Former Portland Power forward Katy Steding has an NCAA championship
and an Olympic gold medal under her belt. Now she's teaching
young players at the Katy Steding Basketball Academy and thinking
about going pro again...or maybe just starting a family with
her husband of two years.
WW: If you ever had to get a tattoo, what would
you get?
Katy Steding: If I was forced to get a tattoo from the
tattoo police? I've actually thought about doing it at some
point--just, like, the dove of peace.
Where do you shop in Portland?
I spend a lot of time at Nordstrom's, not just because
I like the quality of their stuff but also because they
seem to be the only place that carries shoes in my size.
What is your shoe size?
11 and a half.
Complete this sentence: Michael Jordan's cologne is...
I've never smelled it. I don't know.
Imagine you're DJing at a bar mitzvah party. What are
the first three songs you play?
I don't know. I don't know what you play at a bar mitzvah.
OK. Let's make it any party, then.
I like to listen to a wide range of stuff, so, like, Jimmy
Buffett, country, Christian contemporary stuff.
Let's say you're starring in a buddy-cop movie. Who
would you pick to be your partner?
Uh, I don't know, maybe I could do like a Turner and
Hooch movie with my dog.
Do you have just one dog?
I have two dogs. I think either one would make a good partner.
Of course, the retriever would probably just lick everybody
to death.
And what's the other dog?
The other dog's a German short-haired pointer.
He might be good in front of the camera.
Yeah, maybe. If you can get him to sit still for 30 seconds.
If you attended the Oscars, what designer would you
wear?
I have no idea (laughs). But it would have to be someone
who can work with long and not very curvy.
Before you turned 29, you had already won an Olympic
gold medal and an NCAA championship. Is there any way the
next 30 years could top that, and if so, how?
I think if I am able to raise a family that makes me happy--and
basically the things that make me happy aren't necessarily
the most exciting things in the world. So I think as long
as my husband and I are happy and we have good kids and
we can raise them in a location that we enjoy, then I think
everything else will fall into place.
And where do you imagine would be a good place?
The Portland area. As long as we can stay here. Yeah.
Which Blazer do you enjoy watching play the most?
I like to watch Damon (Stoudamire) just because he seems
to have, like, one speed. He's going 100 miles an hour all
the time, and that's entertaining to watch.
Do you keep any good-luck charms in your gym bag? Are
you a superstitious player?
I used to be, but I think time wore that out of me. You
know, everybody's got lucky underwear or stuff like that,
but I didn't do that per se after, maybe, college. After
a while you're just trying to be comfortable out there.
The pre-game nervousness generally goes away for most of
us.
Finally, maybe the oldest basketball question of all
time: How do you stop the pick-and-roll?
You have to read your player, who you're guarding. If they're
a good shooter, you go in front and over the top of the
screen, and if they're a great driver, you try and go behind
it. You just have to really communicate with each other.
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Willamette Week | originally
published May 12, 1999
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