Cathy Rush – “Dreams Are For Everyone”!
In 1971, there were many in the world who still believed that a woman’s potential for success was limited. Enter Cathy Rush, the young wife of a basketball referee who had just taken a job as head women’s basketball coach at Immaculata College in suburban Philadelphia. Immaculata was a very small Catholic girls’ school run by nuns, and its women’s basketball team was very weak. But Cathy decided to change all that…..
Through hard work and incredible perseverance, Cathy overcame the odds and changed the face of women’s basketball at Immaculata College. She led the team to three consecutive national titles in 1972, 1973, and 1974! But most importantly, she gave her team the power to believe that, as she said, “dreams are for everyone”!
Here is a trailer of a movie made about the Cathy Rush and The Mighty Macs. If you have a chance to see it, it is awesome!
Here is a video of Cathy Rush’s speech as she was accepted into the Basketball Hall of Fame:
Additional Resources:
- Here is the official website for Cathy Rush, where you can learn more about her and her incredible story!
- Here is a website that tells about The Mighty Macs and their inspirational victories.
Topics for Discussion:
- How hard do you think it was for Cathy to pursue her goal despite the many forms of resistance she encountered?
- Do you believe, as Cathy does, that dreams are for everyone?
Take Action:
- Visit the website for Future Stars Camp, the camp Cathy founded, to learn how you can help kids fulfill their potential and realize their dreams!
- Visit the International Alliance for Youth Sports website to learn more about this great organization and how you can get involved!
Teacher Features:
- Here is a link to a Critical Reading Skills worksheet that you can use for elementary school students.
- Here is a link to a Critical Reading Skills worksheet that you can use for middle school students.
