The transition from high school to college is one of the toughest transitions for many students and especially athletes. Coming to America from outside of the country is an even more difficult task.
The LSU women’s basketball team has two transfer students from outside of the country coming to LSU in hopes of helping their team win a national championship this season.
Awa Trasi, a junior forward from Toulouse, France, and Sharna Ayres, a freshman guard from Melbourne, Australia, are the newest Tigers looking to make a name for this LSU team.
Trasi and Ayres said that coming to LSU was a no brainer. With offers from many other impressive schools such as Missouri, North Carolina and Clemson, they felt that LSU was the perfect fit for them and the best place to grow as athletes and people.
“When looking at schools, it was always about my future and about being successful, the rest of it is just extra,“ Trasi said. “This environment here at LSU is a great place to be successful. LSU has such a great vibe and I couldn’t picture myself anywhere else.”
“I was looking for a family atmosphere, being so far away from home,” Ayres said. “I knew I would be getting homesick but being here it makes it so much easier. The coaches and teammates care about you here at LSU. It’s amazing.”
Ayres and Trasi say that the biggest difference between their home countries and America is the food and the people. Both say the people in America are much more friendly and are always willing to start a conversation, making them feel welcome and comfortable.
But one of the most difficult parts of this transition for both girls is the school-work load. Having to be able to balance school,workouts and practice is what makes this so hard as they did not experience the juggling game that is being a student-athlete to this extent back home.
“Prioritizing is such a big part of my day, I have to always plan and pick what is the most important thing to do that day,” Trasi said. ”It’s school and then basketball — the rest is put to the side. If I have time for friends or anything else it’s great, but I do not expect it.”
Ayres admits to not having known about Louisiana before LSU started calling. She says she quickly found out about the seafood and the heat in Louisiana.
“The heat has for sure been living up to the expectations I had,” Ayres said.
While the heat is living up to the girls expectations, Ayres and Trasi say that this year’s team is going to exceed everyones elses expectations.
With the season quickly approaching, Ayres and Trasi say that they are ready to prove everyone wrong and to make the women’s basketball team a household name while winning national championships.
“I am so excited about this team,” Trasi said. “We are going to accomplish a lot this year. Y’all are not ready for us. Just watch us, watch us work and bring championships back to Baton Rouge.
“We certainly have all of the pieces to do that this season. We just have to do what we do best, which is to play basketball.“
The Tigers play Mississippi College to open up the 2019-20 season on Friday Nov. 1 at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.