The Los Angeles Sparks gave it their all in Sunday night’s game versus the Atlanta Dream, but ultimately fell short 62-80. Despite coming out strong in the second half after a slow start and outsourcing the Dream in the fourth quarter, the Sparks had trouble with the Dream’s tough defense.
Despite Sunday’s loss, the Sparks are continuing to amplify the growth of the WNBA and women’s sports. Players such as guard Dearica Hamby, who balance both motherhood and basketball, promote the ideas that we as women can succeed in both our sports and femininity. We had the opportunity to speak with Hamby before the game and learn more about how being a mom helps her excel in high-pressure environments, such as professional and Olympic basketball.
How Being a Mom Has Helped Hamby
Hamby has established herself as a veteran leader of the Sparks and also played a big role on the 3X3 USA Women’s Basketball Team during the Paris Olympics. As well as leading her team, she also leads her family as a mother of two. We asked Hamby how being a mother has helped her become a better player and grow on the basketball court.
She highlights how being a mom has specifically helped her sense of urgency and ability to go with the flow. “I have to be able to be in the moment and be prepared for anything” she says. She also touched on how important it is for her daughter to see her playing on big stages such as the Olympics and WNBA.
“It is important for me to motivate her…She has a good example in front of her to set her dreams and her achievements.”
“It is important for me to motivate her. She is now talking about how she wants to go to the Olympics. Not for basketball though, for tennis. She has a good example in front of her to set her dreams and her achievements” Hamby says. She is not only inspiring her own daughter, but many other young women athletes who dream of being a mom and playing their sport at a high level.
Hamby’s Advice on Pressure
Being a mom not only has aided Hamby in her sense of urgency and adaptability, but has also helped her succeed in high-pressure situations such as playing on an Olympic stage or crowd of 10,000 plus fans during a WNBA game. We asked Hamby what tips she has for us on how to handle these high-pressure moments.
She stresses that our presence and gratitude for the experiences we have in front of us, no matter how stressful they are, can help us succeed in those moments. “Just being in the moment and being grateful for being able to play basketball at such a high level has helped me,” she explains.“I know for me, it was kind of stressful because of the pressure that comes with being a part of USA Basketball.”
Role models like Hamby are helping to show us that it’s possible to be both a mother and high-level athlete, and how the two can actually go hand in hand. We are entering a new era where our femininity and uniqueness as women are recognized, helping us be more successful in our sports.
