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Caitlin Clark could have been tennis star but ‘got mad at instructor’ and was kicked out of class because it was too easy
Caitlin Clark is somewhat of multi-sport athlete. In an interview with ELLE, the WNBA superstar revealed she had a brief stint in tennis, one of many sports the 23-year-old dabbled in when she was younger. It’s not just basketball Clark was good atGetty Before focusing on basketball, Clark revealed that she played tennis after being inspired by Serena Williams. “I loved Serena Williams,” Clark said. “Like she was probably my favorite athlete of all time. I just, you know, thought she was the greatest thing ever and then also I was a young girl being able to look up to that. I thought that was incredible.” Unlike the 23-time Grand Slam champion, Clark did not become a tennis star. However, it wasn’t because she wasn’t good enough, rather, the opposite — she found it too easy. “I got kicked out of tennis class when I was like 10, so that didn’t last long,” Clark said with a laugh. “I got mad at the instructor because I thought it was too easy.” Tennis isn’t the only sport Clark had her hand in as a teen. She also played softball, volleyball, golf, and soccer. Her career in soccer was particularly impressive as she starred on her high school team, with footage of her playing going viral a few months ago. Chad Leistikow of HawkCentral took a look at the background behind the WNBA phenom’s soccer days and the information is remarkable. “Clark was busy representing Team USA in the FIBA Under-16 Americas Championship in Buenos Aires, Argentina, she only played in six soccer games as a high school freshman,” he wrote. Clark is also a keen golferGetty Clark hailed Serena Williams as a big inspiration@SerenaWilliams Caitlin Clark spoke about her experience of playing tennisGETTY “In those half-dozen games, Clark scored 26 goals. She was the only freshman named first-team all-state.” According to the reports, scouts rated Clark extremely highly, and had she focused on the sport, they believe she would have gone on to be a successful soccer star. “’She was D-I material in soccer, easily,’ Pearson said. ‘She did have a way to go, but if she would have stayed in soccer and made that her No. 1 sport …,'” Leistikow added. The WNBA Rookie of the Year is also a dab hand at golf, too. Last October, she played in the Pro-Am alongside World No.1 Nelly Korda and golf icon Annika Sorenstam. Clark’s golf coach hailed the 23-year-old’s ability and also her desire to improve. “Within the time we were working, we saw some drastic changes,” Martha Foyer-Faulconer told Golf Week. “It’s also part of her DNA… because she’s going to do things well. She wants to be as good as she can in everything she touches. “She’s very driven and passionate. It’s fun to work with her… some of this stuff you can’t teach people, they just either have it or they don’t.” However, with the new WNBA season tipping off in less than a month, we probably won’t be seeing Clark on the greens anytime soon.
Caitlin Clark is somewhat of multi-sport athlete.
In an interview with ELLE, the WNBA superstar revealed she had a brief stint in tennis, one of many sports the 23-year-old dabbled in when she was younger.
Before focusing on basketball, Clark revealed that she played tennis after being inspired by Serena Williams.
“I loved Serena Williams,” Clark said.
“Like she was probably my favorite athlete of all time. I just, you know, thought she was the greatest thing ever and then also I was a young girl being able to look up to that. I thought that was incredible.”
Unlike the 23-time Grand Slam champion, Clark did not become a tennis star.
However, it wasn’t because she wasn’t good enough, rather, the opposite — she found it too easy.
“I got kicked out of tennis class when I was like 10, so that didn’t last long,” Clark said with a laugh.
“I got mad at the instructor because I thought it was too easy.”
Tennis isn’t the only sport Clark had her hand in as a teen. She also played softball, volleyball, golf, and soccer.
Her career in soccer was particularly impressive as she starred on her high school team, with footage of her playing going viral a few months ago.
Chad Leistikow of HawkCentral took a look at the background behind the WNBA phenom’s soccer days and the information is remarkable.
“Clark was busy representing Team USA in the FIBA Under-16 Americas Championship in Buenos Aires, Argentina, she only played in six soccer games as a high school freshman,” he wrote.
“In those half-dozen games, Clark scored 26 goals. She was the only freshman named first-team all-state.”
According to the reports, scouts rated Clark extremely highly, and had she focused on the sport, they believe she would have gone on to be a successful soccer star.
“’She was D-I material in soccer, easily,’ Pearson said. ‘She did have a way to go, but if she would have stayed in soccer and made that her No. 1 sport …,'” Leistikow added.
The WNBA Rookie of the Year is also a dab hand at golf, too.
Last October, she played in the Pro-Am alongside World No.1 Nelly Korda and golf icon Annika Sorenstam.
Clark’s golf coach hailed the 23-year-old’s ability and also her desire to improve.
“Within the time we were working, we saw some drastic changes,” Martha Foyer-Faulconer told Golf Week.
“It’s also part of her DNA… because she’s going to do things well. She wants to be as good as she can in everything she touches.
“She’s very driven and passionate. It’s fun to work with her… some of this stuff you can’t teach people, they just either have it or they don’t.”
However, with the new WNBA season tipping off in less than a month, we probably won’t be seeing Clark on the greens anytime soon.
