With the WNBA off-season in full swing, Caitlin Clark is in Tampa Bay for the The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican LPGA. Swedish professional golfer Annika Sörenstam is hosting the pro-am tournament, with the reigning rookie of the year set to tee off on Wednesday morning.
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Before taking to the greens, Clark was on a panel discussing various aspects of her life and love for sports. “My biggest motivator?” the 22-year-old said, responding to a question, “Oh man. I think wanting to be the best. Like, I don’t want anyone to be better than me.”
Caitlin’s competitive spirit has already enchanted fans around the country. From her fiery performances in the NCAA to her historic rookie campaign with the Indiana Fever, Clark has proven time and again that she can and will rise to the occasion.
It was particularly evident when she suited up against Diana Taurasi last season. As good as she was throughout the year, Clark elevated her game against the WNBA’s reigning GOAT, sweeping her Mercury 3-0 during the regular season.
The 2024 assists leader also touched on, during the LPGA panel, how she holds herself accountable to fit her high standards.
“I know when I maybe haven’t done my best in something and I’m going to be the first person to look in the mirror and know what I need to get better at,” Clark explained.
caitlin on her biggest motivator: “wanting to be the best. i don’t want anyone to be better than me … i’m very real with myself too. i know when i haven’t done my best in something. i’m gonna be the first person to look in the mirror and know what i need to get better at.” pic.twitter.com/Q66sHEfm6p
— cc akgae (@clrkszn) November 12, 2024
While her drive has already carried CC to incredible heights, it did come at the cost of alienating her peers in high school.
Caitlin Clark drove her soccer teammates mad
The LPGA panel also discussed how Clark has been connected with sports from a young age. She revealed how her parents enrolled her in different sports to channel her energy and competitiveness.
But her focus changed in high school because that’s when CC realized her own potential on the hardwood. However, it was unsettling for her high school teammates as she would dominate on the soccer pitch despite spending most of her time practicing basketball.
“I remember in high school, I played soccer. I was on varsity and I loved it, but my teammates would get mad because I would go and practice and workout and do basketball after school, right before we had our soccer games. And they like couldn’t believe that I was doing that,” the 2024 All-Star recalled.
To be fair, Clark was already representing Team USA at the U-16 Americas Championship at the time. But that didn’t make her any less of a phenom with the soccer ball. In just 6 games, CC scored 26 goals for her soccer team.
If she can replicate that same success during the LPGA in Tampa Bay this week, Clark could very well become the next basketball star with a toe in the golfing world.
