Tamecka Dixon, Guard, LA Sparks

Moderator: Welcome to the "Women at Work" Women's History Month chat. Please use the form above to submit your questions.

Dolitta: I heard that you all have social events at lesbian bars, do you get any slack or backlash from that?

Tamecka Dixon: Personally, I believe that all promotion is good promotion, and we realize that we have a large fan base of lesbian women, and we feel it's important to market to all our fans, including them. We get alot of support from the lesbian community, and from lots of other areas too, so we like to market our games to all of those groups.

Moderator: Thanks, Tamecka Dixon, for speaking with us tonight. Also, thank you everyone who joined us for the chat. Please visit the FeministCampus.org bulletin boards to continue this discussion.

Tamecka Dixon: Thank you to everybody for joining us on the online chat, and I'll see you at the Staples Center. Go Sparks!!

Elizabeth : How did you first start playing basketball?

Tamecka Dixon: I started playing basketball when I was three years old, and I got involved because my father also played basketball professionally. He played with Cleveland for a year, and played overseas in Argentina, Italy and France. From a very young age, I remember re-bounding for him, and being around him and seeing the excitement it brought to his life, I wanted to experience that too.

Susie : Has anything changed since you guys won the championship last year?

Tamecka Dixon: Well, alot more people know me! We gained alot more fans since we won the championship last year and now I almost can't go anywhere without someone knowing me, and that's pretty cool. But we haven't put any more pressure on ourselves since last year. Of course someone's always going to ask if we're going to repeat, but as long as we just go out there and play hard, we feel good.

Lil Kris: Tamecka, How hard is it to handle the demands of your practice schedule and career in relation to your media appearances and requirements? And do you think there is any way to better prepare athletes for the balance?

Tamecka Dixon: Actually, it's quite hard during the season because there are so many demands during the season with our practice schedule and travelling, we're basically living out of our suitcase during the season. As far as media, you just have to learn to balance the two. It's very similar to being at the college level, where you have to balance academics and sports. It's like that, but a little bit more demanding, and you just have to learn to make it work.

April : What are the challenges being a woman in professional sports? Also, do you guys ever play the Lakers?

Tamecka Dixon: One of the biggest challenges is promoting our sport and getting it out there, and having a male audience that believes that we can really play the game. I get challenged all the time, and I'm tired of playing one-on-ones, but once I beat those guys, then they respect me and that feels good. So the real challenge is getting them to respect us and to realize that women are great athletes. No, we've never played the Lakers. We share a stadium and they are very supportive of us, which is really good.

Silissa: how big is the pay discrepency between you and the male players?

Tamecka Dixon: It's huge, but obviously the NBA has been in existance for 20+ years and we're going on 6. But when the NBA was at the stage we are in, they weren't anywhere near as popular so I think we're on the move. Also, there are women in the WNBA making good money, and alot of women take adventure of overseas opportunities, but I hope that soon our players won't have to leave the country to make a good living.

Sammy : Where did you play college ball?

Tamecka Dixon: I played for the University of Kansas, for 4 years, and it was great. I developed a really great relationship with my coach Marian Washington and she really became a second mom/mentor to me. It's so important to have female role models that are women. I've been so fortunate to have been surrounded by women in life who've been successful in their fields as well.

Diana: Oops, I see my question was asked already! What words of advice would you have for little girls starting to play basketball?

Tamecka Dixon: Just practice. There is no easy way around that! As a little girl, you don't want to force them to play the game, but give them some pointers, and see how far they'll take it.

Denise: Hi Tamecka, How does the future of the NBA look? More teams on the way?

Tamecka Dixon: You probably mean the WNBA and yeah, definitely. After 2003, we're hoping to expand another 4 more teams. The league is looking very stable, and the foundation is good, so we're hopeful that things are going to keep expanding.

Angela: Tamecka, I think you're the best player on the Sparks! Do you do any work in your community during the off season?

Tamecka Dixon: Thanks for the compliment! I just got back into LA a month ago, so since I've been back I've been doing alot of stuff in the community, but it's hard for the WNBA to promote its players alot because alot of the players live in different cities than where they play. I do alot of speaking, and clinics, and autography signing.

Jennifer: HI Meeks, I hear you have one of the best PR Directors in the business but yet you still struggle for the most basic media coverage? What can we as fans do to help?

Tamecka Dixon: That's a good question. I think it's really just getting the word out, and hitting every outlet that you can possibly hit. But I believe that step one is already accomplished, and that it's just already spreading and is going to keep going that way. Thanks for your support!

Lil Kris: Hey Meeka, Do you ever get tired of doing chats and appearances?

Tamecka Dixon: No, I think it's partly my job, as being one of the pioneers of the WNBA. As players, we need to take full responsibility for getting this league off the ground, and though at times it can get tiring, I just try to keep the big picture in mind and keep at it.

Gervase: I know your busy during the season but do you ever get a chance to date...I mean socialize in the offseason?

Tamecka Dixon: Actually in the off season, I'm pretty busy too, but yeah, I do have friends and I do get a chance to go out when I have free time, which is not that often. So I keep my options open... :)

Douglas : What about Title IX? Do you guys still hold that as what really jumpstarted women's sports?

Tamecka Dixon: I believe it is. I think the statistics prove that. I think before Title IX something like 1 in 27 girls participated in sports, and now it's something like 1 in 2. I think Title IX has done a great job of giving women opportunities to perform and play sports.

April : What kind of practice schedule do you keep in the off-season/season?

Tamecka Dixon: I usually work out about 5-6 hours a day in the off-season, including court work, weights, etc. And then during the season, we don't have as much time so we usually work out for about 3 hours a day. I have a personal trainer that I work out with now but I used to work out with my dad - he was my personal Personal Trainer for a long time!

Diana: Do you ever want to coach a team? is that something in your future?

Tamecka Dixon: Definitely not. I have no patience to coach. I definitely want to do something with basketball in my future, but I don't think that coaching is it. With coaching you have to deal with a whole lot of personalities, and find a way to jugggle everyone's playing time, and to be so patient, in every sense of the world. It's alot of work, and I don't know if I'm ready for that. I think today's players are lot different today. If they don't agree with the coach, they'll say so, and they'll question it. That's a big difference.

Diana: Who are your favorite players in the WNBA?

Tamecka Dixon: My favorite players in the WNBA - I really never had to look beyond my own team! I'm biased, I admit it, because I believe that all my teammates are the best players in the league!

Diana: what cities do you think will get the next WNBA teams? maybe connecticut? given their outstanding women's college teams, it seems like a natural fit.

Tamecka Dixon: Well, the only problem with Connecticut is that there's no NBA team there. The closest would be Boston and I don't know if that would happen. Right now, you have to be linked with an NBA team to have a WNBA team. Right now Chicago, New Jersey, Dallas, and San Antonio are all up for them.

Michelle: Do you think being involved in sports at a young age positively effects young women's self esteem?

Tamecka Dixon: Oh yes, definitely. I believe that at a very young age, you learn to work as a team, which is so important and sports give you so many positive - like the competitive nature that you learn in sports can really help you to compete in the work force, and really helps you later on in life.

sassy gal: i'm sure that this is a long way off but what do you plan to do when you retire??

Tamecka Dixon: Hopefully, I'll play until about the late 30's. It just depends on my body, and that's what is key to being an athlete, knowing when it's time to quit. So hopefully I've got at least another 10 or 12 years left.

woodengrrl: do you think the WNBA will last?

Tamecka Dixon: I think so. So far we're the most sucessful women's league in women's history, so I think we have a very strong foundation, and we've got the great backing of the NBA. And David Stern, the NBA Commissioner, is very invested, and I think he's going to do everything in his power to keep it going. Ultimately it comes down to the fans and our ability to keep filling the arenas. So come out!

basketball gal23: do you mentor to young women in your community

Tamecka Dixon: Yes, I do. I think it's very important, and this year, I want to get more involved in the Big Brother/Big Sister program in LA. I think it's really important to reach out to the young girls, and not only girls, but boys too.

Diana: Do you like the Staples Center better than the Forum?

Tamecka Dixon: That's a hard question. The Staples Center is state of the art, and is the best stadium in the League by far, and we got our championship there. But the Forum has such great tradition, and you just can't help but think of all the great players that stepped foot on that floor, so I love the Forum too.

Kristal: So when does you season start? And where do you play?

Tamecka Dixon: We have one pre-season game on May 11th, in Long Beach at the Pyramid. Our opening game is May 25th against New York at the Staples Center, and that should be a great game because they'll raise our banners, and it will be very exciting.