Caitlin Clark's Pre-Game Warmups Are a Spectacle, and One Nurse Makes It Magic for Iowa Families

INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Fever crowd is already buzzing by the time Debbie Elson walks into Gainbridge Fieldhouse. For fans who have followed Caitlin Clark from her Iowa Hawkeye days, the pre-game ritual has become a must-see event. But for one night nurse from Indianapolis, it has become a mission to make sure the most deserving young fans get their moment with the superstar.

Elson, a registered nurse who works the night shift at a long-term care facility, holds one of the best seats in the house. Her season ticket is perched a few feet above the home tunnel, right where Clark and her teammates run in and out. And she has turned that spot into a front-row seat for kindness.

“I try to spot the saddest kid,” Elson said. “And I invite them to stand with me at my seat.”

This season, that kindness reached a family from West Texas who drove to Indianapolis for a single chance to see their hero. The Kimball family — mom Kendi, dad Chris, and three girls under 10 — had waited hours in line. They sprinted through the arena when the gates opened. They made it to Section 2, but were still a logo 3 from the rail where Clark would pass.

Kendi Kimball was ready to give up. Then Elson appeared.

“Would you like to come down with me?” Elson asked. The answer was yes.

Clarkonomics: The Economic and Cultural Impact

Clark doesn’t just move the needle. She is the needle. Since entering the WNBA in 2024, the former Iowa star has transformed the Fever’s fortunes. Attendance has jumped from about 4,000 fans per game in 2023 to 16,560 in 2025. This season, all 44 Fever games are nationally televised, a first in league history.

Debbie Antonelli, a Fever analyst and Women’s Basketball Hall of Famer, has a name for it: Clarkonomics.

“It’s a descriptor on the disruption that our game has experienced, which has spiked all of the numbers related to our game,” Antonelli said. “It is directly related to Caitlin’s popularity.”

For Iowa families who watched Clark lead the Hawkeyes to the NCAA championship game, her rise to WNBA stardom is a source of pride. Her pre-game warmups — which include shooting 3s, driving to the hoop, and simulating rough defensive tactics with assistant coach Austin Kelly — have become a viral sensation. Fans line up hours before doors open, hoping to catch a glimpse of her routine.

The Pre-Game Ritual: A Show Within a Show

Clark’s pre-game routine is as much a part of the show as the game itself. She often has assistant coach Austin Kelly body her to simulate the physical defense she faces. “A lot of my work, whether it is before practice or after practice, it’s usually with some sort of contact,” Clark told ESPN. She raised an eyebrow and smirked. “If I don’t get hit, maybe I’m off balance at this point? Something to look into.”

She also does a full news conference before games. On opening day this year, she talked about feeling butterflies after the long layoff. She asked the new Fever DJ to play “Applause” by Lady Gaga — a song she says she must hear before she is ready to play. The crowd roared when it played.

Clark’s focus on preparation is a lesson in discipline for young athletes. She insists on ending her warmup with a make. Then she darts off the floor, often surrounded by a cocoon of security. On one road trip to New York last season, the ESPN broadcast team counted that she signed 108 autographs before she took her seat on the visiting bench.

A Nurse’s Heart: Debbie Elson’s Mission

Elson, 61, has been a regular at Fever games for years. She bought her season ticket in 2023, knowing the Fever would likely draft Clark. She benefits from needing only one ticket, and her seat is at an odd angle for watching the game itself. But it is perfect for interacting with players.

Since then, she has become a local legend. Arena workers routinely point out kids who could be good candidates to stand with her. During the season opener, a Fever staffer showed up with a box containing a sweatshirt, T-shirt, and hat, along with a note thanking her for being such a fantastic fan.

“I never had kids myself,” Elson said. “So this warms my heart.”

On the night the Kimball family was in the crowd, Elson spotted the three girls and their mom. She didn’t know that Kendi Kimball was also an RN. But she saw the look on their faces and knew her draft picks for the night.

“I hate when that happens,” Elson said of seeing disappointed kids. “But most people end up having a much better chance to talk to Caitlin than they would have, and everybody seems happy to just be so close if she just runs by.”

The Miracle at the Tunnel

As Clark finished her warmup and headed for the tunnel, the crowd surged. Security formed a wall. Two men from Washington, D.C., who had spent their vacation budget on floor tickets, were turned back. “That was disappointing,” one said. “But we still had a great time. And besides, so many kids got autographs from her instead.”

The Kimball girls launched into action. Kayley hung her Clark jersey over the rail. Kiley held her basketball and a marker. Little Kassidy, still a year away from kindergarten, rolled up a Fever poster and wrapped it around her arm like a cast.

Clark zipped through autographs. Then, in 20 seconds that felt like both a millisecond and two hours, she grabbed Kayley’s jersey, Kiley’s basketball, and Kassidy’s poster-cast. She signed them all. One, two, three.

The girls exchanged wide-eyed looks. Kendi took a photo and stole a glance at Elson, who smiled back.

“Thank you,” was all anybody could muster.

A Night to Remember for an Iowa Family

The Fever pulled off a memorable comeback win that night. But for the Kimball family, the real victory had already happened. On the walk back to the hotel, the girls clutched their signed gear. Back in the room, well past bedtime, they burned off the adrenaline. Then, in the darkness, Kendi heard a small voice ask, “Mom, when can we go back?”

For Iowa families who have followed Clark from Carver-Hawkeye Arena to Gainbridge Fieldhouse, that question is a testament to her impact. She is not just a basketball player. She is a role model for a generation of young girls — and a nurse who never had kids of her own is making sure they get their moment.

“Life is bigger than basketball,” Kendi Kimball said. “But it’s so important to have good role models for my three girls. Caitlin certainly is that.”