WNBA and Indiana Fever basketball great Tamika Catchings continues to be in high demand for speaking engagements.
Her latest opportunity to share her journey to where she has ascended to today came at Christ’s Covenant Church in Winona Lake, Indiana. It served as an event that let people know what Combined Community Services – the outfit behind the gathering – does in addition to doubling as a fundraising affair.
The Times-Union, the local newspaper in Kosciuko County was there – and it said she had five keys to success: Focus on the goal, surround yourself with great people, bring skills, do not be fazed by adversity and enjoy the journey.
One of the points on that journey came in 2015 – three years after guiding the Indiana Fever to a WNBA championship in 2012. She actually said her favorite year was 2015 instead of 2012 or any of the years where she won Olympic gold medals.
She told a story of how she wanted her team to be in the locker room early, put puzzle pieces in Ziploc bags and each player had one. Catchings said the puzzle was not finished since four players did not get on the floor.
So what it means is, when I got back up I said, ‘Look. With four people sitting in their chairs and eight people down, we can’t complete the puzzle.’ Let’s look at this room. Bring your skills to the table.
–Tamika Catchings (Times-Union)
The paper wrote that Catchings acknowledged Angie Oler for how the organization helped her after enduring hardship in her relationship. She is due to graduate with an associate’s degree.
If you would have told me at 3 years old that I would be doing what I’m doing now, I would have laughed at you.
–Tamika Catchings (Times-Union)
Catchings is one who is very rooted in her faith. She believes that being an achiever is not only about being one for one’s self.
Enjoy the ride and if nothing else, when you think about being a champion, it’s not just being a champion, it’s a champion for Christ. Because when you focus on your goal, you focus on Him. When you have impact people, you have Him in your life. When you bring the pieces to the table, He has blessed each and every one of us with different pieces, that’s why we were all made different. Don’t let adversity stop you, read the Bible.
–Tamika Catchings (Times-Union)
Catchings will have at least one more basketball-related speaking engagement … and possibly two. She was announced as part of the 2020 class of the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame and is a finalist for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
