Indiana Fever All-Star forward Tamika Catchings will appear on campus tonight to talk about her story of overcoming adversity.
"Even as a grown-up you don't want to be that person that stands out and is different from everybody else. You want to fit in," she said.
Catchings was born with a hearing disability and speech impediment. Despite her childhood years of being picked on and made fun of by her classmates, she is now one of the most well-known athletes in the WNBA.
"When I was young, I struggled to fit in and I remember countless times being discouraged to go back to school," she said. "But my family and parents did a great job of not letting me give up."
Catchings will be speaking in Pruis Hall at 7 p.m.
Catchings said when she was in the seventh grade, she told her family she wanted to be a professional basketball player. Unlike some parents who might shrug off the idea, her family stood behind her and pushed her to attain her dream.
Catchings is in her 10th season in the WNBA and is a six-time WNBA All-Star. She is also a two-time Olympic gold medalist for the United States, winning at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece, and again in 2008 in Beijing.
"Sometimes I sit back and think, ‘Wow, I can't believe I have been all the places I have been and have done what I have been able to do,'" she said.
Catchings said being a professional athlete is no different than being a student.
"For me, it's just looking at somebody and seeing another person that has gone through adversity and has gone through a lot of issues and still being able to maintain and still being able to look beyond that and find a positive light and move forward," she said.
Mitch Isaacs, associate director of Student Life, said Catchings' speech will be a unique opportunity for students to be able to interact with someone who has accomplished a lot despite having faced adversity.
"I hope she is an inspiration to students," Isaacs said. "Her story shows that anything is possible with the right amount of determination."
Larry Markle, director of Disabled Student Development, said the university always wants to bring in successful individuals with disabilities to talk with the student population.
When it comes to Tamika Catchings, Isaacs said she is the best.
"If you're going to have a professional basketball player, she is the best to have," he said. "She is the Peyton Manning of the WNBA, and considering all of her accomplishments, she was a great selection."
Extras:
12-time WBNA Player of the Week
Seven-time All-WNBA recipient
WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Award (2005, 2006, 2009, 2010)
WNBA Rookie of the Year (2002)
Olympic Gold Medalist (2004, 2008)
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