Stephanie Kostowicz has performed basketball on each side of the Atlantic. Abroad, she has received a championship in Germany, saved a crew from relegation in Hungary and been named the middle of the yr in Greece. As an undersized 5, the 6-foot-2 Kostowicz overpowers her rivals utilizing the core power she developed as a observe athlete. Her coronary heart, nevertheless, is in Wisconsin, the place she’s from and the place she returns each offseason.
As she’s about to embark on one other season in Europe and add Czechia to her resume, we have been in a position to discuss to her about her profession up to now.
Let’s begin together with your heritage. Your surname sounds Polish.
My nice grandfather was from… [tries to pronounce Grudziądz but gives up] I’m going to butcher it anyway. It’s like an hour from [successfully pronounces Bydgoszcz]. Gosh, I knew that from after I performed there. There’s truly a bit extra German in my blood than Polish, however yeah, clearly I’ve a little bit of Polish in me.
Rising up in in Wisconsin, how have been you launched to the sport of basketball? And what was the basketball tradition like in Wisconsin if you have been a child?
I began form of late, after I was 12 or so. I’ve three older sisters and I needed to do all the things that they did, they usually performed basketball. So basketball was simply one of many issues—one of many many issues—that they did that I picked up from them. I continued at it to a better degree and I’m completely satisfied to nonetheless be enjoying. As for the tradition, the Midwest loves basketball. There’s a variety of alternatives, a variety of tournaments, a variety of groups you may be part of to additional develop your abilities. So it was good to develop up in that surroundings and get the chance to get higher at basketball.
Are you the most effective at basketball in your loved ones?
I might say so, however I believe my sisters would say so too, though they stopped enjoying after highschool.
I’m guessing that because you determined to check on the College of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, you’re shut with your loved ones.
Yep, my sisters are all married with youngsters now, however all of us dwell inside quarter-hour of one another, so I’m nonetheless dwelling with my dad and mom after I’m dwelling for the offseason they usually’re all inside driving distance, in order that’s good.
For 4 years, you have been the starter for the Panthers [at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee], the place you have been chosen to First-Crew All-Horizon League as soon as and the Second-Crew twice. Are you cheerful together with your school basketball profession?
I’m pleased with it. Trying again, I believe I’ve a greater work ethic now than I did then, so I believe if I have been to repeat these years, perhaps I might be a bit extra profitable individually and we’d be in all probability extra profitable as a crew. However I’m completely satisfied and pleased with myself. I did lots in school. I used to be truly additionally on the observe crew.
That was imagined to be my subsequent query.
Yeah, so I imply for as a lot as I did in basketball and observe, and nursing faculty, and I double majored in psychology. For all the issues that I did, I’m very pleased with myself. I had an incredible profession, I developed as an individual and I’m right here now.
Was observe and subject or basketball your old flame?
Basketball was first. I began observe in highschool and I wasn’t planning on doing it in school. After which after I dedicated to Milwaukee for basketball, the observe coach got here as much as me throughout my senior yr of highschool and requested if I might be keen to do each. I didn’t know that was an possibility, however I used to be excited to have that chance. He simply got here into my math class and mentioned, “You’re gonna do that now.” And I used to be like,“OK.” After which it turned out I used to be fairly good at it.
Have been shot put and discus exercises useful in turning into a greater basketball participant?
Mm-hmm. Completely, particularly due to my place and my peak. I’m a little bit of an undersized ahead and I believe that work within the weight room has helped me get to the place I’m now.
What what would you contemplate a larger achievement? What you probably did on the court docket or the truth that you graduated and are a nurse?
I believe the largest achievement was that I used to be in a position to do each on the similar time. The truth that I’ve my profession arrange and prepared for me at any time when I determine to be finished with basketball, I believe that’s an unbelievable achievement that perhaps not a variety of my friends have.
You don’t get to do a lot nursing now, do you?
This summer time and final summer time, I’ve not been in a position to work as a nurse as a result of I’ve been enjoying basketball in Mexico, however each different summer time in my offseason, I’ve been in a position to observe as a nurse.
And why did you determine to change into a nurse?
We’ve got to return to the primary query on this one, considered one of my older sisters is definitely a nurse practitioner. So clearly I needed to do what she did.
OK, however after graduating you probably did one thing neither considered one of them had finished: You moved to Greece to change into knowledgeable basketball participant. How did that come about?
I didn’t actually have the dream of being knowledgeable basketball participant… I might say… till my senior yr of faculty. Solely then I form of determined that, “Hey, that is one thing I’m good at.” I had a coach, Coach Goldsberry. He planted the seed in my head constantly, saying issues like, “You might be in the most effective form of your life, you may journey the world, you may have all these alternatives.” And I’m like, “Yeah, yeah, yeah.” However it seems he knew what he was speaking about.
Have been you ever truly overseas or in Europe previous to your transfer to Greece?
No, my going to Greece was the primary time I left America. I keep in mind my first yr, my first crew, my room was a closet of this home. I had a roommate who was on my crew and he or she obtained the bed room with a queen-sized mattress. There have been dressers. She had a balcony. My room was half the scale of hers. I had a small mattress, like one of many single ones that you just get at a few of these inns. I didn’t have a door. I didn’t have a dresser, in order that was was my first impression of the nation. However I cherished Greece.
As a household individual, have been you afraid of transferring out by yourself?
I truly wasn’t alone. I introduced my cat with me to Greece my first yr. They’ve a variety of cats in Greece, which I loved, however I took my cat with me as effectively. He’s spoiled.
After two years in Greece and a brief keep in Hungary, the place you helped a crew keep within the A1 League, you go to Olympiacos. That’s a basketball powerhouse in Europe.
My first yr, I used to be actually on the underside crew in Greece after which simply to even be acknowledged, to be on the Olympiacos crew, not to mention being a starter for them, that was an enormous deal for me personally. I used to be very proud to be on that crew and to put on their colours. However it was simply an unbelievable expertise and I nonetheless carry that with satisfaction right now to say that I performed for them.
Did you get to play within the derby towards Panathinaikos? The “derby of the everlasting rivals” is among the most intense video games in Europe, whatever the self-discipline.
Yeah. Completely. It was throughout COVID although, so it wasn’t open to the general public. However even with out the followers, it was extremely intense and after which when the followers have been in a position to be part of us for playoffs… Simply a variety of depth. There’s a narrative I inform individuals. It’s humorous now, wanting again on it. However within the second it was… intense. That’s the phrase I might once more use to explain it. I used to be ready at a bus cease the day earlier than we performed Panathinaikos and I had my Olympiakos bag with me and this grown man comes as much as me and he kicks me within the shin! He begins calling me names, going loopy and other people needed to, like, separate us.
Was the most effective yr of your profession at Olympiakos? Or was it in Poland, Romania, Germany, Mexico or Italy?
I might say as a crew, my finest yr was in all probability in Germany simply because we received the title, however individually I must say Italy final yr was my finest season. I simply had some fairly huge stats in an excellent league and I, like I mentioned earlier, like having to show myself each league that I get into, to indicate that I belong, simply taking steps every time. So I believe that was a extremely huge step for me individually.
Any regrets that you just didn’t get to play within the WNBA?
Yeah, it’s powerful. Clearly, I’m a competitor. I wish to compete with the most effective. And so I belong with the most effective, however simply the best way the sport is now, perhaps if I graduated school now, perhaps simply because girls’s basketball has taken such an enormous step, perhaps it will be completely different.
Thanks to Gherdan Sports activities for arranging the interview.
