Wonder From Down Under: Q&A With Tully Bevilaqua
May 19, 2006
Tully Bevilaqua is in her second season with the Fever after leading Indiana to the Eastern Conference Finals a year ago. Bevilaqua, a native of Australia, quickly emerged as a fan favorite during her first season with the club, earning respect from the home fans and her teammates alike as a result of her hard-nosed and selfless play. A seven-year WNBA veteran, Bevilaqua won a WNBA Championship as a member of the Seattle Storm (2004) after stints in Cleveland and Portland. Bevilaqua recently took the time to answer a few questions from FeverBasketball.com’s Rachel Turner as she prepares for the Fever’s season opener on Saturday night versus Detroit.
Feverbasketball.com: How do you feel about being one of the primary “faces” of the Fever?
Tully Belivaqua: “It’s very nice. I’m a little embarrassed to see my face out there. It’s just weird. I’ve never had that kind of attention before. At the same time it’s nice to get that recognition.”
FB: A lot of people come to support you and to see you play. What do you think about having so many fans?
TB: “It’s awesome. The more people we get to the games, whether they are screaming for myself, Catch (Tamika Catchings) or anyone else on the team, it’s just awesome that we get people into the stadium. We are certainly always looking for more. If we can put ourselves out there and attract more people, then it will obviously work to our advantage.”
FB: Did you know you had an unofficial Web site and fan club?
TB: “I heard about it. And I get a little embarrassed that people go to those lengths. I just go out there and do what I do on the court. If that makes people happy and they like to show their appreciation for how I play on the court, then that’s awesome.”
FB: Will you play on Australia’s national team this year?
TB: “This year we had the Commonwealth Games and I was a part of that. We won the gold medal. Then there was a Foreign Nations tournament with the U.S. and China and I participated in that. The next big event is the World Championships in September, and I don’t have anymore preparations to do with the team. There are probably about eight Australians in the WNBA. So, pretty much we just have to perform in the WNBA and then come August, wait and see what the Australian coach decides to do in terms of selections. I think I had a pretty good tournament at the Foreign Nations. What I did against the U.S. will hopefully hold me in good standing.”
FB: What was it like to win the gold medal at the Commonwealth Games?
TB: “It was awesome! Obviously it’s not the Olympics, and we were expected to win, but I guess we were just able to go out there, relax and just have some fun. You don’t take if for granted that you are representing your country. It is a huge honor, so you want to do the right thing. It was just unbelievable. The opening and closing ceremonies were in front of 100,000-plus people, and that was just an unbelievable experience. We had a great group of players to share that with so that made it even more memorable.”
FB: Does it surprise you that you are getting so much recognition at this point in your career?
TB: "Yes. I mean, any recognition kind of surprises me. I’m not a flashy player. I’m just a hard-nosed go-getter. It doesn’t bother me if I get recognition or not. It’s just all about winning.”
FB: Do you like it here in Indiana?
TB: “It’s great! I mean, it was a tough decision to leave Seattle after we won the championship. And I’ll admit I did shed a few tears once I made the decision because I was venturing into the unknown. It was another challenge and I have no regrets. I certainly felt that I eased into the situation very quickly. And what made the move easy was the fact that my teammates were just awesome, and the organization was so welcoming. I didn’t have any problems from the get-go. It was a great move for me.”
FB: Is there anything about Indianapolis in particular that you like?
TB: “The good thing is that when I get lost I can easily find my way back. It’s not as big as Seattle. I just love going out to dinner and trying new restaurants. In general, the city is pretty easy going, and it’s like a big country town. I think the reason I enjoy it is because I grew up in a big country town. Indianapolis is pretty laid back and that is nice.”
Tully Bevilaqua is in her second season with the Fever after leading Indiana to the Eastern Conference Finals a year ago. Bevilaqua, a native of Australia, quickly emerged as a fan favorite during her first season with the club, earning respect from the home fans and her teammates alike as a result of her hard-nosed and selfless play. A seven-year WNBA veteran, Bevilaqua won a WNBA Championship as a member of the Seattle Storm (2004) after stints in Cleveland and Portland. Bevilaqua recently took the time to answer a few questions from FeverBasketball.com’s Rachel Turner as she prepares for the Fever’s season opener on Saturday night versus Detroit.
Feverbasketball.com: How do you feel about being one of the primary “faces” of the Fever?
Tully Belivaqua: “It’s very nice. I’m a little embarrassed to see my face out there. It’s just weird. I’ve never had that kind of attention before. At the same time it’s nice to get that recognition.”
FB: A lot of people come to support you and to see you play. What do you think about having so many fans?
TB: “It’s awesome. The more people we get to the games, whether they are screaming for myself, Catch (Tamika Catchings) or anyone else on the team, it’s just awesome that we get people into the stadium. We are certainly always looking for more. If we can put ourselves out there and attract more people, then it will obviously work to our advantage.”
FB: Did you know you had an unofficial Web site and fan club?
TB: “I heard about it. And I get a little embarrassed that people go to those lengths. I just go out there and do what I do on the court. If that makes people happy and they like to show their appreciation for how I play on the court, then that’s awesome.”
FB: Will you play on Australia’s national team this year?
TB: “This year we had the Commonwealth Games and I was a part of that. We won the gold medal. Then there was a Foreign Nations tournament with the U.S. and China and I participated in that. The next big event is the World Championships in September, and I don’t have anymore preparations to do with the team. There are probably about eight Australians in the WNBA. So, pretty much we just have to perform in the WNBA and then come August, wait and see what the Australian coach decides to do in terms of selections. I think I had a pretty good tournament at the Foreign Nations. What I did against the U.S. will hopefully hold me in good standing.”
FB: What was it like to win the gold medal at the Commonwealth Games?
TB: “It was awesome! Obviously it’s not the Olympics, and we were expected to win, but I guess we were just able to go out there, relax and just have some fun. You don’t take if for granted that you are representing your country. It is a huge honor, so you want to do the right thing. It was just unbelievable. The opening and closing ceremonies were in front of 100,000-plus people, and that was just an unbelievable experience. We had a great group of players to share that with so that made it even more memorable.”
FB: Does it surprise you that you are getting so much recognition at this point in your career?
TB: "Yes. I mean, any recognition kind of surprises me. I’m not a flashy player. I’m just a hard-nosed go-getter. It doesn’t bother me if I get recognition or not. It’s just all about winning.”
FB: Do you like it here in Indiana?
TB: “It’s great! I mean, it was a tough decision to leave Seattle after we won the championship. And I’ll admit I did shed a few tears once I made the decision because I was venturing into the unknown. It was another challenge and I have no regrets. I certainly felt that I eased into the situation very quickly. And what made the move easy was the fact that my teammates were just awesome, and the organization was so welcoming. I didn’t have any problems from the get-go. It was a great move for me.”
FB: Is there anything about Indianapolis in particular that you like?
TB: “The good thing is that when I get lost I can easily find my way back. It’s not as big as Seattle. I just love going out to dinner and trying new restaurants. In general, the city is pretty easy going, and it’s like a big country town. I think the reason I enjoy it is because I grew up in a big country town. Indianapolis is pretty laid back and that is nice.”
