DWB Alum Update: 2003 Graduate Sheana Mosch

DURHAM, N.C.-- Over the summer and into the fall, the Blue Devils have been catching up with Duke women's basketball alumnae to see what they have been up to since leaving Durham. Up next is 2003 graduate Sheana Mosch. A 2001 Third Team All-ACC selection, Mosch accumulated 1,283 career points, 271 assists and 183 steals as she competed in 140 contests in a Blue Devil uniform. As a sophomore, stepped up during a three-game stretch to average 28.0 points a game and earned National Star of the Week honors.

Since graduating from Duke, you have had a very successful professional career overseas. What was it like playing in different countries?
As someone with a mad case of wanderlust, playing in different countries was a dream come true. I loved experiencing these different cultures and becoming a local for several months. I learned to speak French and Turkish because I wanted to connect with everything around me and I have developed many meaningful relationships because of that. And for the basketball, I mean-- I got to play ball every day. How could life be any better? ;)

Was there a certain country you liked playing in better and what was your favorite food?
Each country has its own perks and disadvantages. Russia and Turkey were amazing with the talent you would play with and against every day but sometimes life was hard. Israel was the most fun and easy going, but France is the country I loved the most. The beauty of the country, food, and the friends I have there keep me going back every couple years to visit. The French bakeries are by far the greatest thing ever and I consume an oddly high number of pain au chocolate when I'm there. I also stuff my face with the best french fries in the world which are in Arras (if anyone thinks they know a place with better fries, they are wrong!).

You have started Mosch Ball. Give us a run down on what that is.
Mosch Ball is my basketball skills training organization! I've been running my own basketball camps for 10 years along the east coast and have always enjoyed teaching the skills portion of the game. Starting my own training business is something I knew I would eventually get into full-time once I stopped playing. I believe I have a good understanding of how to break down a particular skill and knowing the successive drills you can implement to get a player to pull this out in a game. I live in Charleston S.C. and have a couple hundred kids I train there as young as four all the way through college. It's a lot of fun and rewarding and the business is growing nicely. For anyone who wants to keep up, you can follow on Instagram @moschball and also Mosch Ball on Facebook :)

When did you decide to stop playing professional basketball?
At the age of 34, I knew during my last season in Zaragoza, Spain that I would retire. I have always said that I would play ball until I was 40 -- and for anyone who knows me, they knew I was dead serious about this! But during my season in Spain my body made it very clear to me that it had had enough. God had kept me pretty darn healthy my entire career (with a few setbacks here and there), but the thing that told me to stop was my loss of ability to blow by people with my quick first step and jump over everyone on my pull up jumper. I noticed that certain moves I made which worked my entire career, just didn't work anymore. I would do this particular jab move and explode to the basket expecting an easy shot, but then the defender would be right there next to me! I was like "Why are you still here? You're supposed to be behind me!" That combined with the body aches and missing out on family back home finally got me to call it quits.

Have you been able to keep in touch with many former teammates/coaches?
One really fun thing about playing for so long overseas is I've met up with many Dukies in different countries. I played with Wynter Whitley in Turkey and with Monique Currie on two different teams in Russia and Turkey. I've also played against Lindsey Harding, Mistie Bass, Alana Beard, and several younger players like Chelsea Gray and Carrem Gay (to name a few).

When is the last time you were able to make it back to Durham?
Durham is directly through my line of travel when I drive up to Pennsylvania to go home to my family, so it's usually a quick stop along the way. I always visit one of my best friends, Mike Zeillmann (who is the best skills trainer I know and has worked with Duke players in the past) and have grabbed a few lunches with Lauren Rice and Michele Van Gorp.

Since you retired from professional hoops, do you try to play any these days?
I knew that when I finally decided to stop playing it would be because I basically couldn't play anymore. So no, I don't play competitively. However, I have no issues kicking my kids' butts in three point or half court contests..lol

You were lucky to be a part of NCAA Final Fours in your final two years in 2002 and 2003. What was that experience like?
Playing in those two NCAA Final Fours are experiences that I will never forget. Everyone in college dreams of reaching that point and once you get there and feel the energy and hype, it's amazing. However, and yes I'm being a little spoiled, the highest we reached was only the Final Four. I can't help but feel like I'm missing out on something by never winning a national championship.

As a Blue Devil, you also didn't lose an ACC Tournament game. How did your teams accomplish this?
We were four years of uber competitive athletes with fire in our bones. All I can say is we worked our butts off every day in practice and bought into what Coach G fed us. When it came down to game time, there was no way anyone was going to beat us because we believed we worked harder and deserved it more than anyone else.

Have you developed any new hobbies, etc., that you are involved with these days?
I've been doing some really cool stuff lately. My ever present wanderlust and thrill seeking nature have taken me on many adventures around the world like scuba diving, swimming with whale sharks, and cliff jumping. I'm also the fitness coach for a professional tennis player, Aleksandra Krunic from Serbia who's currently ranked 67 in the world. That's been fun to be involved in a separate sport at its highest level and to experience the U.S. Open, French Open, and Wimbledon. And lately I have thrown myself 100% into power yoga and calisthenics. This has been so perfectly fun and challenging for someone who always feels like she needs to pull the best out of her body. Plus, I want be able to hang horizontally off of random street objects so there's that lol.

How has a Duke degree helped you?
Respect. The first, immediate impression people throw upon me when they find out I'm from Duke is respect. Coming from a school with SO many years of academic and athletic excellence, even though I only play a minuscule part in its history, I will always be a proud Blue Devil. PS Got to hell Carolina.

DWB Alum Update: 2003 Graduate Sheana Mosch

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