Columnist Linda Frolich: Reward comes with spot in the postseason

Linda Frolich

Friday, March 21, 2003 | 9:51 a.m.

Editor's note: Linda Frohlich, an All-American at UNLV who is about to begin her second season with the WNBA's New York Liberty, is writing an occasional column for the Las Vegas Sun. Find out what she's up to by checking out her website at www.LindaFrohlich.com

The postseason is by far the most exciting and heartbreaking part of the season for college basketball teams. Many players will cry tears of joy or tears of disappointment waiting to find out whether they have made it into postseason play.

This is what the season comes down to. Many people don't understand the sacrifice that student-athletes make to reach the NCAA tournament. Every mile you run, every weight you lift during the offseason, every practice that you made it through, every ache and pain and every injury that you endured during the season now comes down to this one moment -- the postseason.

I can vividly remember last year sitting in the ESPN Zone waiting to see if the Lady Rebels would make it to the NCAA tournament. It seemed as if time had stopped. I could see my chest move with every beat of my heart. It was a surreal time in my life.

As the TV announcers finally revealed that UNLV would go to the Big Dance, I jumped up and screamed with the enthusiasm of a little kid on Christmas morning. This was my gift; this was my reward for the countless hours of sacrifice.

The NCAA tournament can be an overwhelming experience. I was certainly used to the media coverage at this point in my collegiate career, but I was not ready for this. Not only was the local media there, but also the national.

You have to be careful and not allow yourself to be swallowed up in the moment. Once you overcome this, it is time to play -- and play with an energy that you have never have played with before.

One of the great things about the NCAA tournament is that you never know what is going to happen.

Are the powerhouses like UConn or Tennessee going to win it all? Who will follow BYU's footsteps and be the Cinderella team of this year's bracket? Will a school with a bunch of seniors from a small conference be the ones to shock the world? Only time will tell.

It's too bad the Lady Rebels couldn't go further in the Mountain West tournament, but I'm so glad we are going to the WNIT. The team can really finish strong and playing in the postseason can make such a difference to a program. I'm a "Rebel4Life," and I love to see UNLV succeed.