Swin Cash is an extraordinary female athlete with vast accomplishments to her credit both on and off the basketball court. Swin made a name for herself as a dominate and powerful player during her college career at the University of Connecticut (UConn). As a UConn Husky, she played on the NCAA Championship team in 2000 as well as the undefeated 2002 team and was named Final Four Most Outstanding Player in 2002. She was the second overall pick when she entered the WNBA draft. She has won three WNBA Championships, has been selected to the WNBA All-Star team five times, and earned two WNBA All-Star MVP awards. In addition to her two Olympic Gold medals (London, 2012 & Athens 2004), she’s won a FIBA World Championship. Swin currently plays forward for the WNBA, Chicago Sky.
Off the court, Swin recently authored her first book, “Humble Journey: More Precious Than Gold” chronicling her journey to the Olympics. She is the founder of Swin Cash Enterprise, LLC, Cash Building Blocks, LP, and Cash for Kids, a 501(c)(3) charity with the mission to “motivate, educate, and elevate” kids with a particular focus on fitness.
During the WNBA off season Swin has been expanding her broadcasting skills as an
analyst and color commentator for ESPN.
SZ: You played basketball in China for three years. Why did you choose to play there?
SC: I played in China from 2009-2012. It was after my injury and I went to China because it was a shorter season. It gave me the opportunity to rest my body some and also be able to play in a competitive league, knowing that I was preparing to try to make the 2012 Olympic team. (In 2008 Swin was experiencing back problems caused by a herniated disk, an MRI also revealed the presence of a cancerous tumor on one of her kidneys).
SZ: What was the experience of playing in China like for you as opposed to playing on a professional team in the U.S?
SC: The experience was really interesting. Obviously China is a different culture, but basketball is a universal language, so being able to embrace my teammates and learn from the team and the ways of their culture was a wonderful opportunity.
SZ: Were the on-court plays and strategies a lot different?
SC: Yeah, in every country how players compete and play is a little bit different. In regards to China they are still developing and put a lot of resources into their sporting teams. I think the best basketball is played in the U.S. but seeing how hard the Chinese players work, their work ethic and passion for the game is definitely something to be admired.
SZ: It must have been very exciting for the Chinese audiences to be able to watch you play. Were the fans receptive to you?
SC: The fans appreciated how I play and hustle. I had a nice following there, it was pretty cool. Because I am able to do a lot of different things from passing, shooting, scoring and rebounding it was nice for the fans to see a player that didn’t just come over and say, “Hey I’m getting a pay check. I’m just going to get by and do whatever.” I embraced their basketball and their culture.
SZ: You were an All-American during your college years at UConn. What mental aspects of the game did you develop during your basketball days at UConn that prepared you for the professional game?
SC: I think it’s life lessons learned through the experiences. Playing at the highest level on one of the best teams in the country gave me access to learn how to not only develop my game but my approach, my thoughts to the game. The way that UConn ran the program, the way we were treated, how we were put in positions to really excel and succeed helped out a lot.
SZ: Your UConn experience helped set a healthy mental stage for your performance development? There was a high expectation of the athlete and her abilities.
SC: There was always a high expectation, so it wasn’t lofty goals. There was a high expectation and you knew it year in and year out. The goal may have been the same at the end but the preparation of what we needed to do from point “A” to point “B” was really up to us and how much we were going to put into it to ultimately reach that goal.
SZ: What were the challenges of transitioning from the college game to the professional level of basketball?
SC: I had an easy transition because I felt like college had prepared me for the pro’s. So whether it was dealing with media or time management, having a work ethic to work on my game or to study film, all those things were already instilled in me at a very young age.
SZ: The high level of playing at UConn gave you opportunities for media exposure and exposure to talking with alumni etc.
SC: Playing on one of the best teams in the country you’re going to have media attention and give interviews. Everything is an experience and I experienced a lot of what the pro’s experience while I was in college.
SZ: Is there anything you wish you had known about becoming a professional player that would have better prepared you for the professional life and competition?
SC: I have a solid family foundation, and had support from staff at UConn, all those things sometimes can be a hurdle for some players to get over. I do wish I had been a little bit more prepared for accepting how sometimes your relationships will change with friends and people around you. Sometimes friends that were really close when you were younger grow apart. Understanding how to deal with those relationships, I wish I had had someone to talk a little bit about that with me.
SZ: Does that refer to celebrity? Being a celebrity player during college then at the professional level of the game?
SC: It’s just a different level of notoriety. I don’t know if it’s necessarily celebrity. I think when you are exposed to a more worldly view and worldly things, not everyone is going to be happy for you. I had to adjust to that, some people are not always going to be happy for you to win. Whether it’s winning at life or winning on the court and you have to be okay and comfortable in your own skin to understand that but still press on.
SZ: That’s a really valuable observation. So what advice would you give to a high school or college player aspiring to play professional basketball? What mental skills do they need to compete with the best players in the world?
SC: One, is to understand that in order to learn how to win you have to understand how to lose. What I mean by that is that in life you’ve not going to win every single time but those times when you lose whether it’s failing a test or failing on the basketball court, not winning a championship, you need to figure out which life lessons you learned along the way that can help you with the next stage or the next year, or next season that’s coming up. For me it’s being able to put in perspective and understand what my dreams and goals are and always trying to achieve those goals through everyday action. I always say, “Practice isn’t for perfection.” People think practice is for perfection. Practice for habits. If you practice good things you’ll have good habits and that has helped me along the way.
SZ: Do you have a pre-game routine that helps you get into your playing mind set?
SC: I always take a nap, play my music in chronological order, and try to pray before games.
SZ: You’ve played on two gold medal Olympic teams. When you play on an Olympic team players are brought together from many sources. What are some of the important steps that bring a team together physically on the court and emotionally so players trust each other and play well together?
SC: (Laughing) Well I think if you had that answer you could make a lot of money. It’s about chemistry. You have to have the right people in the mix. I think a lot of times some of the best coaches have been able to see great people, great character and great skill sets. It’s about building great camaraderie, building chemistry and having that transition from off the court to on the court.
SZ: Besides basketball being your profession what continues to motivate you to prepare
and be competitive night after night? What are the goals you still wish to achieve in the game?
SC: For me I think I grew up to play this game. Whenever I get tired and don’t want to practice and don’t want to be in the locker room, or have to travel and everything else, I think about what would retirement look like? But I still want to compete. I still want to win
championships and right now it’s just really fun helping the younger players, like I was helped along the way. Just trying to pour this given knowledge that I have into other players. I think that is really fulfilling for me this season.
SZ: Do you ever see yourself going into coaching?
SC: A lot of people ask me about that. Right now in the off season I am continuing to develop my broadcasting experience as a basketball analyst and color commentator for ESPN, because I really enjoy doing that as well.
SZ: Your physical health took a turn in 2008 and your back began to bother you due to a herniated disc. During the medical exam an MRI revealed the presence of a cancerous tumor on one of your kidneys. In the years going forward you’ve come back from this but did that period of time shape your perspective of what life would be like outside of basketball?
SC: It just put things in perspective for me. I think I’ve always been humble. That’s the way I was raised in my family, so I think it just really brought me closer to my family and my faith.
SZ: Is there anything you would like to add regarding your new book, “Humble Journey: More Precious Than Gold”, or regarding your charity?
SC: “Humble Journey: More Precious Than Gold” was very therapeutic to write. It helped me have a voice and let people understand the true story and true struggles that not only for myself but for other professional athletes. It kind of gives the reader a glimpse inside what that looks like for me. I am really proud of the book. I’ve received great feedback. In regards to my charity Cash for Kids, it’s my baby, it’s in my DNA, it’s what I do. It’s a part of who I am to give back to our youth it’s not strenuous. It’s like spreading love and having the opportunity to really show kids that there are things out there that they can do, even when they may not believe or see it yet.
SZ: Your athletic journey is really interesting. Are there any quotes, tips or stories that have guided you along the way?
SC: One of the greatest quotes for me is the scripture, “To whom much is given, much is required.”
SZ: Swin thank you for taking time out of your busy life schedule for this interview.
*Featured guests are not former nor current clients of Susan Zaro
*This interview can also be read @ examiner.
*Photos by: Derek Blanks
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