Nancy Lieberman: Basketball Hall of Famer and Big Sister becomes a Big Brothers Big Sisters Celebrity Ambassador

PHILADELPHIA, July 12, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Nancy Lieberman, a pioneer in women's sports, has become a celebrity ambassador for Big Brothers Big Sisters.  A Big Sister with the nationwide mentoring network's Lone Star agency, Lieberman has joined the speakers' bureau, offering her motivational speaking services at reduced rates to support the network's 350-local agencies by appearing at fundraisers and volunteer recruiting events.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120712/PH39034 )

"I am proud to be a Big Sister and take this responsibility very seriously," Lieberman said.  The Basketball Hall of Famer added, "Serving as a celebrity ambassador for Big Brothers Big Sisters is a wonderful opportunity enabling me to share my experiences, inspire others to get involved, and impact future leaders."

Lieberman, AKA "Lady Magic," is well-known in sports, having broken barriers in women's and men's professional basketball.  Assistant general manager for the Texas Legends NBA Development League team (official minor league affiliate of the Dallas Mavericks), she has been a WNBA player, coach, and a broadcaster for ABC, NBC and ESPN.  As an author and the first female coach of a men's team in the NBA D-League, her motivational presence is rich and inspiring.  Lieberman is a Basketball Hall of Famer, two-time Olympian, three-time All American, two-time collegiate national champion and a two-time National Player of the Year at Old Dominion University.

"Big Brothers Big Sisters is fortunate to have Nancy among our more than 200,000 volunteers who commit to providing long-term, staff-supported mentoring services to help kids overcome adversity to beat the odds," said Big Brothers Big Sisters of America President and Chief Executive Officer Charles Pierson.  "In her new role as celebrity ambassador, she will be able to inspire many more Americans in communities across the nation to get involved as volunteers and donors."

In pursuit of her sports dreams, Lieberman refused to accept anything less than the best.  She developed her basketball skills on the asphalt courts of Harlem, quickly developing a reputation as a tough and gritty powerhouse.  That reputation continued during her high school days.  She became known worldwide when at age 18, she earned a silver medal at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal.  As a celebrity ambassador for Big Brothers Big Sisters, Lieberman's latest goal is to motivate others to help children across the nation achieve their dreams.

Lieberman began her professional career with the Dallas Diamonds of the Women's Professional Basketball League.  Recognized as the only woman to play in a men's professional sports league, in 1986, she played with the United States Basketball League's Springfield Fame and in 1987 joined the Long Island Knights.  The next year, she toured the world as a member of the Harlem Globetrotters' Washington Generals.  In 1997, at age 39, drafted by the Phoenix Mercury, she became the oldest WNBA player and in 2008, at age 50, she topped that record, returning to the league's Detroit Shock for one game.

About Big Brothers Big Sisters
Big Brothers Big Sisters, the nation's largest donor and volunteer supported mentoring network, holds itself accountable for children in its program to achieve measurable outcomes, such as educational success; avoidance of risky behaviors; and higher aspirations, greater confidence and better relationships.  Partnering with parents/guardians, schools, corporations and others in the community, Big Brothers Big Sisters carefully pairs children ("Littles") with screened volunteer mentors ("Bigs") and monitors and supports these one-to-one mentoring matches throughout their course.  The first-ever Big Brothers Big Sisters Youth Outcomes Summary, released in 2012, substantiates that its mentoring programs have proven, positive academic, socio-emotional and behavioral outcomes for youth, areas linked to high school graduation, avoidance of juvenile delinquency and college or job readiness.

Big Brothers Big Sisters provides children facing adversity, often those of single or low-income households or families where a parent is incarcerated or serving in the military, with strong and enduring, professionally supported one-to-one mentoring relationships that change their lives for the better, forever.  This mission has been the cornerstone of the organization's 100-year history.  With about 350 agencies across the country, Big Brothers Big Sisters serves nearly 630,000 children, volunteers and families. Learn how you can positively impact a child's life, donate or volunteer at BigBrothersBigSisters.org.

SOURCE Big Brothers Big Sisters