No Pain Jayne

For the first time since winter, Jayne Appel (San Antonio Silver Stars) is going full-tilt in practice, and she describes that feeling in one word: ‘Fun.’

Appel, the 6-foot-4 post presence with a deep USA Basketball history, is one of the 2010 USA Women’s World Championship Team hopefuls who participated in the squad’s four-day training camp in the Washington D.C., area.  With a roster missing a number of players still involved with the WNBA Playoffs, those training sessions have been intense. But Appel has looked forward to each one.

After all, the 2010 Stanford graduate was unable to play in the 2009 World University Games because of a knee injury. And she also missed the USA Women’s National Team’s training camps this past fall and spring, not to mention a portion of the WNBA season, because of injuries.

But after being added to the USA Women’s National Team roster in August and now finally able to participate unrestricted in training, Appel is in ‘sponge’ mode, taking in all the advice from head coach Geno Auriemma and trying to make the 12-player USA World Championship Team roster.

As the team now moves its training camp to Hartford, Conn., Appel spoke to USA Basketball about how it feels to be out on the floor.

How has the team training gone in Washington, D.C.?
It’s been good. I think each day, there’s been improvement both individually and as a team. I think every day has been better than the last. We’re starting to play together which I think is the most important thing, having that chemistry on the court. So it’s been a positive experience so far. I’ve really enjoyed it.

Is the feel for the group going to be different once all the players still in the WNBA Playoffs filter in?
Oh, of course. I think, obviously, you’ll have great talents coming in with Candice Dupree and Sue (Bird). There’s a ton of talent still coming in, and that’ll kind of change the dynamics a little bit. I think right now everyone’s just out here working hard and trying to make everyone else better around them. So that’s a pretty good attitude to have.

Of the players in training camp now, how have you formed relationships with the other players?
Well, I’ve come to a couple of the previous National Team (training camps). I haven’t been able to play in all of them, but I’ve kind of gotten to know a couple players – Seimone (Augustus), Lindsay Whalen, obviously I’ve known Tina (Charles) forever, so coming back and seeing her is just kind of like coming back and seeing old friends. I think overall, it’s important to get the off-the-court chemistry as well, so, you know, people are chatting it up on the bus, so it’s been good for us.

Has your previous USA Basketball experience prepared you for this?
Well, I played in the (FIBA Americas U18 Championship) one year that was in the United States, and I think it’s a little bit different when you’re playing and you’re the host country. But I also played in the Pan American Games in Brazil. I think that was probably the best preparation for me, individually, because I was playing with a lot of older and experienced players and being in a foreign country with them all. So I was really relying on their leadership to kind of get me through. And I think it’s kind of a similar thing for us young players right now. We’re just kind of looking at who’s doing what, and trying to pick up on that. So it was a good thing that I had those two experiences under my belt, but I’m looking to, obviously, make it another experience with this.

Have you taken a different approach to this training camp, now being fully healthy?
I mean, it’s just fun. That’s kind of how I look at it right now. I can’t remember the last time I got to come in and practice and be fully healthy. I think it’s been since February that I have had a fully healthy, super intense practice. And it’s been really fun, it’s been a great opportunity for me. And I don’t think I’ve really looked forward to practice like this for a long time, so that’s good. Even when it is so challenging and intense, it’s a good feeling to be enjoying it.

What was your first professional season like?
It was new. It was definitely an experience very different from college. People prepare you for that and tell you, but you don’t really know until you kind of go through it. And it’s so fast, it’s such a fast transition, especially if you go all the way to the Final Four, you know, within 56 hours you’re on a new team and in a new city, experiencing other things. So, it’s just really quick. But I had great veterans in Ruth Riley and Sophia Young and Becky Hammon that kind of helped me along the way. Even though I was injured for the first third of the season, it was still pretty helpful.

What’s it like playing for Geno Auriemma?
I love it. I really enjoy seeing a different coach’s perspective and trying to add what they say to my game and the way that I learn and think about the game. I’ve kind of just come in with the attitude of trying to be a sponge and pick up on everything – the little tidbits of information, the attitude that he wants you to have on the court, how he wants the players to act on and off the court. So, I’m just trying to be a sponge, that’s the best thing I can probably say.

Best-case scenario, how would you like the training to go as the team heads to Connecticut?
I think obviously, best-case scenario, make the team and go fight for a world championship.