When the Amsterdam News caught up with Swin Cash for a telephone interview, she was in familiar surroundings, Connecticut. It’s she won two NCAA championships while at UConn. The Most Outstanding Player of the 2002 Final Four is promoting her new book, the “Humble Journey: More Precious Than Gold,” which chronicles her road to the 2012 Olympics after the devastating disappointment of not making the 2008 team.
“I really want to track and talk about what this journey has been like,” said Cash, 33, a three-time WNBA champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist. “It’s a glimpse into what happens in an athlete’s mind, what we go through–the highs, the lows, the funny moments, the sad times–I wanted to share that. I want to inspire kids and for them to have an authentic voice.” Cash is founder of the nonprofit organization Cash for Kids, which has the mission “to motivate, educate and elevate kids” with a focus on fitness.
The book begins in 2007, her last year with the Detroit Shock. Cash had been part of that team’s remarkable turnaround from worst to first, winning WNBA titles in 2003 and ’06. She discusses life lessons as well as revealing some health struggles for the first time.
“I try to use the things that I went through–the adversity or the positive things–as teaching points,” said Cash, who in 2008 joined the Seattle Storm, where she won a third WNBA title in 2010. Last summer, she came to the Chicago Sky as part of a trade.
Working as a television commentator this year, Cash has had opportunities to view the top women’s college teams. “Notre Dame has been really surprising. I could tell early on they had a lot of focus for the season,” said Cash. “Obviously, UConn, but I think Baylor is going to be the team to beat and knock off. One of my surprises is Penn State. They’re a team that could make a bit of noise and maybe make a run as far as getting to the Final Four.”
Cash’s former coach with the Shock, Bill Laimbeer, is now the head coach of the New York Liberty. “To have his personality in New York, I think the team and the city definitely going to embrace it,” she said. “I look forward to playing New York.”