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Award-winning columnist Tom Archdeacon — an old-school storyteller in a brand-new venue — writes about sports, the city, southwest Ohio and anything else that catches his fancy… or yours.Home > Blogs > Through the Arch > Archives > 2009 > June > 15 > Entry
Tamika (Williams) Raymond Wins Prestigious WNBA Award
In New York today, former Chaminade Julienne basketball star and popular WNBA player Tamika Williams — now Tamika Raymond — was named the recipient of the 2008 Dawn Staley Community Leadership Award for her outstanding community work in Connecticut.
The award honors a player who both is a leader in the community and reflects Staley’s leadership, spirit, charitable efforts, and love for the game.
The Dawn Staley Community Leadership Award is presented annually. Each WNBA team nominated one player and a designated committee selected the 29 year old Raymond — currently as assistant coach at Kansas University — as the winner. The WNBA will make a $10,000 donation to a charity of her choosing.
“Dawn is a role model to me both as a player and as a coach,” Raymond said in a WNBA release. “She’s an even bigger figure to me as a leader, mentor and woman who’s making a difference.”
Before marrying Ben Raymond in 2007, Tamika Williams was named Ohio’s Miss Basketball while at CJ. Playing at UConn, she helped lead the Huskies to two national titles. She played seven seasons in the WNBA, six with Minnesota and last year with the Connecticut Sun. During her WNBA career, she played in 219 games, scored 1,330 points and grabbed 1,127 rebounds.
She has worked regularly with the Thames River Family Programs (TRFP), a transitional home for women and their children. She has been involved in classes, given motivational speeches to the adults and spent time reading, painting and playing basketball with the children.
She also treated the women, their families and the TRFP staff — paying for dinner, tickets and transportation — to a Connecticut Sun’s game
“Tamika’s work in her community speaks volumes — she is affecting lives in a way that will change generations within a family and community.” said Staley, currently the University of South Carolina coach (after eight seasons at Temple) and a longtime pro player, who always has been deeply-committed to bettering the communities she’s been involved in. “We need more Tamikas in this world to secure the success of our youth. I am so proud to somehow be connected to her.”
Raymond also has been an avid supporter of WNBA Cares events and causes, including both Nothing But Nets — a grassroots campaign with the United Nations Foundation that provides education on proper use to prevent malaria — and Fast Break to Reading, the League’s initiative with Pitney Bowes that focuses on the importance of reading and literacy.
” It is an honor to have Tamika associated with the WNBA. Not only has she proven herself to be a leader on the court and in the locker room, but she has also brought that same dedication and passion to her fans and the community,” WNBA President Donna Orender said in as league release.”Through her actions, she has touched the lives of thousands of young fans in Connecticut and across the nation, and we congratulate her for all her efforts and good work.”
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By Lynn
June 21, 2009 3:32 PM | Link to this
It sounds as though she is very deserving of this award. Congratulations, Tamika!By keyz
June 15, 2009 4:32 PM | Link to this
Yay!! I remember her well, she is definitely one talented and lovely player and woman and role model.