I’ll start this featured article on Ketia Swanier by saying three things:

1. She is one of the most polite people I’ve ever met.
2. She has some of the best footwork by a basketball player I’ve ever seen. Man or woman.
3. Her success is a direct correlation with hard work and perseverance.

Ketia’s fantastic start to the 2009 season has been a true testament of where hard work and dedication will get you. After being cut surprisingly by the Connecticut Sun early in the year, Ketia has not only found a rotation spot in Phoenix, but a place to call home. “My experience in Phoenix has been a stepping stone for me I believe,” Ketia says. “Everyone welcomed me with open arms. I felt comfortable instantly and felt like I had been a part of this organization already.”

As for the ‘rumored’ hot weather in Arizona? “I heard it was hot out here but not hot like this. Crazy that it has only rained once since I arrived out here.”

When Shin Oga decided to go back to Japan to recuperate from wrist surgery, the Mercury were sorely in need of a back-up point guard to Temeka Johnson. Ketia was the perfect fit for this up-tempo Phoenix offense; she handles the ball phenomenally, has fantastic court vision, and consistently looks to get her teammates involved. Perhaps most importantly, she takes care of the ball averaging only 0.8 turnovers per game. To illustrate how effective Swanier is at protecting the ball, Ketia has just under 20 turnovers in the entire season thus far – an amazingly low number for a point guard in the Mercury’s offensive system. “I just live by taking days one day at a time,” Swanier told me. “Staying focused (hard work and dedication are a big part of it), and thanking God for everything.”

More so than anything, what makes Ketia such a great fit for the Mercury is her personality and attitude. A soft-spoken and incredibly polite person, Swanier does exactly what Gaines and his staff ask of her and gives 100% every day, regardless of the situation. If the Mercury need a bucket, Ketia is fully capable of either scoring or creating scoring options for other players. If they need energy and a boost off the bench, she’ll come in and give you everything she has at full-speed for her time in the game. “I think I have a little bit of speed and Phoenix being an up tempo run and gun type of team fits me perfectly” Ketia said. “My speed is a strength and being able to use that on a consistent basis is a plus because I’m able to work on a lot of transition situations.  Playing behind Temeka is also a plus because she is also considered a quick PG and she stays in my ear consistently helping me get better.”

In addition, her passion for giving back and improving lives add value to the Mercury. Ketia has a 501©(3) non-profit organization called Ketia4Kidz which provides support to the children of deployed and severely injured active duty military service members of Operation Iraqi Freedom. It also provides enrichment activities and tutoring to children while their parent(s) are away in service. “Growing up as a military brat was tough,” Ketia said. “My parents were always deployed and I had to grow up in a single parent home for a considerable amount of time in my life.  Basketball helped keep me grounded and I was able to stay focused from it.  Times are a lot harder now for the military child world because of the war in Iraq and Afghanistan and the things that come with it.  I wish someone was able to tell me to have dreams and goals other than my parents who you hear it from all the time.  I would’ve got a better outlook on life I believe and maybe even strived for more.”

Ultimately, Ketia loves to give back because it’s simply the right thing to do. “I love that I can put a smile on someone’s face for something real simple,” Ketia said about her passion for philanthropy. “Everybody can have a positive influence on somebody’s life.  I just want these kids to know they can make a difference in the future and be very successful if they have the right mind set.”

College scholarships and academic excellence programs will be provided to children on military bases. For information on how to get involved, visit http://ketia4kidz.org.

July 23rd, 2009 5:04 PM