As Caitlin Clark continues to push the boundaries of professional basketball, women who attended a conference in Boston on Thursday were encouraged to push the boundaries on their field.
“Believe you can,” Clark, 22, said of the importance of self-confidence.
Clark, Oprah Winfrey, her best friend and CBS Mornings co-host Gayle King, Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey, Gail Devers and Beverly Johnson were the keynote speakers at the Massachusetts Women’s Conference held Thursday at the Center for Boston Conventions and Exhibitions. . It was the 20th anniversary of the event.
The theme was power in unity. Keynote speakers talked about building relationships in the workplace, what it means to be a team, and how their failures got them to where they are today.
There were also many sessions from other women leaders in Massachusetts, including topics on work-life balance, supporting caregivers in the workplace, and effectively managing hybrid teams.
Gloria Larson, board president of the Massachusetts Conference for Women, said she wanted people to leave with new information they can take to their workplaces and feel inspired in their careers.
“We want people to have the best possible experience while they’re here,” he said. “I call it a professional women’s spa day, because that’s how I feel, too.”
Landing Winfrey, Clark and others as keynote speakers for its 20th anniversary was a “home run,” Larson said.
In front of more than 11,000 people, Clark emphasized the importance of pushing the limits on and off the court.
“Go find the things people say you can’t do because more often than not you can,” Clark said.
Onstage during her conversation with “Good Morning America” co-host and Women’s Basketball Hall of Famer Robin Roberts, she talked about how she always believes in herself. It doesn’t mean he doesn’t have a bad day, but he still knows what he’s capable of.
“There are certainly difficult days for every person,” he said.
But that doesn’t stop her.
Clark was recently appointed Time’s Athlete of the Year. She became the all-time leading scorer in NCAA Division I history and broke audience records. In April, a record 14.2 million people tuned in to see Iowa win over UConn, according to the Associated Press.
Roberts joked that as other women push the boundaries of their field, they could also have a “Caitlin Clark effect.”
Clark also talked about some of his mistakes.
He recalled his sophomore year at Iowa when his team unexpectedly lost to a much lower team. But she firmly believes that they wouldn’t have gotten this far over the next two years if they hadn’t lost and found that power.
“The sun rises the next day,” his mother reminded him after the loss.
And he did, as the team reached the finals both years.
She talked about other times she failed, as she often played sports against growing boys or girls who were older than her. She said it was important that her parents let her fail and that it helped build her confidence.
She said she sees confidence as the biggest thing young girls struggle with. And it can continue into adulthood.
People would kill to be a professional basketball player, she admitted. But there are people who would kill to have the jobs many in the public have, too, he said. Remember how lucky you are, he encouraged.
“That usually puts a smile on my face,” he said.