What’s Next?
People often ask me what I’m going to do next. The honest answer is that I’m flooded with new ideas and thoughts every day. I have lots of goals and dreams that I will continue to accomplish through Catch the Stars. I want to start a family—there was a time when I wanted five children! At this stage in life, I’ll be happy with whatever God gives me. But until that day comes, I will continue to cherish and make the most out of every day. Life is a gift that we often take for granted. It goes by quickly—so it’s important to dream big dreams, to continue to put yourself out there, and, most of all, to make it your mission to uplift and encourage others. I will continue to take advantage of every opportunity God provides and leave a legacy future generations will be proud of. I’m ready for all of the beautiful blessings that lie ahead!
Acknowledgments
It’s weird to write a story on your life just as the next phase of your life has begun, but it’s also cool to be able to write about all of the amazing things that have happened in my life thus far. God has been so GREAT to me.
In writing my story, I wanted to talk about my struggle, my faith, and just the journey to becoming me. I couldn’t have done this without the help of Baker Publishing Group, Ken Petersen, my family, friends, coaches, teachers, University of Tennessee, Pacers Sports & Entertainment, my fans, and just so many people that unbeknownst to them have helped push and motivate me to always be my best. I’m so thankful for God putting the right people in my life at the right time. I’ve gone through the heartbreaks of relationships and have lost friends along the way, but he’s always provided me with an avenue to keep on pushing forward.
I want to thank you, the reader, for picking up this book and for reading it. I hope you enjoyed my story and that you were able to learn just a little (or a lot) about me. While the on-court basketball journey ended after the 2016 WNBA and Olympic season, this is just a transition into the next phase of life. Thank you for your support now and always!
Notes
Chapter 5 Split
1. Gary Reinmuth, “Ms. Basketball of Illinois 1995: Stevenson’s Tamika Catchings: A Star for the Ages.” The Chicago Tribune. April 2, 1995. Accessed June 10, 2015. http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1995-04-02/sports/chi-prep-1995-ms-basketball-tamika-catchings_1_stevenson-high-school-tamika-catchings-frank-mattucci.
Chapter 8 Tennessee
1. Nancy Lieberman, ESPN, TN at WISC, 1998, video.
2. http://www.utm.edu/departments/halloffameweb/patheadsummitt.php
3. Pat Summitt with Sally Jenkins, Sum It Up:1,098 Victories, A Couple of Irrelevant Losses, and a Life in Perspective (New York, NY: Crown Archetype, 2013), 97.
4. A Cinderella Season. Directed by Jon Alpert. DCTV, 1998. Film.
Chapter 9 Perfect
1. Pat Summitt with Sally Jenkins, Raise the Roof: The Inspiring inside Story of the Tennessee Lady Vols’ Undefeated 1997–98 Season (New York, NY: Broadway Books, 1998), 103.
2. Ibid.
3. Ibid, 129.
4. Note: The triple post, also known as the “triangle offense,” was made famous by Phil Jackson and Tex Winter of the Chicago Bulls. Pat Summitt, looking for some new wrinkles for Lady Vols’ offense, visited Jackson and Winters and had them tutor her in the specifics of the triple post, one of the most complex offensive schemes in professional basketball.
5. Summitt, Raise the Roof, 182.
Chapter 10 Champions
1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvw0iU-fqUs
Chapter 11 God
1. More about Semeka, Ace, Tree, and others can be found in the following sources:
“Ace Under Pressure She’s Beautiful, Talented And In The Final Four, But Kristen Clement Has Never Had It Easy No Stranger To Adversity Clement Has Faced Life, Court Obstacles.” Philly-archives. March 30, 2000. Accessed October 5, 2015.
Pat Summitt with Sally Jenkins, Raise the Roof: The Inspiring inside Story of the Tennessee Lady Vols’ Undefeated 1997–98 Season (New York, NY: Broadway Books, 1998).
Pat Summitt with Sally Jenkins, Sum It Up: 1,098 Victories, A Couple of Irrelevant Losses, and a Life in Perspective (New York, NY: Crown Archetype, 2013).
Chapter 12 Fever
1. See James 4:14.
Chapter 14 Relationships
1. David Woods, “Fever Celebrate WNBA Title despite Rain on Their Parade.” USA Today. January 8, 2013. Accessed July 1, 2015.
Tamika Catchings of the Indiana Fever was the WNBA’s 2011 MVP. A four-time Olympic gold medalist and nine-time WNBA All-Star, Catchings was a four-time All-American and a member of the National Champion University of Tennessee Lady Vols under legendary Coach Pat Summitt. Catchings’s story of overcoming adversity, growing in faith, and achieving success despite the many challenges she’s faced inspires the boys and girls served by her foundation, Catch the Stars, in Indianapolis.
www.catchthestars.org
Twitter: @catchthestars24
Facebook: Catchthestarsfoundation
Catch a Star Page 20