By Troy Jenkins
(Originally published in the Summer 2016 edition of Positive Athlete)

A professional athlete is not only tasked with performing their craft at the highest level possible, but also to give back and set an example for those that follow them. Carla Cortijo knows the life of a professional athlete all too well. She is best known as a guard for the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream. But off of the court, lies a passion that goes beyond the game of basketball. She coaches the game of life, and the players on her team are the children of her native country,  Puerto Rico.

ATLANTA, GA – JUNE 12: Carla Cortijo #8 of the Atlanta Dream drives to the basket against the Connecticut Sun during the game on June 12, 2016 at Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/NBAE via Getty Images)

Cortijo’s journey revolves around her home country of Puerto Rico in the city of San Juan. From the very beginning, Cortijo was inspired to become the professional basketball player she is today. “In Puerto Rico I would always watch ESPN, and I remember when the WNBA first came on. I knew I wanted to be there and knew I had to be a part of that”, said Cortijo. By the time Cortijo reached high school, she was already a standout player in Puerto Rico. Once her family relocated to Houston, Texas, her skills were good enough to garner national attention. Despite an injury that caused her to miss her senior season in high school, Cortijo signed with the University of Texas and eventually accomplished her goal of playing in the WNBA. “Now I get to live my dream”, said Cortijo.

When she’s not playing basketball in Atlanta, Cortijo is back home where her journey began. But now her job is to teach and inspire future generations of Puerto Ricans. Cortijo makes it a point to return home to teach physical education. “I love teaching. I love working with kids. I think these kids are the future of this crazy world we live in”, said Cortijo. A professional basketball player teaching physical education may seem a bit cliché, but the lessons she imparts on her students go well beyond sports. Cortijo reflects on the lessons that she’s learned in life to impart wisdom to her students. One of the key lessons she learned is fighting through adversity on and off of the court, and having respect for life. “I learned that basketball and life are about mental toughness. There were times where I wanted to give up and quit, but I learned that you have to be mentally tough and get better,” she explained.

Overcoming adversity and relentless pursuit of her goals are just the beginning of Cortijo’s lessons. She wants to help pave the way for the next generation, and hopes that those who follow leave a better world for generations to come. “We have to educate these kids. I think we live in a world where a lot of negative things are happening. We just have to teach the kids values, respect, and to love each other”, Cortijo said. “Hopefully they’ll be able to do better for this world.”