MKRob Sports

When did you start playing basketball?

I first started playing basketball around the age of 12. Not to say that I was necessarily good at that age but luckily local coaches saw some potential in a tall, slender, and I use the word slender passively, kid.

What other sports do you enjoy or like to watch besides basketball?

I enjoy watching football and have come to enjoy soccer. Because I am overseas so much of the time, I have had the chance to watch and gain a new found appreciation for the sport.

What is your favorite kind of music?

I love all music. Country would be my least favorite of all genres but I am still able to find a couple artists that I like. But my favorite kind of music would definitely be R&B. I love to sing, not saying that I am good at, but behind closed doors I am a humming bird. (lol)

Are you apart of any greek affiliations?

No

Who or what is your inspiration?

Basketball has open up a lot of doors for me. I want to be able to open doors for the generations that follow me. That doesn’t only apply to athletics but to the youths throughout the community. To be able to reach out and find the passion inside of our young that seems to get buried and watered down. People who take action to ensure that our community [the world] is moving in the right direction inspire me.

How much did you hear about the Georgetown Men’s Basketball history while you were there?

It was the pride and joy of Georgetown athletics. I am from the metropolitan are so even before arriving there I had some knowledge of Georgetown Men’s basketball. I was very familiar with the program and the pride of being a Hoya.

Who were or are your favorite players and teams growing up?

It’s strange because I didn’t start watching basketball until I was already a sophomore in college. I didn’t have a strong desire to watch but only a strong desire to play. I didn’t become a student of the game until much further after I first picked up a ball. Even for the Inaugural WNBA season, I still wasn’t in tune with just how great the sport, and woman in it had become.

What’s the difference between playing in Europe and playing in the WNBA?

I really think the level of competition is different. In the WNBA you have an assemblence of the best female athletes from around the world in a small league. Not to say that there aren’t great European players, but they are spread out thinly throughout the different countries. Playing in Europe means you may have a few dominant teams in each country, which would then travel to compete amongst each other. But the rest of the games wouldn’t be as equally matched. In the WNBA there isn’t a game where you should feel overly superior to the competition.

What are three songs in your iPod/mp3 player that are from different genres of music?

I have already mentioned how much I love to sing, so of course most of my music is slow. But I also said I love all genres of music. R&B would be Trey Songs, Can’t be friends.  Matt Wertz, 5:19 Singer/songwriter and Train, Get to me Rock.

What do you do to stay in shape and what do you eat?

Both fortunately and unfortunately I don’t have an offseason so I am constantly in the gym working out. Overseas, twice a day everyday. So I don’t really have the chance to get out of shape, but I do try to pay special attention to what I put inside my body. I really pay attention to what I eat because what you fuel your body with can either help or hinder your health and your performance.

What’s the biggest misconception about female athletes?

There are many surface level misconceptions, i.e. that they are all masculine. Which is very far from the truth.  There may be a thin line between aggression and masculinity but there is a line, and not all female athletes cross it. But on a deeper level, I think the biggest misconception is that we are inferior to male athletes. Giving the genetics, professionals are at the top of our craft. We push our bodies to the limits just as much as men do. We are genetically different so the outcome may be different. The speed, the jumping ability, the natural strength are all difference beyond the control of a woman. But the work effort, the passion and the determination to excel athletically should not be misjudged or underappreciated.

What players do you think will continue to carry on the legacy of the WNBA?

I am hoping that the WNBA will be around for many years beyond my career and I see new talents emerging yearly. I cant say who will carry on the legacy of the WNBA but it will be some little girl that is at this moment shooting hoops in her back yard. The ball is barely hitting the rim, but she knows that one day it will. The little girls all over the world who burn with passion every time they sit and watch women’s basketball. Who have the desire to step onto the court at some point and be the best players they can possibly be.

How does it feel to win a WNBA championship?

As an athlete, you always want to be the best at what you do. Throughout my career, I had never won a championship. So getting to the top level and finally being able to call myself, and my team, champions made me feel exuberant. It was one of thee most memorable basketball experiences to date.

What advice would you give girls wanting to play in the WNBA?

Believe. Believe and work hard. Have faith that you can push through when you feel like your body doesn’t have anything left. It’s in those moments where you have small victories, and those victories lead to success. When you want to achieve something, believing in your goal and putting forth the effort is always the key. That is no different from reaching the WNBA than it is with life.  Never stop believing in you and never quit.

What are your plans after basketball?

After basketball, my plan is to have a successful non-profit geared towards benefiting children and families in need. I would deal with the children but they don’t come separate from the family, or lack thereof, so assisting kids means co-existing with their families, friends and neighborhoods. From my own experiences I have dealt with my share of tribulations but there was always someone there reaching out a hand to me just when I thought I would sink, and I want to be that hand.

I hear you have a spring fundraiser coming up, can you tell the MKRob Sports readers what it’s called and what it’s all about?

It’s a Dinner & Silent Auction Event in Minneapolis, Minnesota in the Spring 2011 benefiting Underprivileged Youths. More information can be obtained by emailing the ggaliej@aol.com still in planning process.

What’s the first word that comes to mind when I say:

Legendary- Michael Jordan

Sexy- Passion

Fast- Love

Funny- Life

Rebekkah’s Favorites:

Book: The Girl Trilogy by Steig Larsson

Movie: Underworld

Food: Mexican

Restaurant: Ruth Chris’

Color: Blue