Aug. 26, 2010
SEATTLE - There were a couple of surprise visitors at football practice on Wednesday, one of whom just so happens to be one of the greatest women's basketball players in Washington history. Giuliana Mendiola, along with her sister Gioconda Mendiola (who also lettered for the Huskies), are in Seattle to reconnect with friends and lend their support to a former teammate in Melissa Erickson, who is stricken with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, more commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease. There will be a pub crawl fundraiser for Erickson on Saturday, Aug. 28, beginning at Jabu's in Lower Queen Anne, which is open for anyone who wants to support a great cause. Meanwhile, Mendiola said she's working out in preparation for a return to Europe (where she's looking to join a new team after five years in Greece), but she also has her eye on another professional career - coaching. The 2002-03 Pac-10 Player of the Year is back home in Riverside, Calif., spending time with her family and helping to raise Gioconda's newborn baby. But as the Husky football team was working out on Montlake, she took a few moments to chat with GoHuskies.com about everything going on in her life. GoHuskies.com: What brings you back to Seattle? Mendiola: I'm here for the Melissa Erickson pub crawl, the fundraiser on Saturday. We just saw her; she was in California this summer, so we wanted to come up here and support her. And also see a lot of our old teammates and friends. It's been too long since we've been back here. It was long overdue this trip. GH.com: How long has it been? Mendiola: I think since maybe 2005. So it's been a minute. But it's beautiful today. It's perfect. I feel like I'm in California right now. GH.com: Are you excited to see Melissa this weekend? Mendiola: My sister and I both stayed in contact with Melissa since we graduated. Like over Facebook and email. And once in a while with a phone call. And we haven't seen her in a few years until recently, and we saw where she's at now (physically), and it breaks our heart. Because if you saw her as a basketball player and a teammate, enjoying life and playing basketball, and then you see you see her the way it is now, it's just tough to watch. She was just so full of life. At the same time, we want to help raise awareness for her disease. And hopefully get a lot of support. We want to do what we can for her. We call her our sister, Melissiana, just to make it sound like an Italian name. GH.com: What are you up to back home in California? Mendiola: Right now, I'm working out and trying to get ready for another season in Europe. And I'm helping to take care of my sister's new little baby, a tiny 4-month old. I'm just trying to take it all in before I have to head back to Europe. GH.com: Do you still enjoy playing ball in Europe? Mendiola: Well, obviously, the people who know me know how much I love basketball. It's a part of me. It's in my mind all the time. So it felt very natural (to go to Europe). It was a dream of mine to keep playing after college. To be a professional and make it a living; not a lot of people get to do that. At the same time, it's still difficult leaving home. I'm really close with my family. Seeing my sister's baby. It makes it harder to leave. That part is tough, traveling tough. But the great part of traveling is that I get to see the world, pretty much for free. They pay me to go to exotic places and go play basketball, so I can't really complain. GH.com: Do you ever get a chance to catch up with other Huskies abroad? Mendiola: I just recently saw Breanne Watson (who plays in Luxembourg). She came to hang out with one of my teammates in Greece. But I also just ran into Andrea Lalum. She's living in L.A. And hopefully we can reconnect with some more people here in Seattle. GH.com: You played with Loree Payne. Did you hear about her new head coaching opportunity? Mendiola: I'm excited for her. I think it's a great situation. She worked really hard for that opportunity and earned the right to be a head coach. She was an assistant for a long time. So I'm excited to see her and share in the good news. Obviously I wish her the best of look. And I would like to be a coach at some point to so it's always good to pick her brain and get some advice about that world. GH.com: How much longer do you see yourself playing? Mendiola: I still see playing, but I'm getting older and the passion is still there, but then I see my sister having a family - and family is No. 1 in my life - so I want some of that too. So I have to decide how much longer I'm going to keep playing. So yeah, coaching is in my mind right now. Maybe in a couple of years, depending on the situation. GH.com: I'm sure it's a tough adjustment being so far away from your family? Mendiola: It is tough. I talk to (my family) every day. Skype is a great tool. Someone showed my Skype a few years ago and I was like, `Oh why didn't I know about this before?' I'm in constant contact with everyone, but it's not the same as being there. They support me. My family has always supported me with my passions. GH.com: Do you have a preference on what country you'd want to play in? Mendiola: I don't know where. I'm hoping somewhere new but it's more about whatever team wants me. But I would love to play in Italy, so who knows. That would be a dream. GH.com: Are you starting to get used to life abroad? Mendiola: I played in Greece for five years now. I didn't like how it was too laid back at times, considering I'm so competitive. In college, it was super intense at times, and in Europe it would be so lax. So that transition was difficult for me. But as far as living-wise, it was an easy transition for me because so many people in Greece speak English. So I never thought like I was in a whole different world. More information on the Melissa Erickson fundraiser is available at www.ringaroundtheneedle.com. |
