CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – When Imari Berry was in the 8th grade at Richview Middle School, she had Andrea McCarthy as her English teacher. McCarthy, a former college field hockey athlete at Siena College, related to young Imari instantly, and told her she would support whatever dreams she had of playing at the collegiate level. In return, Berry promised her tickets to a game if she ever made it big.
Berry, now a University of Louisville women’s basketball superstar, just came through on that promise: Ms. McCarthy got to watch Imari help the Cardinals defeat Georgia Tech in Atlanta Thursday night.
Rising star before high school
When Berry was in McCarthy’s class, she was already drawing attention from big-time collegiate programs, earning Division I offers before ever stepping on the Clarksville High School court. When she did, she proved that the hype was real, becoming a five-star prospect, a McDonald’s All-American, the Tennessee Gatorade Player of the Year, the all-time leading scorer in CHS history, and the list goes on. After Berry committed to Louisville, she knew it was important to keep her promise.
“Back in middle school, Mrs. McCarthy and I used to talk a lot about my future and my goals,” Berry told Clarksville Now. “I would always tell her that I wanted to play Division I basketball one day. She really believed in me and supported me when I was just a kid with big dreams. Being able to invite her to my game now and keep that promise means a lot to me because it shows that all those conversations and all the hard work actually led somewhere. It’s a really special full-circle moment.”
McCarthy: ‘Reach, then teach’
Since then, McCarthy has moved to Georgia, where she remains an English teacher; however, she never lost her connection with Berry, continually supporting her through both her high school and collegiate journey. The support has clearly worked, as Berry is having a fantastic year for the No. 10-ranked Cardinals, averaging 10.6 points on 40% shooting, along with 4.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 48 total steals.
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“As a teacher, I’ve always lived by the phrase ‘reach, then teach,’” said McCarthy. “You never really know, in the moment, which students you’re truly reaching until years later, when something comes full circle. With Imari, our connection started through conversations about her dream of playing basketball in college. I’d share my own experience as a former Division I field hockey player, and she’d light up talking about her future goals. Somewhere along the way, a promise was made – that if she ‘made it,’ she’d get me game tickets. Every time, I reminded her that when she played college ball, I would be there. There was never an ‘if’ from me.”
By the time Berry reached college with her Miss Basketball Award, scoring record, and hundreds more accolades in tow, her fan club was the size of about half of the population of Clarksville. However, McCarthy was there before all the accolades, before the stars, the notoriety. To Berry, McCarthy has been there since she was just a kid with a dream. Of course, Berry added a win to her promise, with 10 points Thursday against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.
‘Leave a mark that time can’t erase’
“Her support has meant so much to me over the years,” said Berry. “When you’re young, having a teacher who truly believes in you can make a huge difference. She always encouraged me to stay focused on my goals and keep working no matter what. Knowing she’s coming to watch me play at this level is really special because she was there at the beginning when I was just talking about the dream.”
“Now, watching a young woman I once taught in 8th grade living out that dream, it’s the most rewarding, full-circle feeling,” said McCarthy. “Her keeping that promise six years later says, ‘You mattered in my story.” That’s peak teacher happiness: realizing the little conversations, the quiet moments of encouragement, weren’t so little after all. The belief I had in her stayed with her long after the lessons ended. It’s proof that ‘reaching before teaching’ does make a lasting difference. That promise, kept years later, reminds me why I do this work: to leave a mark that time can’t erase.”
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