One of the WBBL’s all-time greats and a cornerstone of the incredible success the Sevenoaks Suns have had over the years, two-time WBBL Player of the Year Cat Carr has officially announced her retirement from basketball.
A fierce, relentless competitor and one of the most dominant players the WBBL has ever seen, Carr brings an incredible career on to an end this summer having left an indelible mark on the league she has called home for almost a decade.
We caught up with the 33-year-old star last week ahead of her official announcement to reflect on her career as Carr penned this special column.
“I’ve been saying that I might retire for probably the past three years. Last year I really did think that I was going to be done playing, but it is hard to come to grips with hanging up your boots and moving on, because basketball has been such a big part of my life.
“Saying to myself when I came back this year that this season would be my last allowed me to fully embrace every moment from the games to the practices, my friendships and all those things. I’ve sacrificed a lot being here for the last 10 years and I get married at the end of this year so I want to stay at home and enjoy uninterrupted time with family and friends.
“I’ve definitely worked for everything that has come my way and I’m super grateful for everything I’ve achieved. When I came to Sevenoaks in the beginning we weren’t very good, so for the club to be where it is now is a reflection of the time and effort that I and others have put in to changing that.
“I was talking to my teammates the other day about our favourite year, and I’d definitely say that the 2016/17 season when we won the WBBL Trophy and the Play-offs really stands out for me, because we were just dogs – so hungry to win, with a young team, willing to do whatever it took.
“Nobody thought that we were going to do that, and the year we went undefeated in the Championship is obviously special because we went through so much and were so consistent to get the job done from September to May. Every year has been great, honestly, and I’ve been so blessed to play this game as a profession and gain a lot from it.
“None of this would have been possible without my teammates, and I’ve been so blessed to be able to do all of this with great people over the years who have really been in my corner, which is one of the reasons I’ve played for so long.
“The support and recognition I’ve had from my peers over the years has been amazing and humbling. I think people think that (Carr is one the WBBL’s all-time greats) because when I step on the court, I will do whatever it takes to win and be ultra-competitive to help my team be successful.
“I’m very prideful in presenting myself and doing whatever I need to do to help my team win. I take the game very seriously and will hold myself and my team accountable for what we need to do to win. Maybe my teammates haven’t always liked me(!), but they understand why I am who I am and what my intentions have been and that is for us all to be successful.
“I will miss the WBBL, it was my life for so long. To see the growth the league has had is amazing and to be thought of as somebody who helped it develop and grow is a great feeling. I only want the best for its future. The growth of the game in this country is so important to me, and I want kids here to feel what I felt growing up in the States and to have the same opportunities I did.
“What has been great this year is seeing so many kids at our games – not just girls, but boys too – and seeing how powerful basketball can be in inspiring people. I hope I can look back in two or three years and realise how it has just gone to another level again!
“I have to say a huge thank you to Sevenoaks and Len (Busch), who took a chance on me, and we’ve developed a very trusting relationship since. I never felt like he didn’t want me to come back the next year. He’s allowed me to play this sport and be in a country and situation that I love for so long.
“Ta’Yani (Clark) retired last year but we’ve been through all of this together, from Northumbria to now, and she’s always challenged me to be a better player and person, which is probably the best connection I’ve made through this sport.
“My fiancé, Alex Owumi, has been super supportive. Even though he’s retired from playing, in the off-season he takes the time to help me work out and develop my craft, challenging me in uncomfortable ways, so he’s been incredible and he’s back home in the States.
“All my teammates over the years have been so special to me. We’ve been through a lot, winning, losing, been upset, causing upsets … this is such a fun sport, and it challenges your ability to bounce back, handle failure, deal with things not going your way. You rely on others to be successful, to pick you back up, and that’s why I love it because it is a true team sport.
“They’ve all taught me different things, to be a better player and better person, and I’m just thankful for basketball because without it none of this would be possible.”