The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
McGee-Stafford to accept Honda Inspiration Award on Monday
06.26.2015 | Women's Basketball
Watch the Collegiate Women Sports Awards on Monday night (CBS Sports Network).
Collegiate Women Sports Awards presented by Honda
Date: Monday, June 29 - 8 p.m. Central
TV: CBS Sports Network
Reward was not her motivation. Imani McGee-Stafford is motivated by relevance.
But, as it turns out, McGee-Stafford is being rewarded for her relevance. On Monday, McGee-Stafford will accept the Honda Inspiration Award during the live CBS Sports Network telecast of the 2015 Honda Cup in Los Angeles.
And so grows her platform to spread her message of strength and survivorship.
In middle school, McGee-Stafford discovered poetry as a release – emotions, memories and experiences revealed through words on paper. As a survivor of suicide and molestation at a young age, McGee-Stafford eventually accepted her writer's voice as a way to inspire others to overcome similar circumstances.
"I think it's a responsibility," said McGee-Stafford, a rising senior center for the women's basketball team. "I'm a student-athlete at The University of Texas, but what am I doing? My biggest thing is I don't want to be famous. I want to be relevant. I felt like I wanted to use this platform for a purpose."
As a kid, McGee-Stafford was immersed in the arts, competing in talent shows and writing for her school's literary magazine. She spent so much time at her school library that the staff often consulted her before purchasing new selections for the shelves.
McGee-Stafford said she was convinced she would be the next Alicia Keys, until one day she didn't have a beat for a song, but she had the words.
"So I wrote. And I thought, 'What is this? Oh, it's poetry,'" McGee-Stafford recalled. "I started writing poems. It's my release. I write because I have to."
Now through competitive slam poetry and volunteer work, McGee-Stafford openly shares her story of struggle and her strength to overcome emotional hardship. After her story was told nationally this year during an ESPN feature, others were affected by how her truth hit so close to theirs. Even opposing team coaches sought out McGee-Stafford before games to acknowledge her courage.
"People come up to me and say you're so brave," McGee-Stafford said. "I don't think I made any magical decision. This is my life."
The Los Angeles native is also inspiring on the court. A 2015 All-Big 12 First-Team selection, McGee-Stafford helped the Longhorns to the Sweet Sixteen. She averaged team-bests of 14.3 points, 10.3 rebounds, 1.8 blocks and a .636 field goal percentage in six postseason games.
"The impact Imani's story has had on so many people is a testament to her courage, resiliency, and candid personality," women's basketball head coach Karen Aston said. "Her story transcends basketball; it is a reminder to savor life's moments and cherish the relationships that promote truth and self-expression. We are extremely proud of the way Imani represents our program."
McGee-Stafford said the prominence of the ESPN story also inspired her to use her effort on the court as another example of excellence. She didn't want to be spotlighted, and then play with underwhelming courage.
"I started to realize how much bigger than me this is," McGee-Stafford said. "In my past, I was hopeless, and I don't wish that on anybody. That's horrible. Apparently there's a reason I'm here."
This feature originally appeared on LonghornFoundation.com.
