C. VIVIAN STRINGER: “It makes me feel good that I can inspire someone that might be 9 or 90.”
Rutgers coach details life of triumph, tragedy
When she sat down to write about her life story, C. Vivian Stringer found the experience to be cathartic and healing, both for herself and for her family.
The Rutgers women’s basketball coach hoped that her story could help others get through difficult times. She never realized the impact she would have on others.
Stringer’s book, “Standing Tall: A Memoir of Tragedy and Triumph,” touched a chord not only with basketball fans, but with people of all ages.
She will share part of her story Friday at the Talkin’ Basketball Sports Dinner and VIP reception at the Rochester Plaza Hotel.
The event is part of the 2008 Teddi “T” Sports Fest— a fundraiser for Camp Good Days and Special Times along with a host of sports camp offerings for boys and girls ages 8 to 17.
“To be honest, I wasn’t aware of the existence of this group but my brother, who is involved with all my speaking engagements, shared this with me and I was impressed,” Stringer said. “I think it’s wonderful to have a group of people to support and nurture a lot of young people who have been hurt in different ways. I’m really looking forward to learning more about them when I go there.”
People are interested in knowing more about Stringer, a member of the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame noted for being the only coach to take three different schools to the Final Four — Cheyney State, Iowa and Rutgers — and has developed all of her teams into national contenders.
She was launched into the public consciousness after the 2007 Women’s Final Four when her Rutgers team became the center of controversial remarks made by radio personality Don Imus.
Her memoir touches on how she led her team through that difficult period and the ensuing media frenzy.
But her life story is greater than the sum of individual basketball parts.
Stringer chronicles how great joys in her life were always combined with great tragedies, including her daughter, Nina, being stricken with meningitis, the sudden death of her husband and her battle with breast cancer.
“A lot of things have surprised me,” Stringer said. “A lot of people were telling me that I had a lot to say long before I had the thought in my own head that I had anything worthwhile to say. I was always just assuming that I’ve got challenges and burdens to deal with. It’s a story about family and knowing that no matter what, you’re not alone. It’s about keeping your head up and empathizing and understanding that life itself can be rough and maybe people can draw some inspiration from my story.”
Those inspired by Stringer’s story include a 9-year-old girl who said her mother gave her the book. The girl read it in three days and told Stringer that now she understands she can do anything she wants.
It includes an elderly couple, both of whom survived cancer. They followed Stringer into a bathroom at a Chicago airport to tell her they were fans of hers and that the way she told the story of the relationship she had with her husband made them appreciate more their 50 years of marriage.
It includes parents of special needs children who appreciate Stringer shedding light on what it is like to raise a child with physical and emotional needs that affect the entire family.
“It makes me feel good that I can inspire someone that might be 9 or 90,” Stringer said. “It’s the stories woven throughout the book that reflect and tell my life. I’m happy that people can pick different parts up and be inspired or comforted by them.”
For more information on the reception and dinner with Stringer, contact Joelle Cain at Camp Good Days at (585) 624-5555 or (800) 785-2135.
Tickets may also be purchased online at campgooddays.org, where there is also information about cheer-leading, soccer and basketball camps this weekend.
