Featured Article – Cathy Rush
One of our favorite basketball coaching articles features Cathy Rush. In the early 1970’s Cathy Rush had big dreams for a team from a tiny school in Pennsylvania. As head coach of Immaculata College in the 1970’s this Member of the Basketball Hall of Fame led her “Mighty Macs” to five national championship games. Which she won three consecutive national titles. An accomplishment still unsurpassed by any collegiate women’s basketball coach! While stressing fundamentals and using game tactics labeled “way ahead of her time,” Cathy compiled a record of 149-15, a winning-percentage of 91%! As a result, Cathy and the “Mighty Macs” from Immaculata College took the country by storm. The Mighty Macs played in the first nationally televised game and playing in front of over 12,000 fans at Madison Square Garden!
Cathy Rush shown here with Dick Vitale, Pat Riley, Hakeem Olajuwon, and others at the Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
Cathy Rush established herself as a leader in women‘s sports while coaching basketball at Immaculata College in Pennsylvania (under 500 Students). Under her guidance Immaculata College won three consecutive National AIAW Championships (1972, 1973 & 1974), five Eastern AIAW Championships, and two National AIAW Championship Runner-Ups. All of this in only six years as coach! 
Cathy Rush and her “Future Stars” Dream
Cathy Rush had big dreams for young girls who wanted to compete in the sport of basketball. Future Stars was created to provide opportunities for girls to develop their skills. Which included getting exposure to college scholarships. Entering its 45th year, over 100,000 campers have taken advantage of the Future Stars experience, and the tradition continues to grow. The success and longevity of the Future Stars program relies on a winning combination of individual instruction and team challenges held in a positive learning environment.
FUTURE STARS BROCHURE
Cathy Rush and our daughter Alexis (2007 Future Stars Camp)
Check out the Movie… The Mighty Macs
As my wife and I were watching the awards ceremony at the end of a “Future Stars” camp (our daughter attended two of her camps that summer) we heard Cathy Rush mention that a movie had been made about her coaching days at Immaculata. Finally, the movie was in theaters. “The Mighty Macs” (which was originally going to be called “Our Lady of Victory”) stars Carla Gugino as Cathy Rush, along with Co-Stars David Boreanaz and Ellen Burstyn (as the mother superior). Our whole family went to see the movie and we all really liked it. I highly recommend this movie. The movie was well done, the acting was very good. The fact that it’s a true story about basketball makes it a “must see” for anyone who enjoys the game.
The Might Macs – Movie Trailer – CLICK HERE!
Carla Gugino – Stars in “The Mighty Macs”
Other Cathy Rush Achievements:
- Coached and directed the 1975 U.S. Women’s basketball team at the Pan American games, leading the team to a gold medal finish.
- One of the few woman inducted into the Pennsylvania Hall of Fame.
- One of only six “outsiders” inducted into the prestigious Philadelphia Big 5 Hall of Fame. Having neither played nor coached at a member institution, Cathy was recognized by the Big 5 for her contributions and continuous dedication to the game of women’s basketball.
- Member of the U.S. Olympic Committee of Women’s basketball.
- Written up in Newsweek as the “Al Maguire of Women’s Basketball”.
- Received Special Achievement Awards from both the New Jersey and Philadelphia Sports Writers’ Association.
- Recipient of Special Achievement Award from the Delaware County Athletics Hall of Fame. Basketball Hall of Fame Inductee, April 2008.
- Basketball Coaching Articles – Cathy Rush – Future Stars Camps
“Courtesy of Future Stars Basketball Camps”
Check out our New Downloads Now!
Basketball Coaching Articles
Info on the History of Basketball Here
