Guest Columnist Linda Frohlich: Behind the scenes of life in the WNBA

Thursday, July 31, 2003 | 9:35 a.m.

Linda Frohlich, a former All-American at UNLV, is in her second year with the WNBA's New York Liberty. She writes a weekly column every Thursday in the Sun. Check out what Linda's up to by logging on her Web site at www.lindafrohlich.com.

When I was a little girl I always wanted to play professional basketball.

Being that I grew up in Germany I had the privilege to see the NBA as well as the pro European leagues as well. You think that it is so glamourous and exciting, but when you look at it from another angle it is not what you think it is.

This week I would like to give you a behind-the-scenes look at life on the road for a WNBA Superstar -- I mean me. (I know a lot of you did not know who I was talking about when I wrote superstar.)

It all starts off with having to pack. This was the longest road trip that we will have all season. I had to bring about two weeks of clothing with me and you know how we ladies pack! Then we hop on a shuttle from our hotel and we're off to the airport.

It is not easy to travel with a party of 15 people! Getting all of us on the airplane on time is the biggest miracle that I have seen in a while.

Once we land and get out luggage from the baggage claim, things go back to somewhat normal.

We usually have a game on the following day that we land. So we wake up early in the morning and have a little breakfast and then go to shoot around. This is where we watch film of the opposing team, and then we walk through our plays.

After this I usually go and get something to eat with a couple of my teammates, and then I come back to the hotel and take a nap before the game. My teammate Lindsey Yamasaki is my travel partner, and we always share a room together on the road.

After the game we eat again, return to the hotel and pack our luggage and it's off to the next city in the morning. We repeat this cycle of events every day on the road.

On a road trip, you better get along with your teammates, because if you don't then it is not going to be pretty. It is like a marriage in the early years.

You try and learn what little things annoy your spouse and you, because once you jump into this marriage there is no turning back.