Posted on December 13, 2018.
By Thomas Sellers Jr.
Millington’s native daughter LaTesa McLaughlin is known for many things. She’s known as a National champion, basketball defensive wizard, teammate, social worker, coach, friend, sister, daughter and spiritual warrior. But when Saturday night wraps up at the 2018 William Osteen Christmas Tournament, McLaughlin can add Hall of Famer. “Honestly, I don’t think it has hit me yet,” McLaughlin said earlier this month. “What does it really mean to be a Hall of Famer? I don’t know. I think I am still processing it and taking it in. Honestly, I am grateful. I am thankful. Truly, I guess people will say it’s deserving. “But honestly I wake up everyday and just try to give it my best,” she continued. “If I had to say how does it feel to be a Hall of Famer? ‘Good job Tee!’ But it’s really not me. I think about the people I played alongside in my journey. Because of that, it’s not really just me.” McLaughlin was a vital part of three-straight Millington Lady Trojan Basketball teams to reach Sub-State. She suited up for the Black and Gold from 2005-2009 earning numerous awards to go along with the team achievements. McLaughlin earned a scholarship to UT-Martin but finished her collegiate career at Union University to be closer to home after her mom fell ill. Parents Pam and Sonny were the leaders of McLaughlin’s cheering section throughout her basketball career that earned her a spot in the 2018 MCHS Athletic Hall of Fame alongside Carey Purham (Carey’s Body Shop and contributor), Jack Leonard (Jack Leonard’s State Farm and contributor), the 1978-79 Millington Trojan Basketball Team (Sub-State appearance) and John Moore (1977 State champion wrestler in 132). “My name will be in the paper as a Hall of Famer but I truly just thank those who paved the way for me,” McLaughlin said. “Those who have supported me along the journey and the way. It’s not LaTesa the Hall of Famer. It’s her family who stood behind her through the thick and thin. We’re all Hall of Famers. I don’t like the attention on me.” McLaughlin credits all the coaches, teammates and supporters for pushing her so hard on the court. The person who inspired her to pick up basketball and put the ball in her hands was her late brother Orlandus Antion McLaughlin. Back in June 2007, fresh off of graduating from MCHS, Orlandus passed away. LaTesa had to endure the pain of losing her No. 1 fan and beloved brother. “One of my favorite scriptures is Romans 8:28,” McLaughlin said. “And it says, ‘All things work together for the good of those that love God and who are called according to His plan.’ Sometimes that plan, we don’t know what it is. We’re in that tough spot. You couldn’t have told me during the summer of 2007, that I would be standing here today. “After losing my brother (Orlandus) there was definitely a place mentally I was done,” she continued. “I really didn’t express it to anybody else. It was that place of really wanting to take my life. I didn’t see the upside. Today I can look back and say ‘Even in the midst and that hard time, God I thank you that I can rejoice in the midst of that.’” The pain McLaughlin endured helped her deal with disappointments on the court like losing the 2008 Class 3A State Championship Game to Wilson Central. Only one her seasons at Union resulted in a National Championship. Combining basketball and life’s disappointments, McLaughlin has used those lessons in her life’s calling of helping children. “Now I can see that things truly work together,” she said. “I will say the things I faced and went through have definitely contributed to where I am now. I don’t speak to the kids from a place of ‘Oh I think.’ or ‘Oh, I guess.’ I truly know what it is like to wake up somedays and not want to live. I can encourage students in a different way and show them it’s an opportunity for resilience. It’s hard but I guarantee if you can just fight through, it won’t always be hard.” McLaughlin has a chance to reach the children of Millington through her jobs as the Millington Municipal Schools social worker and Millington Middle School Lady Stallions head basketball coach. “I never thought I would be back in Millington,” she acknowledged. “I really didn’t have it planned per se. I really never thought that I would be back here. Truly once I surrendered my life to Christ, it wasn’t about my plan or agenda. It was the plan and agenda that Christ laid before me. ‘Who better to give back to and impact children’s live than the same community I had the privilege of growing up in,” she added. “I didn’t have the prettiest story growing up until I knew it took support systems. And that’s what I want to offer to the children in this community. Just for them to be able to know, ‘Hey everything might not be peaches and cream in my life, there are going to be some tough things that I am going to face. But in those tough things Ms. Tee, Tee Tee, Coach Tee, Mama has my back.’ That’s the main goal. I want to push them forward. I want to be their support.” LaTesa said God has been the foundation of her life from playing days at Woodstock Middle to her guiding the Lady Stallions today. “God has the best plans for us,” she said. “So I am grateful that I did surrender my life to Him. I’m just walking with Him day by day. As He says give, I give. As He says do, I’ll do. As He says speak, I’ll speak. So really it’s an honor and privilege to be back in Millington’s community to have the opportunity to give and serve beside the parents, and love on their kids. I remember all those who came alongside of me and helped my Mom.” The support alongside Ms. Pam helped LaTesa set records like the all-time steals leader for the state of Tennessee. McLaughlin’s 833 steals is still 11 better than Anna Hammaker of Christian Academy of Knoxville (2010-2015). McLaughlin also holds the single-season mark with 270 thefts in 2007-08. McLaughlin doesn’t brag about her past because the records and banners do enough. Now a Hall of Fame plaque will be added to her trophy case. “I try not to talk to the kids about myself,” she said. “Every now and then, we have a conversation about winning the National Championship or with my middle school team now, I always tell them ‘One day you’re going to hang up your shoes. So who are you going to be when you hang up those shoes?’ “I’ll say, ‘Yes we did have success on the basketball court and I am known for my success on the basketball court,’” McLaughlin continued. “But I really want you to be defined by who you are as a person.” Hall of Famer is the latest description for McLaughlin. But the woman from Flag City hopes she is remembered for her personality, not her play on the court. “I actually believe overall any person you talk to they’ll say,” she concluded, “’Tee has always been the same person.’ I love hard. I have a big heart and I care about people. But the character is what matters and not burning bridges. I think that leads to success as well. If I was a nutcase and caused a lot of problems, I doubt they would have hired me back into their system. But I guess success in that way speaks to just do it, believe in yourself and give it all you’ve got.”
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