"A lot of people think it's a glorified position": Dawn Staley dives deep into student-athlete issues as Gamecocks return to practice post-Christmas

The Christmas break is over for Dawn Staley and the South Carolina Gamecocks. She spoke with the media during the team’s practice session on Saturday and discussed several topics ahead of their weekend showdown with the Wofford Terriers, including issues that student-athletes face during the festive period.

South Carolina Gamecocks head coach Dawn Staley reacts to a play against TCU during the first half at Dickies Arena. Photo: Imagn

A reporter asked Staley what these practices usually look like after a long break to get her players back in shape. The South Carolina coach offered an honest take on the difficulties she faced during these practice sessions, knowing firsthand from past experiences how her players have reacted to a break in the middle of the season.

"Not good. It’s not good. I mean, they decompress as young people. Season’s hard. A lot of people think it’s a glorified position to be in as a student-athlete," Staley said (Timestamp 1:21).

Dawn Staley said being a student-athlete involves hard work on and off the court.

"There are some really good perks to being a student-athlete, but the other part of it is hard. It’s hard," Staley said. "It’s hard work in here. It’s not just in here. It’s the preparation to get to here, the preparation for games, the expectations, the responsibility."

"The pressure, not just from what we put on them. The pressures of social media, so it’s really, really hard."

Following a lengthy break, the players may find it difficult to get back to work. Staley compared her players’ situation to people returning to their jobs after a vacation.

"When they have a chance to take a break from it all, they’re like any of us. You decompress and then you got to look forward to work the next day," Staley said.

"It’s like coming off from vacation. You ain’t looking forward to that day that you return but you got to do it because you’re disciplined and you got responsibility."

Dawn Staley added that it’s up to her and the coaching staff to get her players back into the thick of things.

"No matter what you just came off of, you have to get back to the flow of things. Sometimes, it takes some time to adjust back to doing (something)," Staley said.

"That’s what it looks like, feels like, and sounds like. It’s frustrating, but at the same time, the quicker we jolt them into getting back to what we need to do, the better off we’ll be."

Dawn Staley's South Carolina Gamecocks enter final game of 2024 as the nation's No. 2 team

Dawn Staley's South Carolina Gamecocks are one of the hottest teams in the nation, winning 11 of their first 12 games to claim the No. 2 spot in the Associated Press rankings. They have won six in a row since losing to the UCLA Bruins 77-62 in a top-5 clash on Nov. 24.

South Carolina Gamecocks guard Te-Hina Paopao (#0) brings the ball up against the Charleston Southern Buccaneers in the first half at Colonial Life Arena. Photo: Imagn

Four players are averaging in double figures for the Gamecocks, including Te-Hina Paopao, who leads the team in scoring with 11.3 points per game. Joyce Edwards, Chloe Kitts and MiLaysia Fulwiley have also been vital contributors for South Carolina, averaging 10.6, 10.1 and 10.0 points, respectively.