Ticha checks in all the way from Italy. Among other things, Ticha dishes on her new team, her offseason plans and eating horse.

Ticha Penicheiro

What adjustments do you usually have to make off the court when you play overseas as opposed to here in Sacramento?
Driving a stick (shift) and to be ready at all times to step on the brakes (Europeans are known for their "crazy" driving...oh wait, I'm European too!!) ;-) Cooking and doing laundry EVERYDAY! Watching reruns of every show that has been shown in America, five years ago! Making my own coffee every morning (no Starbucks stops on my way to practice!!) ;-( Wearing sweats everyday! Trying to be open minded to new foods that might come across my plate (Italians eat horse, but I'm not ready to have a piece of "Mr. Ed" quite yet, maybe by next blog! ;-)

What adjustments on the court do you make while playing overseas?
Learning new plays, new coaching style and how to play with new teammates and hoping I don't hit anybody in the face with the no look passes; practicing twice a day, twice a week. Adjusting to the small gyms and crowds, no mascots and no ball girls (some things you really take for granted until you get over here and realize you have to rebound your own shot, when you are warming up for the game!). Having a game ONLY once a week, that's a BIG adjustment!

You didn't play overseas last year. What made you decide to play overseas this upcoming offseason?
I decided to play this year, because I have bills to pay! (LOL) Well, I really enjoy playing basketball in Europe and even though it can be overwhelming and tiring on your body and mind, there are great things that you take from it! Getting to know different cultures, making new friends, visiting new places AND the older I get, I realize that you won't be able to play forever, so I better take advantage of it while I can!

What particular goals do you hope to accomplish while playing overseas?
My goal when I play overseas is always to continue to work on parts of my game that need improvement! To stay in great shape and help my team to win as many games as possible! Off the court, my goal is to find the best shopping possible, have fun and try new things, even if it's horse meat! ;-)

How does the international game differ from the WNBA game?
The European game is catching up with the game in the WNBA! There are some leagues on this side of the world (i.e. Russia) that are as competitive as the WNBA! You also get a chance to compete in the EuroLeague (where you play against the top teams in Europe), which makes it even more competitive! This year, my team (GEAS) is not playing any European competition, so the biggest difference is to play only once a week!

Why did you choose to play for GEAS Sesto San Giovanni?
Well, I had different teams to choose from, but Italy has always been one of my favorite European countries. (I played here six years ago and I have always wanted to come back.) So, when my agent called me and told me about this team I was excited because first of all it's located in MILANO (the fashion capital of the world) and everybody knows how much I like to shop!! Secondly, GEAS was not in any European competitions, which was a plus because I'm tired of all the packing and flying! So at the time, one game a week was sounding very good. Now I'm bored and wish we played more than once a week! (LOL) Also, when you play overseas it’s always important that you have people that you know, either close by or on your team and when my agent told me that my friend Clarisse Machanguana had already signed, I got really excited! Clarisse and I played at Old Dominion together a looooooooooong time ago! We were part of what the media called "The Portuguese Connection," so it feels great to be reunited with her once again!

Besides playing overseas, what other plans do you have for the offseason?
When you play overseas it’s hard to have any other plans because the season is so long and as soon as it ends it's back to the States for another WNBA season! So, my goal is to get to see more of Italy. I have already visited Rome, Venice and Florence, but I really want to go see the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Lake Como and of course explore Milan to the fullest! Also, for those of you that don't know, I'll be an auntie in January! My brother and his girlfriend are having a baby boy, so one of my offseason plans is to fly home for his birth!

What advice could you give to some of the rookies who will be playing overseas for the first time?
I have been keeping up with all of my teammates and I'm so excited for our rookies. I know some of them were very skeptical about playing overseas, but as I told all of them, it is a great opportunity for them to develop their games and also experience different cultures. They will come back next summer better players and ready to contribute even more! I usually go online and check the stats and I want to send a shout out to my girl Harp, she is playing soooo well for her team in Turkey! I'm so proud of all of them! I miss them terribly and I can't wait for next summer to see how much they have grown from their European experience, share stories and laugh!!

What would you like to say to Monarchs fans?
I know all of you hate this long offseason. It's such a long time that we all have to wait for another Monarchs season, but we are all trying to work on our games to come back stronger than ever! Thank you for all your support this past season and we are all looking forward to reunite with you in the summer of 2009!

Ciao,
Ticha