
Also Read: “Im Up on the House”: Dawn Staley Expresses Excitement About New Gig With CBS on WNBA Saturday
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