Kristen Phillips
Episode 144
1 NOV 2021
She played professional basketball in the WNBA, FIBA, and European Super League, being named the latter’s Player of the Year in 2009. After her playing career she spent seven years as the Associate Head Women’s Basketball Coach at Seattle University, a Division I level school. During that time, she also earned her master’s degree in Sport Business Leadership. As a student-athlete she had been a four-year starter and three-year captain and Defensive Player of the Year at the University of Washington, following a high school career during which she was an All-American and Gatorade Basketball State Player of the Year.
Notable guest quotes:
“I’m a cradle Catholic… We were a busy sports family and it made a real impression on me that wherever we were — tournament or going from gym to gym or baseball field to baseball field — wherever we were, however busy we were, we always made it to Mass every weekend.”
“Off to college and then overseas I always made a point to get to Mass no matter where I was.”
“A conversation started in class about euthanasia, and I remember sitting there and the longer I sat there not saying anything the more uncomfortable I felt within. And I just thought, ‘We are called to share the gospel. We are called to speak the truth.’ And so, after a while I just couldn’t not say anything… It’s important to speak the truth.”
“My faith was always something I tried to keep in the center. So, always going to Mass, recognizing ‘this is my true identity’.”
“When I was overseas that was how I spent a lot of my time, was, studying the Catechism.”
“Truly once I got (to Fatima) it was one of the most profound experiences and I try to — even all these years later, I try to — put it into words. But what I can say is that in that experience I felt that the Blessed Mother really became a real person to me. I just felt her love in a way that I never had before.”
“I began praying the rosary daily after that and it truly just changed my life in so many ways.”
“When I played in the WNBA, they had a chapel service before each game… both teams would come together, would pray together… It was something that I really enjoyed.”
“Keep running the race. Keep running after the Lord and trying to live your life to please Him.”
