Valkyries' Kate Martin Shares Crucial Advice for Younger Generation
Golden State Valkyries guard Kate Martin first made a name for herself in college playing for the Iowa Hawkeyes.
Sharing the court with Caitlin Clark, the Hawkeyes set the world on fire playing in the NCAA, ushering in a new frontier of women's basketball and exploding into the national sports landscape. Such a rise in popularity offered the chance for real financial gain for Martin through Name, Image, and Likeness deals.
With the introduction of NIL in 2021, college athletes were now able to translate their on-court success and popularity into real financial gain, something that was unheard of for college players in the past. While the opportunity to make money from endorsements and sponsorships is obviously a huge win, managing such an income source can be daunting for young athletes.
Martin Gives Some Financial Guidance to Young Athletes
Martin stopped by IowaFest, a youth soccer and softball tournament, to share some money-management advice with young athletes who could be making some NIL gains of their own in the near future.
"I really hope that high school players who making NIL get the help that they need. Talk to their parents, talk to financial advisors," Martin said (via WeAreIowa.com). "It's super important. You never want money wasted away; it's a very important thing to set yourself up for future success and financial freedom at a younger age... so you can live your life."
Martin spent six years at Iowa and NIL came into effect mid-way through her collegiate career. The financial flexibility that being able to earn off her own name was a major factor for Martin extending her college career, especially when she was able to be attached to Clark, the highest NIL earner in women's college basketball.
“To get my education paid for and then to be able to capitalize and make a little bit of money off of my NIL, I thought was huge,” said Martin (via WeAreIowa.com). “And so that was one of the main reasons why I decided to stay.
"So, I don’t blame people. You know, I would get made fun of because I was there for six years, but I didn’t really care. I wouldn’t be where I am right now if I didn’t stay," Martin said.
Enjoying the Game and Profiting from It
While speaking with the young athletes at IowaFest, Martin didn't just touch on the financial aspects of youth sports. After all, at the heart of things sports are still games and it's important for young athletes to enjoy what they're doing as it is to be conscious of where sports can take them financially.
"Your money can grow and you can multiply it... I think that's super important," Martin said. "But, really from a sports side is just have fun with your teammates. You're not going to remember how many goals you scored this weekend or how many home runs you scored. You're going to remember the fun times with your teammates, so enjoy it."
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Bio: Jack Haslett is a writer and photographer covering Golden State Valkyries basketball for Sports Illustrated. Jack has previously published work with the Sporting Tribune, the Long Beach Current and DIG Magazine, covering sports, community events and news. A graduate from Long Beach State University, Jack has a passion for writing, photography and all things sports.