Linda Frlich checks in with SacramentoMonarchs.com today all the way from Italy. Among other things, Linda discusses her love for Italy, her team chemistry with Rebekkah and what she misses most about the United States.
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Why did you choose to come back to Italy?
I fell in love with Italy when I played here from 2002-05. I left to see other countries and play in other leagues, but this time I got a great offer from a great organization and it happened to be in Italy again, so I gladly accepted.
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What are some of your favorite things about Italy?
First of all, I love the nature of Italy. The nature here in Italy seems original; most of the time it's not altered, or made up for tourists, it "just is. That makes it very peaceful and pure, and I love that.
Secondly, I love the tranquility that comes with the Italian lifestyle. People aren't rushed and they enjoy the little things in life. There's always time for some tea or coffee with a friend!
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What are some similarities between the US and Italy??
On the surface Italy is just like the States, a modern-day country, but when it goes into details, I don't find too many similarities between the US and Italy. Even the Italian food that gets served in the States tastes differently from the one being prepared here. Mind you, asking for ketchup at a restaurant is an insult to the chef!! But the differences are why I love both countries.
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Have you picked up any of the language?
Yes, I have. I think my vocabulary is pretty broad and I have picked up a lot of stuff over the years, but I still need to improve my speaking skills. It's difficult, because most of the time when you have a conversation with an Italian teammate or so, you don't want take that much time and bore her while finding the right term of the verb or the perfect form of a noun, so to make it easy you just flip back to English.
A funny thing is that our coach knows that I understand Italian pretty well, so he talks to me in Italian during the game, which is definitely NOT a good idea as during the time of exercise my brain suffers from lack of oxygen. In this case, access to unnecessary things gets turned off to save energy, and my Italian dictionary does fall into this category. So, all I hear is "Linda, tu devi... bla bla bla bla. e quando. bla bla bla" Oh well! But at least I now speak five different languages.
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What is the most interesting thing to do there?
One great thing about playing overseas is that you don't feel guilty about doing nothing. I can be on the internet, watch TV, go through loads of movies and TV series, and not feel bad about it AT ALL!!!
I also love exploring new places and seeing new things. So as I am in a new city this year, there will be a lot of interesting things to do for me. I also love to read, and work through some bible studies.
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How often do you get to contact your family while overseas?
With my husband living in Los Angeles we only get to talk twice a day. Knowing my husband, he is probably rolling his eyes now, saying "only?????" Well, we try to talk once in the morning when I get up and then in the evening. The nine hours time difference is definitely a hassle.
As for my family in Germany, it is a lot easier to contact them while I am here as they are in the same time zone.
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Are you looking forward to playing with Rebekkah?
Absolutely! We've actually had a couple of practices here already and four games. I love playing with Bekky, because with her athleticism she keeps the opponents busy, which definitely makes the game easier and more fun to play for everyone involved. We also have a great chemistry on defense already, as we've learned to have each other's back during the WNBA season.
Our styles of games complement each other very well. With Becky and I playing the post here, I am able to stretch out the defense because of my three-point shooting, which causes her to have one on ones. And we all know that no one can defend Bekky one on one and if they do double Becky she always passed it back out for me to knock down the open shot, so we are the Batman and Robin of the Italian League.
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How long does it take for you to adjust to the team?
I think I get used to a new situation pretty fast. Let's say, the jetlag recovery might take a week, and by then I am usually settled in. It also depends on the organization of the team. Here, by the time I arrived everything was taken care of: TV, Internet, phone, car; things you need to be independent. As for the actual chemistry on the court, it might take a while for us to play with each other, because our team has never played together before this season. But we'll be fine. I feel that we get better each day, and that's important!
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What are your goals for this season?
Well, as for almost every team, our goal for the season is to win the Championship. How do get there (mini-goals)? Grow as a team throughout the season, win some games, and then with an established team character win the games when they count the most, during the Playoffs.
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What do you miss the most about home?
My husband. Everything else is replaceable with something else that might be different yet still beautiful. But my husband though is irreplaceable!!! It is tough to be apart from each other, but he is able to stable out my emotions, he always tells me this is only a season in our lives and he encourages me to become the best ball player that I can.
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What would you like to say to Monarchs fans?
Well, I really enjoyed getting to know some of you this past season, being that I came late to the team you really made me feel welcome, like I have been playing in Sacramento my whole career. I've really enjoyed being part of this family and I can't wait to see all of you again soon. God bless!!!
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