Former WNBA and women’s college basketball coach Van Chancellor will be a guest at Pine Grove Missionary Baptist Church’s Sport Ministry program Saturday night at the Pine Grove wellness center off Highway 98 West outside Summit.
Chancellor is a member of the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame, a four-time WNBA Champion with the Houston Comets and an Olympic gold medalist. Chancellor also made 14 NCAA Tournament appearances with Ole Miss and later made a Final Four appearance with LSU.
The night will begin with a photo and autograph session with Chancellor at 5. Dinner and live entertainment start at 6:30.
“I really think I’ve lived a blessed life,” Chancellor said Wednesday. “The Lord has been really good to me, and I just want to share dreaming dreams with all the young people.”
Chancellor will be a part of a panel Saturday that includes former South Pike and Ole Miss player Nikki Williams, Mississippi State alumnus Mark Myers and Southwest Mississippi Community College president Dr. Steve Bishop, among others. Pine Grove has also invited area coaches and players to meet Chancellor and hear his life lessons.
During the panel, Chancellor will share stories of his life from his upbringing in Louisville to his collegiate and WNBA coaching days.
“I came up from a very, very humble background in rural central Mississippi and we didn’t have much,” he said. “I want to inspire young people that education is a way you can have a better life.”
Chancellor played at Mississippi State and coached at both Ole Miss and LSU with a 10-year stint with the WNBA’s Houston Comets in between. His career achievements led to his induction into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007 and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007.
Chancellor was the U.S. Women’s National coach from 2002-04, which he considers the pinnacle of his career. He led the squad to a unblemished 38-0 record and a 2004 Gold Medal at the Olympic Games in Sydney.
“I want to talk about my Olympic experience and going from a small community to being the Olympic coach was just an unbelievable dream for me,” he said. “I just want to try and inspire them to think they can accomplish a lot of things.”
Corneila Gayden, Pine Grove’s director of sports ministry, brought in Chancellor to help motivate kids.
Chancellor recruited Gayden when she played at Bogue Chitto and after Chancellor took over at LSU in 2007, their friendship grew stronger.
“On several occasions we have talked about the sports ministry at Pine Grove ... and he told me anything you need me don’t hesitate to call,” Gayden said.
Gayden is in her third year at Pine Grove, where she has teamed with Pastor Oliver Smith to give back to the community.
“With Mississippi being among the most obese state sin the country, we are fortunate to have a leader who embraces health and wellness and sports ministry,” Gayden said of Smith.
Chancellor said he will share that sentiment Saturday night.
“Do something with your self. Get out and be active,” he proclaimed. “Be involved, whether it be in sports. ... Just get involved. It’s so easy to sit around and do nothing.”
Donations for individual tickets are $100 and corporate tables of eight are $1,000. For more information, contact Gayden at 276-9052 or 730-0731.
Gayden said the money raised will go to facility upgrades at Pine Grove, including new showers and lockers.
