Oracene Price
Encyclopedia
Oracene Price is an American
tennis
coach. She is best known for being the mother of Venus
and Serena Williams
, top professional tennis players. She is the former wife of Richard Williams
, whom she divorced in 2002. As a coach and parent, she has regularly been called unflappable and calm.
, in 1952. Her father was an automotive worker. Graduated from Buena Vista High School, 1970. Graduated from Western Michigan University
. She has three daughters from a previous marriage with Yusef Rasheed: Yetunde Price
, a former beauty salon owner; Lyndrea Price, a Web designer; and Isha Price, a Lawyer. After Rasheed's death, while working as a nurse, Oracene married Richard Williams
and had two more daughters, Venus
and Serena Williams
. She helped her husband as he began coaching Venus and Serena in tennis. The Williams family moved to Florida on the offer of Rick Macci to coach their daughters for free.
By the end of 2000, Price was no longer living with her husband Richard Williams and, citing irreconcilable differences, they divorced in 2002. She subsequently reverted to her maiden name of Price.
During a semifinal match between Serena and Justine Henin at the 2003 French Open
, Williams was booed by fans after a complaint about a line call. Price believes that the boos were motivated by race, saying "We, as black people, live with this all the time. It's all about control." Tennis journalist and author L. Jon Wertheim
has said of Price, "You have to respect anyone incapable of gloss or spin (i.e., unwilling to lie)." At the Indian Wells tournament in 2001, controversy resulted when Venus withdrew from a semifinal match with Serena, who was then booed during the final and trophy presentation.
Price is reported to be one of Jehovah's Witnesses
and raised her daughters in the faith. She describes herself as a deeply spiritual woman. Price also has described herself as being a "rampant feminist" when dealing with what she believes to be the overly sexualized images of women in the media.
She has traveled to Africa
with her daughter Serena for charity work and to Senegal to help in the construction of schools.
Venus and Serena's "poise under pressure" is often credited to the self-belief instilled in them by their mother. "There's no such thing as pressure," says Price. "As black Americans, that's all we've ever had. It's life. So where's the pressure?" This approach was coupled with, according to noted tennis coach Nick Bollettieri
, a respect that meant that neither Price nor Richard Williams raised their voices to their daughters. Journalist Bonnie D. Ford has said that the longevity exhibited by the Williams sisters is directly attributable to their parents and the way that Richard Williams and Price have helped them manage their careers and lives. Ford believes it is especially admirable that Price and her ex-husband have continued to remain jointly supportive despite their separation.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
coach. She is best known for being the mother of Venus
Venus Williams
Venus Ebony Starr Williams is an American professional tennis player who is a former World No. 1 and is ranked World No. 101 as of 10 October 2011 in singles and World No. 20 in doubles as of 2011. She has been ranked World No. 1 in singles by the Women's Tennis Association on three separate...
and Serena Williams
Serena Williams
Serena Jameka Williams is an American professional tennis player and a former world no. 1. The Women's Tennis Association has ranked her world no. 1 in singles on five separate occasions. She became the world no. 1 for the first time on July 8, 2002 and regained this ranking for the fifth time on...
, top professional tennis players. She is the former wife of Richard Williams
Richard Williams (tennis)
Richard Williams is an American tennis coach, and the father of Venus and Serena Williams.-Biography:Williams is one of six children and only son of single mother Julia Mae Williams. He has been known to exaggerate aspects of his upbringing. A childhood friend told Sports Illustrated writer L...
, whom she divorced in 2002. As a coach and parent, she has regularly been called unflappable and calm.
Biography
Price was born in Saginaw, MichiganSaginaw, Michigan
Saginaw is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the seat of Saginaw County. The city of Saginaw was once a thriving lumber town and manufacturing center. Saginaw and Saginaw County lie in the Flint/Tri-Cities region of Michigan...
, in 1952. Her father was an automotive worker. Graduated from Buena Vista High School, 1970. Graduated from Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University is a public university located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States. The university was established in 1903 by Dwight B. Waldo, and as of the Fall 2010 semester, its enrollment is 25,045....
. She has three daughters from a previous marriage with Yusef Rasheed: Yetunde Price
Yetunde Price
Yetunde Hawanya Tara Price was the elder half-sister and personal assistant to leading tennis players Venus Williams and Serena Williams. At the time of her death, she was 31 years old, the eldest of their mother Oracene Price's five daughters and mother of three children, a registered nurse and...
, a former beauty salon owner; Lyndrea Price, a Web designer; and Isha Price, a Lawyer. After Rasheed's death, while working as a nurse, Oracene married Richard Williams
Richard Williams (tennis)
Richard Williams is an American tennis coach, and the father of Venus and Serena Williams.-Biography:Williams is one of six children and only son of single mother Julia Mae Williams. He has been known to exaggerate aspects of his upbringing. A childhood friend told Sports Illustrated writer L...
and had two more daughters, Venus
Venus Williams
Venus Ebony Starr Williams is an American professional tennis player who is a former World No. 1 and is ranked World No. 101 as of 10 October 2011 in singles and World No. 20 in doubles as of 2011. She has been ranked World No. 1 in singles by the Women's Tennis Association on three separate...
and Serena Williams
Serena Williams
Serena Jameka Williams is an American professional tennis player and a former world no. 1. The Women's Tennis Association has ranked her world no. 1 in singles on five separate occasions. She became the world no. 1 for the first time on July 8, 2002 and regained this ranking for the fifth time on...
. She helped her husband as he began coaching Venus and Serena in tennis. The Williams family moved to Florida on the offer of Rick Macci to coach their daughters for free.
By the end of 2000, Price was no longer living with her husband Richard Williams and, citing irreconcilable differences, they divorced in 2002. She subsequently reverted to her maiden name of Price.
During a semifinal match between Serena and Justine Henin at the 2003 French Open
2003 French Open
The 2003 French Open was the second Grand Slam event of 2003 and the 102nd edition of the French Open. It took place at the Stade Roland Garros in Paris, France, from May 26 through June 8, 2003.-Men's singles:...
, Williams was booed by fans after a complaint about a line call. Price believes that the boos were motivated by race, saying "We, as black people, live with this all the time. It's all about control." Tennis journalist and author L. Jon Wertheim
L. Jon Wertheim
L. Jon Wertheim is a sports journalist and author. He has been a full-time staff member for Sports Illustrated since 1997 and has covered tennis, the NBA, sports business and mixed martial arts...
has said of Price, "You have to respect anyone incapable of gloss or spin (i.e., unwilling to lie)." At the Indian Wells tournament in 2001, controversy resulted when Venus withdrew from a semifinal match with Serena, who was then booed during the final and trophy presentation.
Price is reported to be one of Jehovah's Witnesses
Jehovah's Witnesses
Jehovah's Witnesses is a millenarian restorationist Christian denomination with nontrinitarian beliefs distinct from mainstream Christianity. The religion reports worldwide membership of over 7 million adherents involved in evangelism, convention attendance of over 12 million, and annual...
and raised her daughters in the faith. She describes herself as a deeply spiritual woman. Price also has described herself as being a "rampant feminist" when dealing with what she believes to be the overly sexualized images of women in the media.
She has traveled to Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
with her daughter Serena for charity work and to Senegal to help in the construction of schools.
Coaching and guiding
Price's coaching has arguably been overshadowed by her role as mother, but as a coach she has been called underappreciated. Price is not a coach in a traditional sense (though she did learn tennis herself to help teach her daughters the technical aspects of the game) and is instead credited, along with Richard Williams, in keeping her daughters focused and disciplined and for helping to build a solid foundation of self-esteem and outside interests for her daughters.Venus and Serena's "poise under pressure" is often credited to the self-belief instilled in them by their mother. "There's no such thing as pressure," says Price. "As black Americans, that's all we've ever had. It's life. So where's the pressure?" This approach was coupled with, according to noted tennis coach Nick Bollettieri
Nick Bollettieri
Nicholas James Bollettieri is an American tennis coach who is credited with developing many world-class champions, including Andre Agassi, Jim Courier, Monica Seles, and Mary Pierce. Recently, he has worked with 2006 U.S. Open champion Maria Sharapova, Jelena Janković, Nicole Vaidišová and Sabine...
, a respect that meant that neither Price nor Richard Williams raised their voices to their daughters. Journalist Bonnie D. Ford has said that the longevity exhibited by the Williams sisters is directly attributable to their parents and the way that Richard Williams and Price have helped them manage their careers and lives. Ford believes it is especially admirable that Price and her ex-husband have continued to remain jointly supportive despite their separation.
Further reading
- Bradley, Michael (2003). Venus Williams. Michael Cavendish Publishing. ISBN 0761416307.