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A Philly youth sports organization is creating an award named for Dawn Staley

The award's first winners are the women's basketball coaches of the Big 5: Diane Richardson, Mountain MacGillivray, Denise Dillon, Cindy Griffin, Mike McLaughlin, and Amy Mallon.

South Carolina coach Dawn Staley is a North Philly native, and now an award honoring those who've made an impact on basketball locally will bear her name.
South Carolina coach Dawn Staley is a North Philly native, and now an award honoring those who've made an impact on basketball locally will bear her name.Read moreJustine Willard / AP
    by Colin Schofield
    Published 

North Philly native Dawn Staley is getting a little more love from her hometown.

The Philadelphia Youth Sports Collaborative this week announced the creation of the Dawn Staley Legacy Award.

The award was created to honor those who have shown strong leadership and have made an impact on expanding basketball within the community, especially for women and girls, according to a news release. The award is meant to showcase Staley’s impact on women’s basketball on the court and in the community.

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It will be presented at the Philadelphia Sports Legacy Honors on May 20 at the Alan Horwitz “Sixth Man” Center. The inaugural winners of the award are the head coaches of the Big 5 women’s basketball teams: Diane Richardson (Temple), Mountain MacGillivray (La Salle), Denise Dillon (Villanova), Cindy Griffin (St. Joseph’s), Mike McLaughlin (Penn), and Amy Mallon (Drexel).

“Dawn Staley’s impact goes far beyond wins and championships,” Beth Devine, executive director of the PYSC, said in the release. “She has changed what is possible for women in sports and continues to inspire the next generation. It is only fitting that the first recipients of this award are the coaches who are carrying that work forward right here in Philadelphia.”

Staley coached the Temple women from 2000-08, leading the program to six NCAA Tournament appearances. She has been the head coach at South Carolina since 2009 and has won three national championships.

Tickets for the May 20 event can be bought at legacyhonors.org, and proceeds will support grassroots youth sports groups citywide. Eagles offensive tackle Jordan Mailata also will be honored at the event with the newly renamed Montgomery-Wanamaker Citizens Award.

» READ MORE: Jordan Mailata wins first Montgomery-Wanamaker Citizens Award, which now bears the name of the late Phillies chairman

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    Colin Schofield
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