As we approach the six-week mark, I want to reflect on the challenges faced when it comes to off-the-court daily living while playing basketball overseas. Consider the time frame: You could be living in another country for anywhere from six to ten months out of the year. For some, it’s a new country every year, while others are fortunate to re-sign to the same team if the situation benefits them. Personally, my season is eight months long, which means eight months away from everyone and everything I know and love.
To say that one experiences a few challenges in their rookie year is an understatement. There’s no guidebook, and no one is particularly eager to show you the ropes. So, let me be the first to share some of the challenges I’ve faced.
We’ll start with the obvious language barriers. I’m fortunate that everyone in my immediate surroundings (coaches, players, and management) speaks English at a high enough level to communicate effectively. However, I live in a small town where most of the locals don’t speak English. This leaves things like grocery shopping, eating out, social activities, and even making new friends feeling like you’re trying to solve the world’s hardest puzzle. For Americans specifically, it’s very possible and common to be the only one from your country on a team.
You’re left out of locker room banter and unable to be fully understood on a basic level. This can lead to extremely isolating conditions, and it’s not on purpose. Having language barriers can leave you feeling like you’re looking in from the outside if there’s no one around to help. One of the biggest challenges is homesickness. It’s a search for comfort. Time zones make communication even harder.
I talk to my mom the most out of anyone else on my left. In college, we had daily calls filling each other in on our days or sometimes just catching up, simply being on the phone in silence because there was a level of safety in her virtual nearness. Now, her mornings have turned into my evenings and when I am waking up, she is sound asleep into the night. We are lucky to get a phone call in every few days, if our schedules are lucky enough to line up. There are no home cooked meals and there definitely aren’t holiday and birthday celebrations.
Depending on your contract and schedule, there may not be time to even visit home and that is the case for me. For the first time in my life, I won’t be home for Christmas. As a rookie, I just don’t have the time or financial means to buy that kind of plane ticket, but this was something I knew coming into this lifestyle. There are so many struggles and challenges that come with playing professional basketball overseas. Like I mentioned before, saying there are only a few is an understatement. Being overseas offers an abundance of rewards and opportunities, but that does not come without its sacrifices. Whether that is with your mental health, your family, your body, etc. We are professional athletes, yes, but this life is not as glamorous as society makes it out to be.
The Rutronik Stars Keltern are underway in the DBBL and Eurocup leagues. Until next time, our challenges make us stronger! Stay tuned for more exciting updates.
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