Christie Sides’ belief in Caitlin Clark was clear in message after Olympics snub

Basketball phenom Caitlin Clark didn’t let being overlooked for the U.S. Olympic team quash her spirits, as revealed by her former coach Christie Sides.
Despite her shining reputation on the WNBA court, Clark was not included in the final lineup that clinched gold against France in Paris, she used the rejection as fuel for motivation.
Sides, previously the coach at Indiana Fever, reminisced on the poignant moment Clark found out she wasn’t making the Olympic cut, sharing details of an empowering conversation on the team bus.
“She got the call on the bus and she texted me to let me know. I just tried to keep her spirits [up],” Sides recounted, according to Fastbreak.
Remembering Clark’s gutsy reaction brought excitement to Sides, who couldn’t resist expressing pride: “The thing she said was, ‘Hey coach, they woke a monster’, which I thought was awesome.”
While Sides felt natural disappointment regarding Clark’s omission from the Olympics, she remained hopeful noting, “Yeah, a little disappointed, of course. She’s my player. That’s the hardest team in the world to make. That’s a tough team. She’s young, she’s gonna have so many opportunities in the future.”
Clark, for her part, gracefully accepted the decision, stating, “I’m excited for the girls that are on the team. I know it’s the most competitive team in the world and I know it could’ve gone either way me being on the team, me not being on the team.
“So I’m excited for them. I’m gonna be rooting for them to win gold. I was a kid who grew up watching the Olympics, so, yeah, it’ll be fun watching them.”
Clark will soon adjust to a new leadership dynamic after the Indiana Fever parted ways with coach Sides. Despite leading the team to their first postseason appearance since 2016, the Fever’s quick playoff exit at the hands of the Connecticut Sun cast doubt on her ability to maximize the potential of the team.
Fever president of basketball operations Kelly Krauskopf expressed gratitude, stating: “We are incredibly thankful to Coach Sides for embracing the challenge of leading us through an integral transition period over the last two seasons, while also positioning us well for future growth.
“While decisions like these are never easy, it is also imperative that we remain bold and assertive in the pursuit of our goals, which includes maximizing our talent and bringing another WNBA championship back to Indiana. Coach Sides was an incredible representative of the Fever and our community, and we wish her nothing but success in the future.”