Slammers Basketball presents the 13th annual Pro tryout tournament,
                        2011 in Bonn-Germany December 02./03./04. 2011

Players report about playing as a professional player

Hi, I am Katie Snodgrass: 
 as far as Iceland goes, it had its plus and minuses. I really enjoyed my time there and the people were great. I felt like I could trust everyone in our club which isn't always the case. If I ever needed anything I never felt bad about asking or worried what they would say because they were also as helpful as they could be. Even though we lost in the first round so i went home March 22nd they went ahead and paid me for the full month, which was really nice and they didn't have to do that. They also paid and set up a reservation for me to stay in a hotel on my trip home because I had to stay overnight in boston, which was also really nice and I didn't expect it. As far as the level of play, I would say that it was between the 1st and 2nd div in Germany. The competition throughout the season was really good. Every team was very close to each other. I think we lost at least 7 games by less than 5 points and went into overtime 3 times. So every game was difficult and I had to bring my best game every game for us to have a chance to win which was much more fun than the 2nd div in Germany last year where we won most games by 20 or more points. Every team can only have 1 american and the quality of americans was really good. I might have been the only one who didn't play Div. 1 college basketball. The think that I was suprised about though was their rate of getting rid of foreign players and getting new players in. I've never seen a country, men's and women's teams that sent home so many players. Even though the level is not as high as the top league in germany they expect alot from their foreign players. They expect the player to come in and not only be a leader but also to score alot of points and get alot of rebounds. They were not satisfied with players who came in and only scored in the low teen numbers. So, as nice as everyone was they were a little bit cut throat when it came to the level they expect the foreign players to play. I enjoyed that responsiblity though and I think that I played one of my best seasons. I was really consistent and I was able to play at a high level every game.,
 
So overall I really liked Iceland. The bad part about there was that I was the only foreigner on my team and all of my teammates where either in school or had a job so I spent ALOT of time by myself. So in that sense I liked Germany better because I always had someone to hang out with during the day, someone to go to the gym with and workout with. And also you feel so isolated in iceland because you really can't go anywhere when you have an off weekend. It's so small and far away from everyone. But it was neat because I got to know all the other foreigners that where playing in Iceland and we hung out when our schedules allowed us to.
 
I would recommend Iceland but you would have to send players that are ok with being a little bit isolated and are mature enough to handle the responsibility of carrying the team in almost all areas of the game. You can't be a role player. Hope this helps and let me know if you need anything else from me. Thanks

My name is Morgan Robertson. I am from the United States and graduated from LaSalle University (Philadelphia, PA) in May 2010. Upon the conclusion of my last season of basketball at LaSalle, I was undecided on whether or not I wanted to pursue basketball professionally. It was not until the end of July 2010 that I decided I wanted to play basketball, I then began contacting any and every agency I could find information on. Slammers Agency was recommended to me from a fellow LaSalle Explorer who had played professionally with the help of Iska. Even with it being late in the summer, Iska was quick to help and offer her agency to represent me. Signing with Slammers Agency was the best decision I have made for my basketball career.  Iska had me signing a contract to play within a month of me contacting her. I would definitely recommend Slammers Agency to any player that is looking to extend their basketball career professionally. Iska is a hard worker and is always quick to respond to my questions/concerns. Iska and the Slammers Agency have a personal relationship with their players; whether it be following your season or answering your questions that may come up, Iska and her agency will continue to stay in contact with you throughout the season.

My name is Katarina Lackner, I am from the United States, and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania (NCAA Div I) in May 2009. I started my first season in Spain, Division II. The league is a good level of play, and we had one or two practices each day of the week. Everything is handled fairly professionally, except that we did not get paid on time. Many of the girls on my team left for this reason. We also did not have a full time trainer on staff.  

I moved to Germany in November of my first season, to a Division I team. The league here is a very good level of play, and we have two practices a day during the week. Here things are handled very professionally. Payment is always on time, we have good healthcare coverage, and a full time trainer. Most of the team is made up of full- time professional players, which is not always the case elsewhere.   

Iska was incredibly helpful during my transition from Spain to Germany. She explained everything about the team in Germany, and handled the paperwork very efficiently. I think the best part about the Slammers agency is the prompt and complete responses you get to any questions you might have. Iska works very hard for her players to make sure they get the best placement. Not just a contract, but also a good situation and a good fit for you. 

Amanda Davidson about Germany 2006-2007 and 2007-2008   I am in my second season in Germany.  It is great.  It does take a lot of dedication and hard work, but it is all worth it.  You get to see the world and get to play basketball at the same time.  The league is very intense and there is a lot of good talent.  My first season overseas was hard, just being away from my family and friends.  After a few months though you get use to the routine and it is great.  I have never had any problems since being overseas.  The team, the coaches, the fans, and the basketball has been great.  Usually you get a lot of support around the club you play for and at the same time if you love to play you will have no problem with being overseas.  It is a great experience and if you have the opportunity it is worth it.  The biggest thing is to just keep fighting and never give less then 100% while you are on the court cause you are brought to make an impact.

Mireille Karangwa about Portugal 2006-07
well where I played, it´s  a smal city were everybody is nice. There is a nice mixt of young and old peopel. It close to one of the bigess city in portugal 1hrs by metro (Porto). Regarding the organisation they are verry nice, every payement was on time, they took care of me very well. But the healt care here is difrente then what I´m use to in Canada! Like physio. treatement?? Most of the girls in the team can speak english and the coach too!!! But learning the language made my life very much easier!!

Abby Schrader about Australia:
Im really enjoying myself here. Ball is great and there is such a great community involvement here that it made it easy to adjust. Plus it is alot more competitive which is really nice.
 

Osato Edobor-Osula, Germany 2005

Joycely Logan Friend, Germany 2005
Germany is a great place to play basketball.  The level of play is competitive and the coaches seem to know a lot about the game.  It is not a difficult place for transition because most people speak English and, for the most part, they eat the same foods.  Most of the teams have at least one or two American players so there is a network of people to engage with.  I would recommend playing in Germany to both a first year professional and a seasoned veteran.  It is a great experience.
 

Sue Alman about Irland 2005
Greetings from Ireland! I am playing this season for a team in Dublin called Killester. I am very happy to report that the people here in Ireland have been absolutely wonderful, very friendly, generous, and welcoming to their new "Yank!" Basketball is a sport growing in popularity in this country. It is by no means King of Sports like it is in the States... most of the best Irish athletes compete in Gaelic football, soccer, or rugby. However, I believe basketball will see great growth in the next few years, and I am excited to be part of that. Already we are seeing the attendance at games rise- we've packed the place in our last two home games! It's not a huge place but it sounds like 5,000 people when it's standing-room-only!
The structure of athletics here is different- the highest level of play is not school or college, but privately funded clubs which organize teams of all age groups. Ideally, a player will "grow up" in that club- starting from U11 and continue through adulthood. The highest level (the level where they can bring in a professional
American- that's me!) is the Superleague, but if you are Irish and don't make the Superleague there are lower divisions so you can still participate as long as you can get up and down the court.
Practice is known as "training" here... which sounds rather hardcore!
But so far it hasn't been anything too difficult to handle, and I've enjoyed working with this new group of people. The other women on my team work full-time jobs, or have busy "real lives," they are not paid to play for Killester. However, the players and coach on this team definitely love the game and love to compete, and have been great- warmly welcoming the newcomer, as a player and also socially.
We train at night, but by day I do some coaching (arranged by the
Club) for local schools. For many of these kids it's their first taste of basketball. It poses an interesting challenge, because some have never even seen a game, let alone play in one. Many of them are great athletes, having been trained in Gaelic since they were small, and they have certain Gaelic Football-ish tendencies (such as throwing loopy lob shovel passes backwards over their shoulder, "accidentally"
kicking the loose ball to a teammate, or tackling the guy with the
ball!) that creep into their hoops games. But the attitude towards hoops here in Ireland is almost always a combination of competition and fun- which has refreshed my love for the game. Seeing basketball through the eyes of new players reminds me of simple joys of acquiring new skill, when developing abilities was exciting and novel, and the game was just for fun.
 

Lauren Bull about Spain 2005     Lauren Bull  Life and Basketball in Spain  2005

If you are considering making a move to Spain to live and compete, I definately encourage it.
This is my second year playing overseas (last year I was in Eastern Europe in Poland), and the two countries and experiences are already drastically different.
Spain is full of life... Sunny days, friendly people, high fashion, similar shops to the U.S. ... it is very americanized.
You can get all of the same foods at the grocery shops here as in the U.S. The biggest difference food wise, is that they eat alot of pork and serve bread with everything. They eat chorizo (kind of like salami), and bacon (but not like our bacon...more like beef jerky), and pig leg.
Their eating/work schedules are quite different because of the "siesta" that they take in the middle of the day. Shops here are open from about 9-2 and then they close for 3 hours and open back up from about 5-8p.m. The siesta is like a lunch/nap time in the middle of the day. During this time, they eat their biggest meal of the day, like dinner for us in the U.S. Most everything closes for about 3 hours.
Then they don't eat again until like 9:30/10:30 p.m.
Most people/apartments in Europe, don't have driers for clothes...only washing machines(and they are very small compared to our lrg. capacity one's in the U.S).
So bring enough clothes so that you don't have to wash all the time, and be prepared to hang your clothes on clothes lines to dry.
The night life here is also very different. Not that we ever party during season (: But just to clue you in if you are wondering how they get down over here.
They know how to party! Most clubs don't close till 6 or 7 a.m. and some don't close at all. Here in Northern Spain... they dress pretty casual to the clubs/bars... jeans and tank tops/tshirts. So you probably don't need to pack your mini skirts and tube tops. Also, be prepared to do alot of walking too cause they take public transportation or walk almost everywhere.
The basketball at the division 2 level isn't as competitive as Division 1 college in the U.S. It isn't bad, but I would compare it more to a Division 2 level.
Here we practice 4 times a week in the evenings for 2 hours and then play once per week on the weekends.
Practice is not nearly as challenging as D1 college practices. No suicides or line drills...although that depends on your coach/team.
Overall, I am really enjoying my experience in Spain!
There is quite a bit to do if you live in or near a city... shopping, eating at little restaurants/cafe's, walking, sight seeing. I definately encourage you to try to immurse yourself in the culture no matter where you decide to play. Best of luck with your overseas adventures!

Chandra Brown about Portugal 2005

Tiffany Youngblood about Portugal 2005/2006

Liron Coen about Israel   Hi how are you? My name is Liron Cohen im 22 years old and im a basketball player from Israel. I played there for the last 6 years (im playing in greece now). I  just wanted too tell you all a lil bit about Israel. 
Well ,first I can say that I understand your fear, because of what you see on TV. BUT ,what you have too understand is that israelies are not part of what you see on TV. The Gaza street is the part you see on TV and its not part of Israel . You are not going be close too that not even a little. As far as security, you probebly all know we got the best security in the world. Every flight that gets too Israel is totaly secured everything is being checked very carefully, all the public places got top security, Believe me, when you see it,  you will understand how far it is away from what you see on TV. The media is making a lot out of nothing at all.
More than that, most basketball teams are around the big cities which makes it easier too hang out with other americans.For many years now, they all spend time together,thanksgiving dinner,and all that like a big family,they go out together and unlike other places they dont need too drive hours just too see eachother. As far as food and music we have everything you got in the States,TV is in english, movies, even newspapers (everybody speaks english and trust me its not easy too be in a place where no one knows a word in english..). Israel is probebly the best place in Europe you want to come visit and play. Well, I hope I helped you too understand better what is realy going on here and how is it in Israel.  Feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions. I´ll be more than happy too answer all of it. Just one more things you should know, there is a lot of americans(male and female) comming back year after year too play in Israel and every where they go they have only good things too say so I guess they have a good reason. I am still in touch with with most of them.  Some are inIisrael still but the ones who left keep saying the same thing-- there is no place like israel.... and that they should add another star to your flag because thats what it    is....smile.  goodluck and hope too see you in Israel... Liron. 

Ashley Augspurger about the Netherlands
Regarding Holland - perhaps easier than most to transition to living abroad, with several English channels, the capability of finding everything you might want in the grocery store, everyone speaking English very well and little things like that which are so easy to take for granted.  The play is physical, fast pace, and competitive - very fun and exciting.  The people of Holland are very nice, I can only say good things so far about my experiences playing here.

Amy Getman gives some insight about playing in England
Playing basketball and living in Wales was a great experience. Basketball was quite competitive there, especially because we traveled to France for a couple weeks of training. I was playing on a division one team and they were first in the English league. We started the season by practice 5 days out of the week and then it was cut down to 3, sometimes 4. The country was really beautiful and there were many things to do. London was only 2 hours away. I was provided a car there, but you can get anywhere by train. The only negative aspect of the whole experience was that everything was very expensive, from food to clothes; especially petrol.

Amy Getman writes about Luxemburg
My experiences in Luxemberg have been very positive. However, the basketball competition over here is not very good. You can't really distinguish between a division one team and a division two team. We only practice 2 times a week for no more than an hour and a half. It is very laidback here and it seems that the people here play more for fun than anything else. As an American a lot is demanded of you in the games. For example, score, rebound, steals, assists, blocks and great defense. The team really looks for you to do it all. But in actuality, it is not that difficult to manage. The country here is very beautiful. You are 20 minutes from Belgium and France (3 hours from Paris) and only 10 minutes from Germany (2 hours from Sam and Iska's). I was living right across from the train station which is very good because the price of petrol over here is so expensive. You can get anywhere by train very easily. Luxembourg is very small and you see the same people. But, the people are very nice and will get to know you as the "American basketball player." Another positive attribution is that it's very easy to meet other American players (men's and women's) because the American players usually gather at the same places on the weekends.


Cary Williams shares his experiences from Kosovo
They tried to kick me out the game last week for dunking they thought I broke the rim so coach explained to them that it's a breakaway rim. It was hella funny so I dunked like 5 times just to make the other team mad because they were talking trash. That was a funny part of playing in Kosovo.
The people are very friendly and helpful but a lot needs to be done in this country. We were training in a cold, cold gym. Sometimes the lights go off and sometimes there is no water.
My life in Kosovo consists of lifting weights everyday and playing basketball. There's not really anything else to do...The driving out here is off the hook. They don't know how to drive I don't think there's any traffic rules out here yet, so people do what they want to...One thing I can say good about Kosovo the food is great. Everything is fat free so I can eat pizzas everyday if I wanted to. Food is very cheap.
One thing that was hard was playing in the first game. We had to play as soon as we got off the plane and I didn't really know how to go through triple teams. Another thing when I dribbled the basketball they just looked at me like I was crazy. I guess centers are not suppose to dribble. I went coast to coast like 6 times.
Telephone is a big problem over here. The local phone system did not get setup again all over after the war. Most people use cell phones. That is expensive and you have to wait for a month until you get a phone card. Internet and email works.
Our apartment is big and nice. The only thing we don´t have are the American channels.


Ken Carter shares his experiences from Kosovo
Since I have played in a few coutries, I am going to give an overall view and advice for young players. First of all any thoughts of you thinking europe is like america, forget. Every country has there own way of life and culture. This is the thing that i think is hard for players to adjust to. The second thing is to remember that it is a job, and even though it is good to meet the people and try to fit it is your job and as quick as you meet friends, you can lose them. Third and most important, always remember to conduct yourself like a professional. I think the best advice that I can give players is, that before you go to a country go to a bookstore of library and research where you are going. I think that if players take a little time to do that, then the culture shock will not be as bad. Just remember that there are a lot of players, that would love to be where you are. So play hard and be respectful of where you are you will be fine. Good luck and god bless.


Kirk Baker writes about playing in Europe
Basketball in Europe comes pretty easy for me. I've been playing in Europe for 10 years and I don't regret a thing. I just have been blessed to be where there have been a lot of people who were really helpful and took their time to help me get situated. Everyone thinks that in Europe people drive on the other side of the road. They drive on the same side as us in the USA. The only thing I can tell new players is to be careful with the phone. I've had phone bills as much as $700 per month. So try to find phone cards with cheaper rates or call when the rates are cheaper. Well all and all Europe has made me grow up a lot. I wouldn't change a thing. Well maybe my agents...just playing. Take care Sam and Iska, thanks for all you have done for me.
God bless, Kirk Baker


Rob Sawicki gives some helpful advice
Europe has been a great experience for me but it probably has been a little bit easier for me than probably some of the other Americans because I was raised in a European family so I knew exactly what to expect. The first thing I noticed about Europe is that there is a lot more culture here than in the States and there are a lot more older buildings and sites. Another thing is that the people are very polite and well-mannered. Everybody says hello. I have been fortunate enough to play in a country where almost everybody speaks English so that has been a great help to me. But I did spend a month in Greece before I went to Holland and there people did not really speak much English that was a little bit tougher but if you are polite than usually the Locals will help you out. My only advice would be to Learn how to Drive Standard (STICK SHIFT) and to get used to small cars. You don't see too many SUV's around. Oh and Gas is Ridiculously Expensive here in Europe. So that's my experience hope it helps out a little bit.


Frank Harris Jr. writes about Germany
Playing basketball in Europe has been a great experience for me.
There are a lot of advantages to playing over here. For one, you get to make money to do what you love to do. You also get to see the culture and the way other people live, that´s different from your environment. Another great thing is for those who are interested in learning another language. It is a great way to learn. Right now I am taking German classes and I have to say it is fun and challenging. Like everything else in life, playing in Europe also has its disadvantages. For instance if you do not bring any vcr tapes or dvd's you can't understand the television. For me that is alright because I get to learn more German. The only disadvantage that I can think of that I have problems with is the fact that you are away from your family and you really miss them a lot when you are away from home. So I would tell anyone that has the chance to play ball in another country to take advantage of the opportunity and go for it. AS LONG AS YOU HAVE GOD IN YOUR LIFE YOU WILL ALWAYS BE IN THE RIGHT HANDS.


Melissa Fazio writes about Italy
In Italy the TV is very different because it is in another language. Through a satellite you can get a few English channels which is a big help.
The food in Italy is delicious. The cars are very tiny and the driving is crazy...anything goes pretty much...well at least that is how it seems to me..
The hardest thing for me was adapting to their culture. It is very different. Things take time for anything to happen and you just have to be very patient. I got to Italy very early so nothing was ready for me when I got here so that was hard.
The basketball is very physical and very fundamentally sound not like U.S.A. So far for me it has been a great experience and I learn something new everyday.


Eric Carr tells us what it's like to play in Finland
The first thing about Finland is that it gets very cold and dark during the winters. In the winter the sun comes up around 10am and it gets dark about 3pm in the afternoon. This is what the Finnish people call the dark season. The Finns say it is a very depressing time because of the darkness, cold, rain or snow. There is a lot of snow fall every year in Finland. Beware of moose and black bears in some parts of Finland. Finland is an expensive country, so set your self on a monthly budget. Everyone has a cell phone. The teams I were on gave the players cell phones to use. One of our sponsors was a cell phone company. The headquarters for the Nokia cell phone company are based in Finland.
As far as basketball, the basketball is very organized and structured. In practices you work on fundamentals such as passing, dribbling and a lot of shooting drills. I played in the second division, so our practices lasted about 1.5 to 2 hours. We played 1-2 games per week. The games were always on the weekend, so you can develop a pretty good routine if you want to lift and shoot in the mornings. A bit of advice is get to know the city or town, get involved in the community, learn to like or get along with your teammates and play team ball. The Finns do not like players who are ball hogs.

The food is great in Finland. You will find McDonalds in some cities and many great Finnish restaurants.

There are computers and internet cafes to send emails. The living conditions were great. I had a one bedroom apartment, car, and access to the computers at the local high school. My apartment had cable TV, vcr and all the cooking utensils needed to survive. I got two free meals per day at a local restaurant. The season lasts 8 months of the year. The season starts in October and ends in March......


Eric Carr gives his perspective about playing in Mexico
The first thing you must learn about Mexico is expect the unexpected. Things are never done on time. You have to be patient to live in Mexico.
There is a lot of crime in some places in Mexico, so be careful. People know when you are a basketball player. Never wear flashy jewelry or watches in public, especially in Mexico City. There are 25,000,000 people in Mexico City alone. It has the highest crime rate in the country.

The league I play in has 8 teams spread out over Mexico. We do all traveling by a nice bus with TV and vcr. Our longest trip this year was 16 hours and our shortest trip was 2.5 hours. The food here in Mexico is ok if you like spicy, Hispanic foods.This is my second year playing in Mexico, so I have taken a liking to the native foods. In some cities, you can find McDonalds, Burger King, Chiles, Applebee's and various other American restaurants. The Mexican people stare at you a lot if you are an American, it is not a bad thing because you are different. Overall, the people are very nice and sincere in their greetings. You have to be careful with the tap water, you need to drink bottled water and brush your teeth in bottled water. When you eat steaks and chicken, make sure you squeeze a lime on the meat to kill any bacteria. Be selective in the foods you eat in Mexico.

It is cheap to live in Mexico. One us dollar is about 9.5 Mexican pesos, depending upon the exchange rate.

Here in Mexico the season lasts about 3.5 to 4 months. In my league we play 4 games per week, on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. We play 48 minute games as opposed to the 40 minutes played in Europe. You must be in great shape in Mexico because the Americans in many instances will have to play the whole game. Mexico is an up tempo league so the scores in every game are well over 100 points. The regular season is 56 games plus the playoffs. I get paid every two weeks. I get paid on the 15th and last day of each month. The Americans are expected to do it all, score, rebound and dunk. The Mexican fans like dunks and three point shots. As far as living conditions you will either stay in a hotel or the team will find you and the other Americans an apartment. The team will give you food money for each day. They will give you anywhere from 150-200 pesos per day. That is about $16 to $22 per day. That is enough to eat three good meals. On road trips you stay in decent hotels and get meal money too....in Mexico just go out and play hard every night and always watch your back, because sometimes it can be real cut throat........