SacramentoMonarchs.com recently had a chance to catch up with Kara Lawson who is currently enjoying her time off the court.

Q: What have you been up to during the off-season?
A: The off-season has been crazy thus far. It has been a whirlwind since the season ended, because I’ve been traveling a bunch. I’ve done a few appearances for the WNBA in different cities. I also traveled to Russia in October with the WNBA Select Team. The rest of the travel has been for pleasure. The really cool thing about this fall is that I’ve been able to do some of the things I’ve always wanted to do but never had the time due to restrictions with school or basketball.

I love football, especially college football. In fact, it’s my favorite sport. By the time the football season is over, my plan is to have attended at least six or seven games in person, not to mention watching tons on television. I was at Ohio Stadium, otherwise known as the “Horseshoe, on November 8th watching the Ohio State Buckeyes take on the Michigan State Spartans. I was back in Knoxville at Neyland Stadium on November 15th to watch Tennessee blow out Mississippi State. It wasn’t that competitive, but it was great to hear Rocky Top again. In between my trip to Ohio State and Tennessee I stopped in Kentucky to stay with my old coach Mickie DeMoss and check in on how she is doing in her first year as a head coach. I also had the opportunity to check out a couple of Tubby Smith’s practices and watch the men play an exhibition in Rupp Arena. It was a lot of fun.

This past weekend was the best experience I’ve had yet at a college football game. I was in Ann Arbor for, in my opinion the best rivalry in college football, Ohio State vs. Michigan. I’ve always loved watching this rivalry on television, but to actually be in “The Big House” and witness it first hand was surreal. Although I was cheering for the Buckeyes, it was tons of fun just to be there.

The weekend after Thanksgiving I will be attending the San Francisco 49ers vs. Baltimore Ravens in Baltimore. This will be my first NFL contest of the year. I’m looking forward to watching my boy Terrell Owens do his thing. I’m a big Jamal Lewis fan as well since he’s a Tennessee boy. I have a couple more trips in the works including a stop in Buffalo to catch a Bills game. I also plan on going to whatever bowl the Vols end up in, hopefully the Orange Bowl.

Q: What’s a typical day for you during this off-season?
A: Well, a typical day for me includes traveling lately. After I returned home from Russia, I was so burnt out. I had been playing basketball at very high level for over a year with no breaks. My senior year of college basketball ran right into my rookie season of the WNBA, which ran right into my trip to Russia. I was really tired and ready for a break. I’m starting to ease my way back into the workout routine.

Q: What are some of the things that you are doing in the off-season to prepare for next year?
A: My whole game needs work. That is the way I feel after every season. My first year in the pros taught me so much. It crystallized for me the areas I need to improve in. I didn’t want to play overseas this year so that I could work on my game individually.

Q: This past October you played in the FIBA World Cup with the WNBA Select Team, do you have any plans to play overseas again?
A: I definitely plan on playing overseas at some point, probably next off-season. This year I wanted to focus on recovering from this past year and work on individual skills.

Q: Are you planning on heading back to Tennessee to check in on your old team?
A: I have actually already been to Tennessee to visit everybody. I checked out the team at practice and watched an exhibition as well as their first game versus UT-Chattanooga. They are progressing toward being a tough team.

Q: The Lady Vols are traveling to Stanford on December 14th, what can we expect from that match-up?
A: The one thing I remember about both of my trips to Maples Pavilion as a collegian was the fact that we escaped out of there with a win. Both games were very close and came down to the last couple of minutes. I expect this one to do the same. You know I have to go with my girls to pick up the win. It will be a good, tough road test though.

Q: You’re a recent college grad, is it strange not going to school and being a part of the whole college scene?
A: It is very strange to not be a part of the college scene when I am exposed to the college scene. When I am visiting different colleges and universities, it does feel different. At the same time, I love what I am doing. I miss some parts of college.

Q: Are you looking forward to the holidays (I know playing college basketball you might not have been able to spend time with family due to tournaments, etc.)?
A: I am looking forward to the holidays. It will give me an opportunity to spend an extended period of time with family and friends as opposed to just a couple days. I love Thanksgiving and Christmas because of all the food and fellowship.

Q: Do you have any family holiday traditions?
A: Not really. We just kind of do the normal thing. We eat a lot and visit with family and friends. Of course, we get presents.

Q: You were selected as the 2003 Woman of the Year for the state of Tennessee and then advanced as a finalist for 2003 Woman of the Year honors, how did you feel about all of that?
A: It was an honor to be named a finalist for the Woman of the Year. There were so many impressive young women that I had the opportunity to meet and talk with. I saw it as a culmination for my four years of commitment to excellence in each aspect of college life.

Q: How did you like living in California this past summer?
A: It was an adjustment for me to move all the way out to Sacramento for the summer. I grew up on the East Coast. I attended college in the South, so California was a different bird, not bad just different. The people are very nice and the weather is great. I miss the fruits and vegetables the most. Since I’ve been back east, it is hard for me to eat any kind of fruit because it just does not taste good to me anymore. After spending a summer in California and eating all the good fruit, I am spoiled.

Q: How did you develop your love of country music?
A: When I was younger, my parents exposed me to all different kinds of music. I enjoyed some country artists but did not know tons about that style of music. Living in Tennessee where country music is king gave me a more in depth appreciation and love for the music. I love it. I listen to it all of the time. I’ve been fortunate to be able to meet a bunch of artists including Kenny Chesney, Tim McGraw, Keith Urban, Deanna Carter, and LeeAnn Womack. I attend at least one or two country concerts a summer.