Columnist Linda Frohlich: Time to speak English, get back to Las Vegas

Linda Frohlich

Thursday, Dec. 11, 2003 | 9:57 a.m.

Linda Frohlich, a former UNLV All-American, is a guest columnist for the Las Vegas Sun.

WHAT: Linda Frohlich Basketball Camp.

WHEN: Dec. 26-28.

WHERE: Christ the King Catholic Church, 4925 S. Torrey Pines Drive, Las Vegas.

FORMAT: Second- to sixth-grade girls, 8 a.m. until noon; Seventh- to 12th-grade girls, 1 until 5 p.m.

FEE: $80 per participant, which includes T-shirt, basketball and admission to UNLV women's basketball game Dec. 30.

In the last month, we took trips to Spain and France for the FIBA Cup. Spain was nice and warm, whereas France was freeeeezing!

Despite the different circumstances, we won both games. Since the last time I have written to you, we have once again just lost one game. Otherwise, my team has been doing very well as we play two games a week. Our record is 12-2, and last weekend we started the second half of the Italian league. This means that we are going to play the same teams from the first half, but at opposite locations.

In international competition we have made it to the second round of the FIBA Cup, finishing first in our group. Our next group includes Dynamo Moscow (Russia), Szeviep Szeged (Hungary) and S.U. Glyfada Esperides Kyklos (Greece). Even though I have traveled a lot within Europe during my basketball career, these are three countries that I have never been to before. I am extremely excited about Greece! I am going to tell you all about it when I get back.

To break away from basketball 24/7, I have been visiting a high school to be a guest speaker for a German class. And I have to tell you that it always is pretty funny. You should see how all my languages get mixed up when I am trying to be proper with the young students.

I am placing German words into English grammar, while random Italian expressions are flying through my brain, trying to become part of my sentences as well. Can you imagine how confusing that gets?

Well, soon I will speak only English again and I can't wait ... in less than two weeks I will be back in the States for my girls' basketball camp in Las Vegas! Yippie.

It's funny that I am just as excited about coaching this camp as I was years ago when I actually participated in a camp myself. When I was younger, I loved going to camps.

Camps always were important to me, because they allowed me to break away from the monotonous everyday practices with my team at that time. I was able to meet new players, and had the chance to compare myself with other players that I hadn't seen before. That exposure to new and better players always helped me to stay motivated and inspired me to continue to work on my own game. By seeing the skill level of others, I was able to set new goals on what I wanted to improve. This helped me to make the most of my hard work.

Besides that, I always liked to hear new stuff and gain more knowledge about basketball from different teachers and coaches. I wanted to understand the game, and by paying attention to many coaches, and by being receptive to information, I was able to form myself into the type of player that I wanted to be and that I am now.

Well, in the last column I promised you a little surprise, and here it is: I have decided to start a little essay competition, which works like this: Every girl who signs up for my camp has a chance to be my guest of honor for the retirement of my jersey at the UNLV game and ceremony Dec. 30.

As the motto of my camp will be "Lebe Deine Vision," which is German for "Live your vision," I thought that the topic for the essay should be this: Tell me about your vision. Where do you see yourself in the future? Or, what do you want to be when you grow up?

When you sign up for the camp (www.triplecrownsports.com; click on Basketball and Nevada), just send your essay via e-mail to: renee@triplecrownsports.com or via regular mail to: Linda Frohlich Basketball Camp c/o Triple Crown Sports 3930 Automation Way Fort Collins, Colo., 80525

Your letters will be mailed immediately to me, and then I am going to decide who will be my guest for the night of the retirement.

If you have any questions, please feel free to call my agent, Renee Carlson, at (970) 223-6644 ext. 157. She'll be glad to help you.

Well, I can't wait to hear from you and I am looking forward to seeing all of you soon.

Ciao .