Quick Chat: Chelsea Newton

Basketball has taken Chelsea Newton across the country and across the pond.

The Georgia assistant women's basketball coach is from Monroe, La., played collegiately at Rutgers in New Jersey and played in the WNBA for the Sacramento Monarchs (winning the 2005 WNBA title). She also played professionally in Israel, Poland and Italy.

All those experiences, particularly playing for Hall of Fame coach C. Vivian Stringer at Rutgers, where Newton was the Big East Defensive Player of the Year in 2005, helped shape Newton into the person and coach she is today.

During a recent Quick Chat, she talked about all of that and much more. Here's some of what she had to say:

Frierson: One of the things that stands out to me is how many places basketball has taken you. How much did you enjoy those experiences and how much did they help you grow as a person?

Newton: First of all, the first experience was leaving Louisiana to go to Rutgers, and that was a culture shock. I was grateful for even taking a chance and doing that, and I say that just because when I got drafted (in the WNBA), I was in California, so I ended up on the West Coast. By then I was used to taking those long trips and being away from home, being away from people I know, and that definitely helped me adjust and learn new cultures.

I go from there to Israel to Poland to Italy — it didn't matter where I landed, it taught me how to adjust and experience new cultures and live a new life. It was a great experience.

Frierson: Of the places you lived abroad, I'm guessing that Italy was your favorite.

Newton: Italy is definitely my favorite in terms of the culture, the food, the scenery, the people, the shopping — all of the above. When we went back this summer, I saw more in the two weeks that we were there, because when you're living there you're not trying to be a tourist, you're going to practice and going home. I was grateful to go back with the team and even share some of my experiences with them.

Italy was my favorite but believe it or not, Israel was probably where I had the most fun. It's super Americanized.

Frierson: What did you impart on the players about the value of going abroad and seeing these new places and new cultures?

Newton: I think it's about embracing it. One of the things we all told them was, don't think about the Italian food here in America, because it's not the same. It's completely different. You realize how fresh the food is there and they won't make food that's not in season. They don't freeze it and make it later. If strawberries aren't in season, you won't get strawberries at that time.

Another thing was the architecture and how all of the things that you see, a lot of that was done by hand. Think about how much time that takes and how you have to be persistent with things like that.

Frierson: What was it like playing for Coach Stringer, because she's obviously one of the legends of the game?

Newton: Coach Stringer taught me pretty much everything when it comes to basketball. She is a brilliant basketball mind and super tough. I literally turned to (associate head coach Karen Lange) yesterday, because she played for her as well, and was like, I'm so grateful that we both were able to play for her because she pushed us in ways we probably didn't think we could be pushed. And then just the knowledge that we gained from her.

I know I wouldn't be coaching if I had not played for her.

Frierson: How would you describe yourself as a player?

Newton: I want to say I was a great defender. It's funny because when you're in high school, I was probably a great scorer and then I got to college and still was a good scorer, but when you play alongside Cappie Pondexter and some other great scorers you're like, OK, I'll play defense. I was just a hard worker and played defense.

Frierson: As we do this interview, Thanksgiving is coming up, so what is the most essential part of a Thanksgiving meal for you?

Newton: Two years ago, I would have said the dressing, the dressing and the cranberry sauce. Now, I am about the fried turkey. I need a good fried, delicious fried turkey. That's essential.

Frierson: If you could go anywhere in the world on somebody else's dime, where would you like to go?

Newton: You know where I really want to go? I really want to go to Africa. I haven't been and I don't know what part yet. I'm not quite sure where, but I feel like I should go.

Frierson: Working with this staff day in and day out, who's the funniest of the bunch?

Newton: Rob, Rob Mosley for sure. I mean, he can turn anything into a funny, wise joke. But he can also turn it into great wisdom. Just to hear some of the stuff that comes out of his mouth, you can help but just giggle. It's like, what?

Frierson: With the crazy hours you all put in, how do you relax and get away from the job?

Newton: The cool thing about it is that we have a great time in here, so even tough days, rough days, these are the people you want to be around, so I don't feel stressed when I'm at work. I don't go home thinking, ooh, I need to take a load off. But if I did feel that way, for me it would be online shopping. I can sit and do that all day long.

I cannot go into a store and shop, but online, that's how I relax. In the summertime, I need to be by the beach. In the summertime, I want water, poolside, sitting outside and relaxing.

Frierson: Do you have a creative side? Is there something creative you do or wish you could do?

Newton: I wish I could sing, ooh, that would be great. [Laughs.] I'd probably just go up and down the halls and sing.

Frierson: What's the one song you really wish you could nail?

Newton: Oh, man, anything Beyoncé. Anything Beyoncé, and that's hard. ... I'm a singer in the car, I'm a singer in the shower, I turn my music on every morning and I'm just singing through the house, hoping and praying that nobody ever hears me. [Laughs.]

(This Q&A was lightly edited for length and clarity.)

John Frierson is the staff writer for the UGA Athletic Association and curator of the ITA Men's Tennis Hall of Fame. You can find his work at: Frierson Files. He's also on Twitter: @FriersonFiles and @ITAHallofFame.

University of Georgia Athletics

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