Caitlin Clark has been adamant about using her superstar image to give back to youth.
On Monday, July 28 she did so once again in the metro area she grew up in.
The Caitlin Clark Foundation unveiled a brand new, multi-use community court at McCombs Middle School — the second of four Des Moines Public Schools set to receive one of Clark’s courts. It also worked with several sponsors to gift students in attendance school supplies for the upcoming 2025-26 school year.
“We were lucky enough to do this last year and help over 500 kids in the community,” Clark said, “and we’re able to do it again this year here.”
Clark’s nonprofit organization teamed up with DMPS along with Hy-Vee and Musco Lights to install the new court in McCombs’ backyard at 201 County Line Road. It has a full-length basketball court and a built-in soccer goal with the Caitlin Clark Foundation logo stamped in the center.
After the court unveiling, CCF, with the help of Nike, Scholastic, Gatorade and Meals of the Heartland, gifted those in attendance with book bags filled with school supplies, books of their choice, Gatorade water bottles, and food.
Weeks Middle School, 901 E. Park Ave., was the first school to get one of Clark’s courts on May 13. Callanan Middle School and Hiatt Middle School also will receive courts in the near future.
“Not only is Caitlin an international star and an unbelievable athlete, she had the wherewithal to understand, as she went through her experience at Iowa, what it meant to be a part of a great community,” said Mary Coffin, president of the Caitlin Clark Foundation.
The Des Moines area’s very own
Clark, a West Des Moines native, attended St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School from kindergarten through eighth grade before spending her high school years at Dowling Catholic, where she emerged as one of the top high school basketball prospects in the country.
She committed to the University of Iowa and become a global figure — leading the Hawkeyes to consecutive National Championship appearances and staking her resume with awards such as a two-time Wooden Award winner, AP Player of the Year and the Naismith College Player of the Year.
Drafted No. 1 overall by the Indiana Fever in the 2024 WNBA Draft, Clark averaged 19.2 points, 8.4 assists, 5.7 rebounds and 1.3 steals across 40 games to secure the Rookie of the Year award and a First Team All-WNAB nod. She also secured a starting spot on the 2024 all-star team.
Her second campaign has been injury-riddled — playing in 13 of 26 games thus far — but she is averaging 16.5 points, 8.8 assists, 5 rebounds and 1.6 steals. The Fever hold a 14-12 record and hold the third spot in the Eastern Conference standings.
