Inspired by her mother, Louise, who single-handedly raised four children, Sheryl Swoopes' first basketball memory is "going to nationals with the Little Dribblers team when she was eight years old". From that point on, Sheryl Swoopes has continued to leave her mark on the game of women's professional basketball and women's sports in general.

The first woman to have her own Nike shoe named after her, the 2002 season WNBA's MVP has achieved many respected accolades during her career. Many have noted Ms. Swoopes as "one of the best players ever" in the game of women's basketball. Ms. Swoopes was also recognized and awarded an ESPY at the 2000 ESPY Awards Show for "Female Professional Basketball Player of the Year". She has repeatedly been named to the All-WNBA First Team in 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2002.

Recently Ms. Swoopes was named as the "2002 WNBA Player of the Year" and "2002 Defensive Player of the Year" awards that she also achieved in 2000. As the leading vote getter in All-Star voting in both 1999, 2000 and 2002, Sheryl has also recorded numerous double-doubles in her career. In the 2000 season alone, Ms. Swoopes led the WNBA in regular season scoring with career high 20.7 points per game scoring average and this year led the WNBA in playoff scoring.

Outside of her professional career with the WNBA, Ms. Swoopes has been received Gold Medals at both the 1996 and 2000 USA Women's Olympic team. Sheryl was also a member of the USA Basketball Women's National Team that played 52 games around the world to prepare for the Olympics.

As an integral force in representing the U.S., Sheryl has participated in the 1994 Goodwill Games and 1999 Winter European Tour. Currently Ms. Swoopes is representing the United States overseas, in China, in the 2002 World Championship Games.

Sidelined for the 2001-2002 season with a torn ACL injury, Sheryl Swoopes rebounded in the 2002 season with exemplary play and performance earning the recognition of the league's MVP. Those same levels of dedication, commitment, diligence and perseverance are constants that Sheryl also exhibits in her endeavors away from the basketball court.

While Sheryl is honored to have received the distinguished accolades for her on-court presence, she is also proud of her accomplishments off-court as well. Sheryl is dedicated to educating, enhancing and empowering our youth. Her activities in the community have incited her desire to establishing a foundation dedicated to these efforts, the Sheryl Swoopes Foundation for Youth (S.S.F.Y.). This organization, based out of Houston, is designed to not only assist the children of Texas but has an outreach plan that hopes to help children worldwide.

Sheryl Swoopes also serves as an Advisory Board Member for M.A.D.D. She has appeared on The Today Show, The Weakest Link and was invited by President George W. Bush to join him for the Opening Ceremonies at the 2002 Winter Olympic Games.

A native of Lubbock, Texas, Sheryl attended Texas Tech University.

In her spare time Sheryl enjoys spending quality time with her son, playing volleyball, and traveling the country delivering inspirational messages of "...dedication and determination towards success" to audiences of all ages and demographics. Sheryl is a single parent and the proud mother of one five year-old son, Jordan, whom she notes as being her most important achievement in life.