Miss-Delectable
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Salt Lake Tribune - Forward helps U.S. take a second gold
She was just looking for somewhere to continue playing basketball when she finished college in 2001.
Shari Bailey never thought she would be playing internationally, let alone become a captain of the U.S. National Basketball team for the Deaf and be a tournament all-star while leading her team to a second consecutive gold medal at the World Deaf Basketball Championships in Guangzhou, China last month.
"I never knew there was even a team," Bailey said. "I wasn't that involved in the deaf community before this."
Since getting involved, the 5-foot-10 forward has helped the U.S. team continue its success. She helped her team overcome its first-ever loss since beginning to compete internationally in 1981.
The loss came at the hands of Sweden in group play, 54-52.
Bailey's husband, Matt, who went to China for the championships said, "Even though they lost, that was the best game of the tournament. She [Shari] shut down their best player but Sweden still won."
The U.S. and Bailey got revenge by beating Sweden 64-56 in the gold medal game.
"We had so much pressure on us to win," Bailey said. "It was good we lost in that first game against Sweden and we were glad to play them in the final game and win."
While most teams brought back the same team they had in the first World Championships, Bailey was just one of two returners for the U.S. The team only had a week to train together before going to China.
"Other teams don't know who we are going to bring but we know who is on their team and we seem to get along very fast when we practice together," Bailey said.
Because of travel costs, the team rarely gets together to practice unless it's before a tournament.
Since finishing college, Bailey has become a staple on the national team. The team won the gold in Greece at the World Championships in 2003, where Bailey was named tournament MVP, and also won gold in Australia at the Deaf Olympics in 2005.
Bailey has been playing for the national team since 2002, when she was chosen while playing in a USA Deaf Basketball tournament in Indianapolis.
"I just wanted to keep playing after college and I looked up some things online and got on a team," Bailey said. "When I was in Indianapolis I was clueless they [national team representatives] were even there."
While Bailey can lead her team offensively, she scored 25 points in the first game of the championships against China, it's playing defense she loves.
"If you play good defensively I just think the offense will come," Bailey said.
Bailey's assignment against Sweden at the WDBC was to defend its leading scorer and tournament MVP, she held her to just 12 points in the loss.
"I love to play defense and make them frustrated. My coach said your only assignment is to stop No. 2," Bailey said.
Added Matt Bailey, "She plays in city leagues and I have seen people hit her because they get so frustrated."
Bailey said there have been times during games when the opponent she was defending just stops moving because she was blanketing them so well.
Basketball has been a part of her life since she started playing in second grade. Bailey continued playing in high school at American Fork.
After graduating high school, Bailey played at Utah Valley State College and Westminster before joining the U.S. team. She hopes a few more gold medals are in her future.
"I love playing on the team and hope to play as long as I can. I think they might start having try outs so as long as I make the team," Bailey said.
She was just looking for somewhere to continue playing basketball when she finished college in 2001.
Shari Bailey never thought she would be playing internationally, let alone become a captain of the U.S. National Basketball team for the Deaf and be a tournament all-star while leading her team to a second consecutive gold medal at the World Deaf Basketball Championships in Guangzhou, China last month.
"I never knew there was even a team," Bailey said. "I wasn't that involved in the deaf community before this."
Since getting involved, the 5-foot-10 forward has helped the U.S. team continue its success. She helped her team overcome its first-ever loss since beginning to compete internationally in 1981.
The loss came at the hands of Sweden in group play, 54-52.
Bailey's husband, Matt, who went to China for the championships said, "Even though they lost, that was the best game of the tournament. She [Shari] shut down their best player but Sweden still won."
The U.S. and Bailey got revenge by beating Sweden 64-56 in the gold medal game.
"We had so much pressure on us to win," Bailey said. "It was good we lost in that first game against Sweden and we were glad to play them in the final game and win."
While most teams brought back the same team they had in the first World Championships, Bailey was just one of two returners for the U.S. The team only had a week to train together before going to China.
"Other teams don't know who we are going to bring but we know who is on their team and we seem to get along very fast when we practice together," Bailey said.
Because of travel costs, the team rarely gets together to practice unless it's before a tournament.
Since finishing college, Bailey has become a staple on the national team. The team won the gold in Greece at the World Championships in 2003, where Bailey was named tournament MVP, and also won gold in Australia at the Deaf Olympics in 2005.
Bailey has been playing for the national team since 2002, when she was chosen while playing in a USA Deaf Basketball tournament in Indianapolis.
"I just wanted to keep playing after college and I looked up some things online and got on a team," Bailey said. "When I was in Indianapolis I was clueless they [national team representatives] were even there."
While Bailey can lead her team offensively, she scored 25 points in the first game of the championships against China, it's playing defense she loves.
"If you play good defensively I just think the offense will come," Bailey said.
Bailey's assignment against Sweden at the WDBC was to defend its leading scorer and tournament MVP, she held her to just 12 points in the loss.
"I love to play defense and make them frustrated. My coach said your only assignment is to stop No. 2," Bailey said.
Added Matt Bailey, "She plays in city leagues and I have seen people hit her because they get so frustrated."
Bailey said there have been times during games when the opponent she was defending just stops moving because she was blanketing them so well.
Basketball has been a part of her life since she started playing in second grade. Bailey continued playing in high school at American Fork.
After graduating high school, Bailey played at Utah Valley State College and Westminster before joining the U.S. team. She hopes a few more gold medals are in her future.
"I love playing on the team and hope to play as long as I can. I think they might start having try outs so as long as I make the team," Bailey said.