Dawn Staley discusses how South Carolina players are drawn to social media and explains how to handle online comments

In an interview with WIS News 10, South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley discussed the role social media plays in the lives of her players, especially as they prepare for their upcoming Sweet 16 matchup against Maryland. Speaking with Judi Gatson and Billie Jean Shaw, Staley touched on the challenges of keeping her players focused amidst the constant distractions of social media, particularly with the added pressure of being the defending national champions.

“Social media is a part of their being. They can’t turn it on and off,” Staley shared. “I wish they could, but it calls them. It calls them to look at it and scroll up and down.” She emphasized the importance of taking both the positive and negative feedback in stride, urging her players not to fully believe either extreme.

“You have to take the good with the bad, because you can’t just look at all the good stuff that’s being said about you and believe all of it, and then read the bad stuff and believe all of it,” Staley continued.

She also stressed the significance of her players recognizing their self-worth. According to Staley, their true value comes from their on-court performance, especially in terms of their wins and accomplishments. “You’re your last sentence or your last word — that will come out of your mouth or usually your thumbs — is winner, because that’s what this team has done over the past, I don’t know, 7, 8, 9, or 10 years,” she explained.

Social media’s influence has been amplified by the implementation of the NIL (name, image, and likeness) policy, becoming an integral part of student-athletes’ lives.

As the Gamecocks gear up for their Sweet 16 game, Staley and the team are poised to face Maryland, a 4-seed, on Friday at Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Alabama. South Carolina, a No. 1 seed, has yet to lose a Sweet 16 game in the last four years and is aiming for its fifth consecutive Elite Eight appearance.

Maryland head coach Brenda Frese is looking to guide her team to the regional final for just the second time in ten years.

Te-Hina Paopao, a senior guard for South Carolina, is confident about the team’s readiness for the challenge. “We’ve got to rest and recover,” Paopao said. “It’s going to be a long stretch for us, so we’ve just got to be prepared, be disciplined and get ready for our next game,” she added.

If the Gamecocks are victorious over the Terrapins, they will face either the two-seed Duke or the three-seed North Carolina in the Elite Eight on Sunday.