Beyond the Hardwood:
LINDA FROHLICH

Name:
Linda Fröhlich

Team:
Indiana Fever

Hometown:
Oldendorf, Germany & Rancho Cucamonga, CA

What playing professional basketball means to me:
Playing basketball has been such a blessing to me. I have been able to experience different cultures, travel around the world and see places that I otherwise would have never been able to visit.

I started traveling with the German junior national team at the age of 14, so I was exposed to see things that made me appreciate things that I you sometimes take for granted.

What I expected professional basketball to be:
I always thought that being a professional athlete would be glamorous and exciting, because all you had to do is play a game that you loved.

What it really is:
Like anything in life it has good days and bad days. At times it is tough, especially when you are playing overseas. Because I am always away from my family. This is very hard for me to swallow at times as I am a family oriented person, I have a big family and a new husband. Overseas you have practice twice a day, so you never find the time to do anything else except putting the ball in the hoop.

Something I wish I'd learned while playing lower division basketball:
Mental toughness. I feel that I lack, this because in Germany we've always played organized basketball, and no streetball. I wish I could have played in Rucker Park, Coney Island, Venice Beach and all of the legendary parks in America, so I could have developed that killer instinct, which is so crucial.

Why I love playing basketball:
First of all I love to play basketball, because it has a combination of strategy, skills, and athleticism. The game is a canvas and I am the painter.

Secondly, I love to compete, and in basketball I definitely get a platform to do that...in my everyday life people might look at me crazy because i want to be the best all the time, but once you are around all these competitors, it seems more acceptable. Last summer when I didn't play in the WNBA, I would drive my husband crazy, because I would try to turn everything into a competition: from washing the dishes to cleaning up…and as you can imagine my husband didn't mind to lose any of those games.

The women’s player that’s most fun to watch right now...
There are many players that stand out in my eyes at the moment: to just name a few, there is definitely my teammate Tamika Catchings, who stands out because of her physical and tenacious play every second of the game, she only knows how to play one way and I like that.

Ticha Penicheiro, because you never know when she'll drop that dime.

Becky Hammon, because she makes some incredible plays day in and day out.

My most memorable coach (and why)...
I can't really pick out just one.

I've had so many coaches, who have all shaped me into the player that I am today. I might not always agree with a coach's philosophy, but I've always been able to listen and learn something.

I'd go crazy on a road trip without...
I have to have my Treo Phone. I can do everything on it. I can set my calendar, check and send emails, SMS my teammates past and present and talk to my family and friends. Not to be able to talk to my husband everyday would be like depriving myself of food, he is my oxygen.

A teammate (past or present) that I’ve been the most inspired by is (and why)...
Teresa Weatherspoon. Having her as my teammate I never thought there was anything that we could not accomplish. She just had that swagger to her that was so contagious. She was the heart and soul of the team and I hope to be able to provide that to my teammates.

Three things I'd like to do before I die...
Have lots of kids.

Bring all of my family from Germany to America.

And let the way I live my life be an inspiration to others.

Advice I'd give to a younger player who plays my position is...
First of all to all the players that would like to live this lifestyle of a professional athlete: Ecclesiastes 3:1-4:

"To everything there is a season.
A time for every purpose under heaven…
A time to weep, and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn, and a time to dance."

Then specifically for my position: Make sure you are versatile. As a forward you are a mix between a post player, who has to bang and be extremely physical and guard, who has to be very skillful. Make sure to work on your overall game, because that'll make you so much more valuable.

An aspect of my game that I'd really like to improve is...
Ball handling and creating my own shot. When you can create your own shot you're such a threat on the court. And most importantly to stop over thinking and play the game God has given me the ability to play.

Website I Visit Most Often:
www.trifyttsports.com, www.walmart.com, www.womensbasketballonline.com and of course www.lindafrohlich.com .