Every time she steps onto the court, she thinks about a person in the crowd — an undefined someone who has never before seen a women’s basketball game, who has never witnessed the excitement and hustle of a WNBA competition. When the game is over, she vows to herself that someone in the crowd may not remember the final score, the last-second shots or the statistics. But there is one thing the newcomer will not forget: the hustle and determination of the small forward in the No. 24 jersey.
This is the thought that runs through the mind of Indiana Fever star Tamika Catchings before each and every game.
“I love this game, and I think you can see the passion that I have for this game,” she said.
A four-year standout at the University of Tennessee and a seven-year veteran of the WNBA, Catchings has already made her mark on the game of basketball. But she’s not ready to settle. Through her extra hours in the gym, her charity work and her desire to teach and learn, Catchings works tirelessly to improve herself both on and off the court.
“I have never had a player who worked harder than Tamika,” eight-time national champion coach Pat Summitt said at Inspiring Women Night in Indianapolis, Ind.
After growing up in three different states, Catchings ventured to Knoxville, where she began her college career under Summitt. In Catchings’ freshman season at UT, the Lady Vols went undefeated and seized their third consecutive national championship. Catchings led the team in scoring with 27 points in the championship game against Louisiana Tech. Although the Lady Vols did not win another title during her last three seasons at UT, Catchings continued to lead the team, playing alongside the likes of Kara Lawson and Chamique Holdsclaw, and she was named a Kodak All-American in each of her four seasons.
The Fever chose Catchings in the first round (third overall) of the WNBA draft in 2001. Although she was sidelined by a torn ACL during the 2001 season, she came back in 2002 to lead her team in points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocked shots and 3-pointers. She was named the 2002 WNBA Rookie of the Year and was the runner-up in voting for the league’s MVP and Defensive Player of the Year Awards. In her seven seasons with the Fever, she has spent her offseasons overseas playing for Korea, Russia and Poland.
Since becoming the face of the Indiana Fever franchise, Catchings has been regarded as a “do-everything” player. Not only is she the go-to person when her team needs a bucket, but she is also a three-time recipient of the WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Award. Catchings has earned the honors of six-time all-star selection and six-time All-WNBA.
“She’s just a winner,” Summitt said. “And I think that as players come and go, you remember them for certain things that they did while they were in your program. With Tamika, it was just her passion and her competitive drive. She probably hated to lose as much as our coaches did.”
Catchings brings this passion to every aspect of her life. When she was young, her parents instilled in her a sense of responsibility to help those who are less fortunate than she is.
“One of my dreams as a little girl was that if I ever got the chance to turn around and give back to someone else, that’s what I wanted to do,” Catchings said.
Summitt continued to emphasize this charitable behavior. Catchings said she felt encouraged at UT not only to strive to be an athlete and a student but also to be a better woman overall.
“I think it’s special when you have a high-profile player who has been very successful, and they’re willing to reach out and motivate and help their community,” Summitt said.
While recovering from her ACL tear during her first season with Indiana, Catchings jumped into community events. She particularly enjoyed running youth basketball camps and decided to establish camps of her own. In 2004, Catchings began the Catch the Stars Foundation. The mission of the foundation is to motivate at-risk youth in the Indianapolis area to reach their goals.
“My thing is that there were so many people there to help me when I was a kid and help me to where I’m at today,” Catchings said. “I want to be able to turn around and provide them that same thing.”
Catch the Stars doesn’t just teach kids how to play basketball. The programs encourage reading, study skills, organization, goal-setting, sportsmanship and leading healthy lifestyles. The foundation provides basketball camps, fitness clinics and even mentoring sessions. Catchings’ program for girls is called STARS (Sisters Teaching and Reaching Sisters).
“We talk about self-esteem, etiquette, hygiene, dealing with adversity, communication,” Catchings said. “Everything is kind of centered around helping them become better young women and changing their whole self-image.”
As much as Catchings enjoys providing a positive influence to females, she doesn’t abandon the boys. Catch the Stars also boasts the CHAMPS (Changing Habits and Making People Successful) program for young men. CHAMPS focuses on self-esteem and teaching boys to talk about issues rather than fighting. It also aims to involve its participants in healthy activities rather than joining gangs. Catchings is driven to provide an example to her young fans.
“You have to practice what you preach,” she said. “One of the things we talk about with our kids is working hard, setting goals and going out and achieving those goals. That’s how I live, and that’s what I want to get through to them.”
Born with a hearing disability, she was often teased as a child for wearing a hearing aid and having a speech impediment. This adversity drove her to work even harder to accomplish her goals. She had a passion for reading and sports and used books and basketball as an outlet for her frustrations.
“I tried to figure out different ways to escape the pain and being different,” Catchings explained in an interview with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. “Sports helped me excel and get through that. If people would tease me, I would say, ‘You know what? Let’s go play basketball.’”
She was an honors student in high school and graduated from UT with a degree in sports management in 2001. She also earned a master’s degree in sports studies from UT in 2005. Her goal is to become the general manager of a WNBA team. Even though she holds a graduate degree, Catchings hasn’t stopped her quest for learning. She is an avid poetry writer and a devoted admirer of the late E. Lynn Harris. Catchings also enjoys the time she spends with her book club that meets once a month.
This year, she took her passion for reading one step further by co-authoring a book, “Dreams Are for Catching,” with her sister Tauja. The book includes tips and advice to help children find the star within them.
“Everybody loves Tamika,” Summitt said. “She’s such a fan favorite because she just plays hard all the time. Even while she was here, she was a favorite with all the young kids. I don’t know of anyone that wouldn’t like Tamika if they knew Tamika.”
There’s always a fan in the crowd who’s never seen true passion for basketball. There’s always a child in a crowd who’s never heard what books and ideas can do for your life. There’s always someone at a business meeting who hasn’t ever felt a burning commitment to continue climbing the ladder.
“She was so passionate about the game and had a whole different level of commitment from many of the players,” Summitt said.
Catchings is now 30 years old, and her intensity and skill haven’t faltered. In the 2009 season, she led the league in all-star votes and was a first-team All-WNBA selection. She also joined Sheryl Swoopes as one of only two players to be named WNBA Defensive Player of the Year three times. She is the only WNBA player to rank among the top 15 all time in career points, rebounds, assists and steals. Catchings cracked the top 15 in each of these same categories in 2009. A two-time Olympic gold medalist, she has also already signed on for the 2012 Olympics in London.
This season, her Indiana Fever had the best record in the Eastern Conference and are currently competing in their first-ever WNBA Finals. The Fever lead the Phoenix Mercury 2-1 in a five-game series and will play Wednesday night (7:30 p.m., ESPN2) in an attempt to clinch the championship. If necessary, Game 5 will take place on Friday. The series is especially important to Catchings, who with all of her accomplishments, has never won a WNBA title.
“I want people to remember somebody that was passionate about every aspect of her life, that gave 110 percent in whatever it is that she did,” Catchings said. “Whether it was on the basketball court or in the community, no matter what aspect of my life that I’m involved in, I always want to give everything I have.”