Columnist Linda Frolich: Time for the next step

Linda Frolich

Thursday, April 10, 2003 | 10:01 a.m.

Linda Frohlich, a former All-American while playing at UNLV, is about to begin her second season with the WNBA's New York Liberty. Find out what she's up to by checking out her website at www.LindaFrohlich.com

The 2003 women's college basketball season is over, yet many players are beginning to wonder about continuing their careers. What will be the next step for a senior who wants to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming a professional athlete?

Well, this is how it looked for me last year around this time:

After the last game of my senior season, my life took on a whirlwind effect. The day the season was over, my phone rang constantly and I received many letters from agents who wanted to represent me in my professional career. Once I prayed and sought wise counsel, I made a decision on my agency.

While all this was taking place, I was practicing basketball a couple times a day to get ready for the WNBA draft camp in Chicago. On top of that, I was going to class trying to complete my degree. After I went to the draft camp -- which was an enjoyable experience -- I came back to Vegas for a couple of days in order to take my final exams. A few days later I got right back on a plane to New York for the draft.

Wow ... we are talking about butterflies in my stomach. I had it bad that day. Getting picked as the first draft pick for the New York Liberty in the 2002 draft, I then headed back to Vegas, packed all of my belongings and embarked to New York to start my professional career.

Everything went so quickly that I didn't even have time to tell everybody good-bye.

At the first day of practice I soon realized I wasn't in Las Vegas anymore. The girls were a lot stronger and faster and everyone could score. We started out with 18 women who all were competing for 11 spots. I already knew in the back of my head that veterans like Teresa Weatherspoon, Vickie Johnson, Sue Wicks and Becky Hammon were not going to be cut, so practically there were only two open spots. That is when it first hit me that the WNBA is a business.

In my eyes, the biggest difference between college and the pros is the athlete's mindset.

In college, the main focus was playing time. Everyone competed for playing time, so we could proudly represent our school. But in New York, we are not only competing for playing time, but for a place on the team roster, which at the end allows you to feed your family and pay your bills. So the sport becomes a big business where people earn money.

After I had figured that out, I understood why the relationship between my teammates and me changed, why all of the girls were pushing me in the back, and sucker-punching me in the stomach.

Another significant difference between college and professional life is that with being a professional, you have a lot more responsibility. You have to keep your body in the best physical condition at all times, which can be a little strenuous once you are on the road a lot.

It is different than in college, where the coaches told me what to do, and how to do it. In the WNBA, everything has become my own responsibility now. There is nobody who tells me when to be in bed, how many pounds I should lift, how often I should be on the treadmill, etc. Either I do it on my own or I don't. If I don't, somebody else is probably already waiting to get my spot.

I could continue to go into great detail in explaining what the differences between college and the pros are, but the bottom line is that the WNBA is a business. As in any profession, the boss desires the most profitable results as possible. And as an employee, you have to provide the results. If you can't, somebody else will and you will be replaced before you know it.