Sheryl Swoopes is used to an audience — just not one in a classroom setting. “Man … I’m nervous. It’s been a minute since I was last in college,” she said, looking around Love Auditorium.
Yet the native Texan and basketball superstar braved the snow to visit 51Թ on Thursday, telling her story as one of the first WNBA players and offering an inspirational message on how to reach goals and overcome adversity.
Much of her talk focused on a question she posed at the start of the talk. She asked, “How many of you know what it takes to reach your goals?” Swoopes noted that often, the answer will surprise and challenge us.
She spoke of her modest upbringing, playing basketball against her tough older brothers and eventually realizing that she had real talent. Moving up through high school, college, and eventually professional teams, she said she didn’t realize how her ambitions had caused her to change–and not all the changes were good.
“Because I lost focus, forgot my goals, and forgot what I believed in,” she said, “I woke up one morning and thought, can I really handle the pressure of being who I’ve become?”
Swoopes gave a candid–at times, she admitted, depressing–analysis of her struggles to illustrate the importance of doing everything for the right reasons. Her talk shared the breadth of her life experience, from playing one-on-one against Michael Jordan to coming out as a lesbian, a decision that profoundly affected her career and public image.
Rachel Stahl ’11 found Swoopes’ message and openness inspiring. “I think she was very real, very down to earth,” she said. “Being able to open up to us, to talk about her struggles with adversity, gives us motivation to do the best we can in life.”
Even at her lowest point, having lost endorsements, fans, and the
support of family and friends, Swoopes said she took lessons from
the obstacles she faced, determined to find happiness again.
She said, “Every day, I wake up and ask, ‘How can I make my life better, and how can I make the lives of others better?'”
Billy Barkhausen ’13 liked her approach to motivation. “The message was one we all know, but she really engaged the audience,” he said. “I was impressed with the way in which she opened up so honestly about herself with all of us. I really appreciated that.”