8/9/2019 tema libre 1

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MARTA, SARAY, NATALIA,

YAIZA, ANDREA, BEATRIZ,

Fuenlabrada

Gerald Edwin Fitch was born on

12th August,1982 in Columbus

(USA). Since his childhood he

has gained a reputation as an

excellent basketball player any-

where at university or in Euro-pean leagues (Italian and Turk-

ish). Nowadays he plays in the

ACB (the Spanish league) as a

guard for Ayuda en Accin

Fuenlabrada.

He is always supported by his

dear mum and his brother who

was murdered 11years ago. We

had the pleasure to interview him

where he does the best thing he

knows. We talked to him in the

basketball court of Fernando

Martn Sport Centre, just after he

had had a shower after his

training. He was very friendly and

when we saw his smile on his

face we felt relaxed.

Question. Your favorite sport inAmerican football. So why did

you decide to play basketball?

Answer. My favourite sport is

fishing

Q. Why did you choose basket-

ball?

A. Because when I was little I was

good.

Q. Has basketball help you get

over difficult moments in your

life?

A. It helped me a lot. When I play

basketball I dont think about

past things in my life so it is very

important in my life.

Q. You have been playing in lots

of leagues, in which of them haveyou been more comfortable?

A. I think the NBA is more

comfortable. Everybody thinks it

is so nice. Even on the court

playing in the NBA made me

have more confidence. And a lot

of money makes it more

comfortable (he laughs).

Q. You travel a lot to playbasketball games. How do you

feel when you arrive home after a

long time?

A. Im more a party guy. I like to

party. So after a long time when I

play I like to go out. I have a lotof energy. I want to go some-

where, to a restaurant...

Q. If you could go back in time,

what changes would you make in

your proffesional life?

A. I would make a big change: I

would bring my brother to live

with me. My brother died 10

years ago. Living in Europe is

one of the best things and I

would like him to see that. I

wouldnt change anything else.

Q. You always say your relation-

ship with your mum is perfect.

When your mum comes to watch

you play, how do you feel?

A. I feel so good that I cant

explain it. I dont think about

anything else. I have no pro-

blems. It is a great feeling that

you cannot explain.

Q. What do you think ofFuenlabrada supporters?

A. Fans make you play good.

They are very nice. Everybody in

Spain is nice.

Q. All the team was fined twomonths ago. How do you feel

about that now?

A. I dont like it. Terrible. It was

something that I did, like missing

practices. So I understand. I had

to be a man and accept responsi -

bilities.

Q. Do you have a good relation-

ship with Maldonado, your new

coach?

A. (He laughs) Thats a good

question. I think he is a good

coach. I think it is difficult when a

new coach comes to any team. I

respect him.Q. Has the number of your shirt

any special menaing for you?

A. No. I just picked it up.

Q. What do you think the

moments before a game?

A. I listen to music, sing I try

not to think too much about the

game. If I think too much maybe I

have problems, so I listen to

music, think about somethingcrazy. I dont think about the

basketball game.

Q. Do you think that a referee

can influence on the final score?

A. Yes, sometimes referees are

terrible. Sometimes I think Im

not supposed to say this- I think

someone paid a referee. Some-

times they act like they dont see

(he covers his eyes with his

hands). They have big influence

on the game.

Q. Is it difficult for you to con-

centrate in games with people

making noise with drums and

trumpets?

A. Sometimes, yes. Because it isso loud. Now, Im getting used to

it, but sometimes, it makes me

crazy.

Q. If you were a woman, would

you have the same opportunities

in basketball?

A. Aaah, thats a good question.

First, no. For a woman, she has to

be very, very good because no

one gives attention to women

basketball. So I dont think I'd

have the same opportunities.

Q. What does Ayuda en Accin

Fuenlabrada need to improve?

A. (he scratches his head and

laughs) This is going to causeproblems to me. Its a very good

question. We can improve every-

thing. I can improve passing or

defence. All the players can im-

prove something. The coach can

improve some practice drills or

games to make us happy. Even

the management can improve too.

Q. Do you think that you are the

best player of Fuenlabrada team?

A. (he laughs and touches his

cap) I think Fuenlabrada has

good players. I dont know if Im

the best player but I think we

have four or five good players.

Maybe everybody talks about memore but we have good players

nobody talks about.

Q. Who is your idol?A. My idol was my brother. He

was eight years older than me. He

was my dad and my brother.

Ayuda en Accin Fuenlabrada isthe main team of our city. There

arent any teams of other sports

as important as it, because none

of them are in First Division.

The club was created in 1983.

Before enjoying the Fernando

Martn sports centre, they trained

in schools. The team was called

Man Fuenlabrada. At the end of

the 1987/1988 season they went

up to the First Autonomous

Division. Later, at the beginning

of the 1990s, they tried to go up

to the ACB. Finally, they got it in

the 1996/1997 season. But, in the

next season they went to

LEB division, but they won thePrinces Cup. Later, they went up

to the ACB category again. At

the end of the 1990s they were

about to get Spanish Cup and the

sponsor was changed, so the

team was called Jabones Pardo

Fuenlabrada.

In the 2001/2002 season, Fuenla-

bradas team reached the quarter-

finals of the Korac Cup. Again, in

the 2003/2004 season they went

down to LEB division. The next

season is a season to remember,

they went up to ACB, after

classifying as the leaders of LEB

and they won the Princes Cup.

We cant forget to mention someimportant players who have

played for the team, such as

Velimir Perasovic, who won

several times the prize of top

scorer in the ACB together

Fuenlabradas team, Brad Oleson,

who was discovered in Fuenla-

bradas team, Salvador Guardia,

who has been playing in the team

for ten seasons and Jos Manuel

Caldern, who won the award for

Most Improved in the ACB.

Nowadays it is called Ayuda en

Accin Fuenlabrada because it is

sponsored by the ONG called

Ayuda en Accin.

The top scorer of the ACBGerald Fitch is one of the leaders of the team

Fernando Martn Sports Centre

Fernando Martn is a

sport centre where nowadays

Ayuda en Accion Fuenlabrada

train and play, this sport centre

is called like this because the

famous basketball player who

played for Real Madrid and the

Spanish team. He was the first

Spanish basketball player who

played in the NBA for Portland

Trail Blazers. The sports centre

was built in 1991 and it has a

capacity of 5.300 spectators. It

is in the city centre close to

Fuenlabrada Central train

station.

A great team for a great cityFuenlabrada feels proud of its basketball team

"Women don't have the

same opportunies as men."

"Referees have big

influence on the game."

Gerald Fitch was very friendly during the interview ./ SARAY