Personal Information
Ht: 6’1”
Wt: 167
DOB: 7/21/79 in Stratford, NJ
Hometown: Duncanville, TX
Position: Forward
College: Tennessee 2001
Drafted: Indian Fever, No. 3 Pick |
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Tamika Catchings did not play in her first season with the Indiana Fever. Tamika Catchings tore her ACL halfway through her senior season at Tennessee.
Tamika Catchings stormed into the University of Tennessee and set freshman records in recording the most points (711), highest scoring average (18.2 ppg.) and second most rebounds (313). At UT, Tamika Catchings help the university to a 134-10 record, 4 SEC regular season and 3 SEC tournament titles, and 1 national championship. She finished her college career as a 4 time Kodak All-American and her statistics rank her third all time in scoring (2113), rebounds (1004), blocks (140), and steals (311).
After missing her initial rookie year, Tamika Catchings’ 2002 season was one to remember. Tamika Catchings was voted All-WNBA first team, was rookie of the year, and was voted a WNBA starter in the All-Star game. She followed that season up with another All-WNBA first team selection, started the All-Star game, and was voted runner up in the MVP race with 19 points per game and 8 rebounds per game. In 2004 Tamika Catchins was a member of the USA National Team that won a gold medal in Athens, Greece. |
Catchings, who has some hearing loss, was honored during her junior season at Tennessee with the Reynolds Society Achievement Award. The annual award is given to someone who has overcome hearing, vision or voice loss and who has provided inspiration to others.
In Better Basketball’s Better Post Play , Tamika Catchings sat down with Rick Torbett to discuss several aspects of the game of basketball. Better Post Play covers everything you would ever want to know about playing in the post - including ways to get open without the ball, moves with the ball, and drills to improve your post game. Below are some sample question and answers Rick Torbett asked Tamika Catchings.
Q. Where is the game headed?
A. When players are young they are told, "you're playing the 1, your playing the 2," and so on, that’s the only position they learn. Basketball is at the point where every player needs to know how to play all 5 positions and they need to know what the other people are doing on the floor.
Q. What training advice do you have for younger players?
A. First they need to start with the skills to make them better a their primary position. Then they need to focus on the other aspects of the game that will help them have the ability to play other positions.
Q. What overall advice do you give a 7th, 8th, or 9th grader?
A. Be focused. Write down your goals. Whether you want to be a professional basketball player, lawyer, or doctor, focus on what you need to do. You don’t just wake up one morning and become a professional. You have to work at it. Really believe in it and take every step needed.
Q. How do you train in the off-season?
A. Since I tore my ACL, I do a lot of things that keep me off of my feet. I swim, bike, and tried yoga. I see a sports psychologist and do a lot of speed, agility, and quickness work. After the season, I take about a month off before I get involved in improving my basketball skills.
Q. What do you do for mental recovery?
A. I like poetry, reading books. I keep a journal with my positive thoughts and negative thoughts. |
