Velaida Harris
Coach Velaida Harris, employed at Weber since 2018
Velaida Harris was born in Portland, Oregon and grew up in the Pacific Northwest. Her mother instilled a love of reading in all of her children, as well as encouraged getting a college degree. Starting at a young age Velaida was competitive, and grew to love basketball. She loves the speed and the ability to score quickly.
Velaida attended Portland State University on a basketball scholarship. She stopped playing basketball and participated in AmeriCorp during its inaugural year and other jobs to help finish her degree. She graduated with a liberal studies degree with minors in English and Black Studies.
Velaida started her coaching career in high school in Oregon, where she also worked in the counseling office. In 1997 she was the first African American woman on the west coast to be a high school head coach. Before coaching at the college level, she was the associate head coach of the Men’s International Basketball League Portland Chinooks at the same time as working as the Assistant Director of Community Schools for the Lake Oswego School District Foundation. She has also been an assistant coach at the University of Oregon, University of Utah, and the University of Rhode Island. Throughout her coaching career, she has worked in every aspect related to coaching, and has often been the liaison. She has coached two WNBA players, two Olympians, and sixteen players who went on to professional careers overseas.
Velaida started at Weber State in July 2018 as the head coach of the women’s basketball team. She is the first female black head coach of any division 1 sport at any college in the state of Utah. What drew her to Weber State is its dedication to students, access, and reaching out to the community. Her goals as a coach are to have every player graduate, give them the confidence and experiences to succeed in life, and to win games. The team’s values are team first, integrity, cooperation, acceptance, loyalty, accountability, and gratitude.
Velaida’s advice to students is to be open to every opportunity, be willing to step out of your box and take some risks, network, listen, and find a mentor. As you progress in your career take notes of things you like, things you’re not sure about, things you can’t stand, and things you’ve learned. “Just keep really, really good notes because they are going to help you along the way.”
Women's basketball team, 2021-2022
Coach Velaida Harris with staff during a basketball game, 2021
Coach Velaida Harris instructing players during a basketball game, 2021
Coach Harris instructing the players during a game against the University of North Carolina, January 27, 2022
Exhibit in the Stewart Library