Playing under Dawn Staley is an enlightening experience. There’s a reason the South Carolina coach is in the Hall of Fame–she has a unique outlook towards teambuilding, and her ability to develop talent? Off the charts. After all, Staley has sent the likes of A’ja Wilson, Aliyah Boston, Kamilla Cardoso, and Zia Cooke to the league. Obviously, she does something right, and when she gets her hands on a talent, Staley makes sure to prepare her for college, the league, and even off-court success!
In an exclusive interview with Andrew Whitelaw of EssentiallySports, Zia Cooke delved into the mental aspect of playing professional basketball and how Dawn Staley’s teachings help her stay level-headed. When asked what her biggest growth moment was while playing for the Gamecocks, Cooke revealed that the mental side of things took more time to grasp. “Mostly everything that has to deal with basketball is mental. The physical part only matters so much when you get to a certain level. So just knowing how to keep my mental strong, knowing how to feed myself with positivity, and just let myself know that anything I go through is divined to go this way,” she explained.
And obviously, something clicked, because Zia Cooke wasn’t just a ‘role player’ in college–she averaged 13.5 points a night on just 26.5 MPG. Her sophomore year was her best statistically, in which she put up nearly 16 points on 40% from 3PT, but in Cooke’s third season? South Carolina ended up reaching the promised land. It was a hefty journey, filled with highs and lows for the six-foot-one guard, but something Dawn Staley said helped Zia Cooke maintain control over her mental.
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Throughout Cooke’s career, coach Staley just had one thing to tell her. “Never get too high, and don’t get too low.” Because after a decade and a half of seeing talented players suffer with the mental aspect of basketball, it makes sense that the Gamecocks’ head coach would want her stars to lock in on keeping things balanced. Or as Cooke said, “Just maintain. Just continue to maintain knowing that you’re going to have very high moments. You’re going to have low moments. You’re going to feel okay some days, but you just got to stay levelheaded if you really want to be successful because you really don’t have too much time to dwell on things.”
Staley’s words, coupled with the work ethic she instilled into all her players, have been serving Zia Cooke right, even through her journey in the W. The Seattle Storm guard is in her third season in the league, and has yet to earn some solid playing time. Ten minutes a game is better than nothing, but it’s too small an opportunity to make a real impact on the league. But what does Cooke have to say about her role in the league? Let’s find out.
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Zia Cooke’s biggest challenge in the WNBA
Working hard is the common denominator in professional sports. Everyone works hard, from the fifteenth player on the bench to the MVP of the league. However, what differentiates this effort is the intent behind it–the ones that don’t get a shot are hungrier, more desperate, and wanting to prove their mettle. But, as Zia Cooke pointed out in an exclusive interview with Andrew Whitelaw of EssentiallySports, it’s never easy to be in that position.
The biggest challenge for Cooke? “Just staying at it.” It’s hard dealing with disappointment, rejection, and failure, especially when you’re so close to making the next level. For Zia Cooke, that would be earning some bigger minutes, or maybe even a starting spot. “I definitely thought this was going to be the year that it’s like, okay, I’m going get to playing time. It’s coming. And it didn’t. And it’s like, okay, but I can’t sit around and wait. So, I gotta continue to work hard. Gotta continue to go upwards.” She said.
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Furthermore, the Seattle Storm guard elaborated on what it’s like to work without seeing a light at the end of the tunnel. “It’s easy to keep going when you know, like, okay, I’m playing this game. I’m playing in this game. I’m working towards this. But when you’re just working towards being there, you’re just working to be a good teammate. That’s extremely hard… I don’t think people understand it, but only the strong will truly survive.” And it makes a lot of sense! Players like Cooke, who aren’t established enough and don’t have a proper spot in the rotation, working hard is trusting the process.
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For someone like A’ja Wilson or Aliyah Boston, it’s a means to an end. They know that they can apply whatever they’re working on, and they can manage their mentality accordingly. However, it’s a lot tougher when you’re not even sure if something’s gonna come out of your hard work. Nevertheless, with the way Cooke has been showing out over her limited minutes, we know that the Storm guard has a bright future ahead of her!