This story published online:
Tuesday, February 8, 2005 1:04 AM CST

McDowell answers her challenges

By TROY HAYES -H&R Staff Writer

From Miss Illinois Basketball to the world, former Nokomis all-stater and current European professional Molly McDowell talks about a myriad of subjects including suspect coaching, Pete Sampras, Maury Hough and the polka.

H&R: Give a little history of your career since Southern Illinois University.

MM: When I finished my career at SIU (in 2003), I decided that I was not ready to be done playing basketball. An agent from Colorado had been to one of our games to watch someone from another team play and I signed with her at the end of my senior year.

I wanted to do everything I could to get looked at, so I attended a combine in Florida (InfoSport). The information from the combine was put on the internet and a few teams contacted my agent because of that. BV Lely out of Amsterdam showed the most interest - and offered me the best deal - so I decided to sign a one-year agreement with them.

After that first season, my agent stopped representing athletes so I had to go through the whole process of finding another new agent. I was able to find an agent from Holland and he got me a job in Germany with New Basket 92 Oberhausen (where she's averaging 9.7 points per game, 3.2 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 3.5 steals). The league in Germany is much higher than the one in Amsterdam and it is much more challenging for me this year.

H&R: You struggled a bit your first couple of years at SIU, but once you found your groove, it was apparent you could play at that level. Is it the same way there?

MM: My career at SIU was disappointing.

I really expected to go down there and be able to help them turn the program around. While I did have a decent last two years there, it was still frustrating and that is why I wanted to try to continue to play.

One of the things that has helped me is getting my confidence back last year in Amsterdam.

H&R: Weren't you MVP of the league there?

MM: I was MVP in Amsterdam, but the league was not as high as I expected it to be. I had a pretty good season, and it was really nice to be able to dominate the league there after a pretty average college career.

H&R: After excelling in Amsterdam did you garner any endorsement deals, maybe for some American product?

MM: Although that would be great, I don't really think that is a possibility. Basketball is not such a popular sport in Europe, players are not well recognized. Basketball is never on TV and the media attention that players receive is overshadowed by the attention and hype that soccer players get. Soccer is so popular over here, everyone knows how to play and everyone likes the sport. They all laugh at me because I don't even know the rules.

H&R: Is there anyone you can't take off the dribble over there?

MM: I would love to think that I can, I just don't know how true that is.

H&R: What specifically was holding you back at SIU?

MM: I think that it is a combination of a few things. I didn't have coaches at SIU that pushed me in the same ways that Coach (Maury) Hough pushed me. I was also not able to adapt to the way things were done.

At first I was not expecting to be such a difference from high school to college, but the difference is huge. Everyone can play one-on-one and everyone can defend.

For players to be great at the college level it not only takes a really good player, but I also think it takes really good coaches. I think that something was missing at SIU. We had a lot of good players that weren't used to their full capacity.

H&R: I read that you said of your former Nokomis coach, who passed away last year, "I'm sure everybody who ever played for him could think of a moment where they absolutely did not like that man. But as much as I like to think I wouldn't have been a little bit lazier without playing for him, I know I would have been."

How much of the player you are is directly related to the "push" he provided.

MM: I give Coach Hough the credit for 95 percent of my accomplishments. I don't want to take credit away from the other people that helped - my parents were great the whole time and without them, I wouldn't have been able to do most of the things that I did. But, Coach Hough pushed me harder than anyone ever has and expected more out of me than I thought I could give.

Even though he is no longer with us, he is still the one that motivates me more than anyone else. If it weren't for him, I might not even been able to play Division I ball because without going to state those two years, I am not sure a lot of schools would have recruited me. And without the D-I experience, I would not be over here playing.

My life would be a lot different if I hadn't played for him. I might have a "real" job now instead of playing ball.

H&R: Germany, heavy food and even heavier beer. How have you avoided the trappings of all that excess?

MM: The food has not really been a problem for me because when I first got here I had to cook for myself, so I ate a lot of pasta and baked potatoes. Now I have a new roommate who is a great cook. She cooks pretty healthy stuff so I have not eaten a lot of the heavy German food. I have tried a lot of new stuff and I can't complain about the German food.

As far as the beer is concerned, I don't drink so it has not been a problem at all. But the Germans do love their beer.

H&R: The men's leagues in Europe have become very competitive, how does the competition in the women's leagues compare to the WNBA or the NWBL?

MM: I think as far as the European League goes, I would say that it is becoming more and more competitive all the time.

The competition in Germany doesn't compare to that level, I don't think, although there are 2 teams that play in the Europe Cup. I haven't seen any of the basketball in some of the more powerful countries, but I have heard that the leagues there are the real deal.

In Spain, France, Italy, that is where the good basketball is. And there is where you can really play against great competition and make a lot more money.

H&R: I've also heard that Europeans love the big men in the guy's league, how are they with the women and is it ever a source of frustration since you are a guard?

MM: I had some problems with it while I was trying to find an agent. Some of the agents have voicemails that say if you are a female and over 6-foot-2 then you can leave a message, if not, we are not looking to represent you.

I found that a little frustrating, and I am sure that it would have been more frustrating if it was getting in the way of me getting a job.

H&R: Other than language, what's the biggest obstacle to overcome living in another county?

MM: Believe it or not, language is not as big as an obstacle as I thought it would be. In Amsterdam, there were no problems at all because everyone spoke English so well. The language issue is a little more frustrating in Germany because the older people don't speak English at all.

I really miss my family and friends a lot, and it is hard to know that things are going on in the states even though I am not there. It was really hard for me to be overseas while Coach Hough was sick. That was the hardest time I have had since I have been gone.

Another thing that I really miss is Wal-Mart. They don't have stores like that over here and I was so excited to have Wal-Mart while I was home for Christmas, I went there about eight of the 12 days that I was home.

H&R: What's the coolest thing that has happened or that you have seen while in Europe?

MM: I think that the whole city of Amsterdam can be put under this question. Amsterdam is full of really great architecture, cafes, museums, and some other really great sites.

Another thing that has been really different is driving on the Autobahn. People are crazy. They drive so fast.

H&R: How many languages can you speak, or at least communicate in, now?

MM: I understand a lot more than I can speak of both of the languages that I have been around, Dutch and German. The two languages have a lot of similarities so when I came to Germany, I was able to pick it up a lot quicker than I was last year.

H&R: On your Oberhausen profile it says you like to play X-box. What are your favorite games?

MM: When I first got to Oberhausen I was pretty bored. The city has about 230,000 people, but it is just not a real exciting city so I decided to get an X-box, which I said I would never do, but I broke down and got one.

I really only have a couple of games because I am too cheap to buy new ones, but I love Top Spin. It's a tennis game that I have pretty much perfected. I like to be Pete Sampras and kill all of the other players. You can also make your own player and I have a couple of them as well.

I mostly use my X-box to watch DVDs. I now have a new addiction - the series 24.

H&R: Polka is big in Germany, right? Can you cut a mean polka rug?

MM: Everyone has asked me about the polka since I have been here and the truth is, I haven't heard any polka at all.

I don't know if I am just not in the right place for polka or if we just assume they listen and dance to a lot of polka, but I have not heard any since I have been here. I am sure if I did, I could dance some polka.

H&R: It also lists coaching as a hobby. Are you coaching now and is it something that you want to do in the future?

MM: Both. I am coaching an under-16 team now and I want to coach in the future as well. With my team here it is really frustrating and rewarding at the same time. I have eight players and some of them don't speak or understand English very well. Lucky for me, I have a couple of players that are able to translate what I say to the ones that don't understand me.

When I am done playing I would like to get a graduate assistant job somewhere and get my masters and then do some college coaching after that.

H&R: What's keeping you in basketball.

MM: Well, my ultimate goal would still be to play in the States. If I am not going to get that chance to play back in the US, then I would love to play on a team that plays in the European League.

I would like to win a championship with a team over here and go out on top. Whether that's on a high level team or in a country where the competition isn't as good, it doesn't really matter.

I don't see myself playing over here for a long time because I miss my friends and family, and I don't know if my body will hold up for too much longer. The longest I see myself staying over here is for three more years. By that time I think I will be ready to come home and get a real job.

But, these are just my plans and if something else happens that I am not planning for, I will welcome it with open arms.