Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Former Lady Raider Joanne Aluka Living a Dream
10/30/2003 4:49:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Aluka finished her career as a Lady Raider two years ago and then received her master's degree at Middle Tennessee, but wasn't ready to give up basketball. With the help of another Lady Raider, Nicole Perkins, Aluka met a player from the team in Portugal and contacted the coach. After a few discussions, the director told Aluka he was interested in her and she decided to pursue her dream and join the team.
"This was an opportunity I couldn't pass up," Aluka said. "Especially since I finished my undergraduate and graduate degrees."
Aluka had to make some adjustments playing European basketball such as the rules of the game and the gym floor. In European basketball, the shot clock is set to 24 seconds instead of 30, which makes the pace of the game quicker. Rules in accordance with timeouts vary as well, because the only person who can call a timeout is the head coach, no matter what the circumstances.
Sacrifice is also a big factor in playing overseas for Aluka. Though playing abroad allows her time to perfect her game, it also keeps her away from family and friends.
"The biggest adjustment for me was being away from family and friends," Aluka said. "You can't just call friends and loved ones any time you want, because of the cost and time differences."
Aluka is also learning the language and she is pursuing it with the same zeal, she is in basketball. A teammate owns a tutoring center and she is attending classes twice a week to learn Portuguese.
"I am learning the language with another American on the team," Aluka said. "We are picking it up gradually."
The team Aluka is playing for is located in Gafanha, which is 10 minutes from the city of Avero. It is known to be a mini Venice, Italy.
Besides playing a game she loves, Aluka is also getting to see a lot of sights while playing with the team. The team travels throughout Europe.
"To me this is a tremendous opportunity to travel in Europe," Aluka said. "I get to see the different countries, play basketball and get paid for it."
Of course Aluka would love to return to the Unites States and play basketball, but right now she is being given the opportunity to play everyday and perfect her game.
"Not everyone gets a chance to do what they love and make money doing it," Aluka said. "I feel as though I have been blessed with this opportunity to improve my skills and travel with all my expenses being taken care of."
Aluka spent four years as a Lady Raider and was a member of the 1998 team that won an OVC Championship and participated in the NCAA Tournament. She is also a member of the Millennium Club ending her career with 1,090 points.
