I want to be like Nancy Lieberman when I grow up!

I want to be like Nancy Lieberman when I grow up!
This past Monday I was fortunate enough to meet her among some other 
very big names in the world of sports at the honoring of the dream 
team luncheon for the jefferson award in new york. It is great when 
opportunities like this arise as not having the same sort of fame as 
other sports sometimes limits us from interacting with NFL, NBA and 
other high profile athletes such as the Williams sisters. That said 
when your not given this chance often you must bring every aspect your 
A game. Speaking has been the little demon in my closet for my whole 
career and  despite me pumping myself up because I wanted to do well, 
Monday was no different. I was to give a 2-3 minute talk accepting my 
award and explaining  what inspires me to give. Sounds easy enough 
right???? WRONG!!! As if my nerves weren't bad enough, when two of the 
four athletes present got up and gave excellent speeches I began to 
obsess because I didn't know what I could say that was going to be as 
appealing to the crowd and I was the only female. I certainly couldn't 
be outdone by 3 guys!!  It was between Nnamdi Asomugha and myself as 
to who was next and both joked about how quick we would be because we 
were making up something right at that moment. Little did I know this 
was a setup! My name was called before his so I get up and deliver 
something quick and straight to the point. Nnamdi on the other hand 
decides give the best speech of all. I had been outdone by all three 
guys what a shame!  Thank God though Nancy swooped in and saved the 
day on behalf of all women as it seems she has been doing her whole 
life.

In case you don’t know Nancy is the first woman to have played 
professional basketball but she played with men because the WNBA was 
not yet in existence. Years later when the WBNA did get going she was 
a member of the at the age of 50!!!

  I was so inspired by her talk and the delivery of it, I am vowing to 
make my improvement in this area a focal point this year. It was 
really encouraging when once things were finished two women came to me 
and said, “Your speech was great! If you had not told us how nervous 
you were or that you were going to be quick you would have nailed it 
right on the head.” I know I have some work to do as my job will 
require me to speak and I am up to the challenge of fine tuning my 
delivery until I can do as easy as say... Sanya Richards or Nancy 
Lieberman