Caitlin Clark has been fearless on the court since she was a kid, and her former teachers have the stories to prove it. Recently, an old video resurfaced featuring Clark’s childhood teachers reminiscing about her unshakable competitive spirit.
In the clip, her elementary school teachers recall Clark going head-to-head with the boys in every setting-whether in class, at recess, or during pickup games. “She just went toe-to-toe with all the boys like it didn’t matter,” one teacher says in the video. Another adds that Clark’s interviews today remind them exactly of the student they knew back in the day: confident, competitive, and completely unfazed by the challenge in front of her.
This kind of mindset was evident early on. While most kids were writing down standard dreams of becoming astronauts or veterinarians, Clark had her sights set on one goal: the WNBA. Her third-grade teacher, Kathleen Drey, remembers a class project where students wrote down their dreams. Clark’s was simple and direct-she wanted to play professional basketball.
“She was just wired differently,” Drey said in an interview with IndyStar.“The drive you see now? That was already there back in elementary school.”
From playground battles to pro-level grind: Clark’s next evolution
Clark’s tenacity propelled her to a dominant high school career at Dowling Catholic, followed by a historic run at the University of Iowa. Now, after an explosive rookie season in the WNBA-where she led the league in assists and took the Indiana Fever to their first playoff appearance since 2016-she’s focused on leveling up even more.
Her coach, Stephanie White, recently shared insights into Clark’s offseason training, noting that she’s been working on her strength and efficiency. “She’s got a lot of self-awareness,”White told The Athletic. “She figured out right away that she needed to get stronger so she wouldn’t get knocked around as much.”
Clark’s offseason grind has included strength training, refining her shot selection, and addressing turnovers-an area that drew criticism during her first season. Her dedication has been evident in training sessions released by the Fever, showcasing her relentless work ethic.
Even at the highest level, Clark is still the same competitor her teachers remember-the one who never backed down, who thrived on competition, and who always knew exactly where she was headed.
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