Alana Beard Question And Answer

Dec. 19, 2003

DURHAM, N.C. - In the midst of her upcoming return trip back home to Shreveport, La., to play Northwestern State Saturday, December 20, at 1 p.m. ET, Duke's Alana Beard sat down with GoDuke.com for a Question and Answer session.

1. When you were growing up, did you dream about playing basketball in college, and possibly on the professional level?
No, not until I learned about scholarships. I didn't know about scholarships until high school. Growing up in Louisiana, all you hear about is Louisiana Tech, so it was not until my sophomore year in high school that I really focused on looking into other colleges and trying to get a scholarship. It was also my sophomore year that I began to hear about the WNBA, it was new and I was hype about it, and it then became something that I wanted.

2. Is the reality of being Alana Beard, Duke University All-American, surpassing your dreams? Or is this what you envisioned?
It's not surpassing my dreams at all because I work towards being all that I can be, the best. I have higher expectations than other people have for me and I think that I am accomplishing everything that I have been working for.

3. Talk about your family and your upbringing and how it has helped you develop into the person and student-athlete you've become.
The fact that I am a good athlete and student is due to the work ethic that I have seen in my parents. They have worked hard to get what they have now; they are still working for it. They are just hard workers and they never quit. They provided for my siblings and I. We've had a great life and you can't ask for anything more.

4. When you come home, other than family, are there some "must see" friends and places to go in Shreveport-Bossier?
Have to see my coach McDowell, Steve McDowell is a must see. He is where it all started for me so I make it a point to see him. Of course my family also.

5. What are some favorite memories of growing up in Shreveport?
When we lived in our old neighborhood I used to be the only girl playing football. We also played this game called "curb." We would take a basketball and there would be the two curbs on either side of the street and you had to throw the basketball at the curb and make it bounce back across the street line. So just playing in the streets of my neighborhood are probably the best memories I have.

6. What are some favorite memories of your competitive career at Southwood High School?
Winning four state championships. Every time we went to that state championship game in Monroe, it just sticks with me. My last game, Coach McDowell was not big on stats or records but he put me back to score two more points to break the Louisiana record for most points scored.

7. When did you feel confident that you'd successfully made the adjustment from Class 5A Louisiana high school basketball to basketball in the ACC?
When I first got here. I was grateful and fortunate enough that I had a coach like Steve McDowell who was able to prepare me. He prepared me for the next level. I was prepared and nothing came as a surprise to me.

8. What are some favorite memories of your time at Duke University?
Just the atmosphere, the family atmosphere that is here. I have loved every minute here. It took me a while my freshman year to get into it but I don't regret anything. I look back at it and I am enjoying every minute, from basketball to social life to schoolwork, I just enjoy it.

9. How are you different today than you were when you left home to attend college? And how has Duke influenced that development?
I was really shy and didn't say anything. It was all about basketball, basketball, and basketball, in the gym until 1 or 2:00 a.m. Now I have found a balance between social life and still having fun on the court and off the court. I am more social; I will talk to anyone in a minute without a problem. I think I have grown and matured in every aspect.

10. What experience, during your college years, is the one that you just couldn't wait to describe to everybody back home? (i.e. a great game, an unforgettable character, meeting a celebrity, visiting a landmark, attending an event, achieving a goal ... )
I think the one thing would be my meeting with Johnny Dawkins that I couldn't wait to tell my mom about. I told her "Mom I talked to Johnny Dawkins and we had a good conversation." I think that was the most exciting thing other than playing against Iowa State in South Padre. The fans were amazing there and treated us like rock stars. I was really excited about that so I had to call my mom and tell her about it.

11. How would you feel if you broke Johnny Dawkins all-time scoring record of 2,556 points at Duke?
That would be huge. I never really thought about that. Considering you have the men's program that has had some outstanding players come though it and for you to top something that the men have done. Its just kind of hard to think about because they have so much tradition, but to be ranked in the same categories as men who have gone on to great careers, you can't even explain the feeling.

11. How much interaction is there between the men's and women's programs at Duke? Are there players and coaches in that program who have influenced you?
The Duke men's basketball players are cool. We don't hang out as much (as the women) but we know each other and support each other. Not all of us are friends but there are certain people we are friends with. You can't be friends with everyone but if we were to see each other we always stop and talk. I think the person that I am probably closest with on the team is Sheldon Williams because he is just an all-around nice guy. With our other players they have different ones.

12. Are the Cameron Crazies really beyond belief?
Yes, they are crazy. They're great support and like people say they are the sixth man. They can take players out of games and I think the UConn game really showed us what they were all about.

13. Give us a scouting report on your team - what can the fans today expect to see from Duke?
They will see a lot of athleticism, diversity, fast breaking and rebounding. I think that is what we are about and if you are lucky you might see a dunk or two.

14. Now, give us a little something about your team that we might not see on the court. What's the personality of the team? Who are the characters?
We are crazy. Everyone has their own personality, its all about having fun off the court. Believe it or not it's probably Iciss and I, we are the two characters on the team. We're both seniors but we can do some wild stuff.

15. What does having the chance to play at home in your senior year mean to you?
It means a lot. That's where it all began. It's awesome because the fans supported me when I was at Southwood. I had a lot of fan support and so bringing it home is sort of like a gift to give to the fans for all their support.

16. Talk about the players on the Northwestern team that you know.
I know Kat Grieder probably the most because we used to play together on an AAU team. I used to stay nights over her house, you know we are just good friends. Also Diamond Cosby played a couple of months with us on the AAU team. But Kat I know the best.

17. What do people back home not know about you that you'd like them to know?
I am just really outgoing. I think I am probably one of the most sincere people you will meet. There is nothing big about me; I am going to always be humble. You can come up and talk to me and have conversations with me, and its no big deal. Then I have that silly side of me that was never shown at Southwood because Coach McDowell was so serious.

18. What advice do you have for the young girls, and boys, who consider you a hero and a role model?
The advice that a lot of people give is to continue to work hard and continue to stay humble. Never forget where you come from. For me the leader of my life is Christ and he will always be the leader of my life and I wouldn't be here without him.

19. What long-range goals and dreams do you have that you'd share with us?
A career in the WNBA. To be successful in everything that I do, sometimes it takes failure but I am always going to pop right up. I also want to have my own gym in the city of Shreveport.

20. If you were doing this interview, what question would you ask that hasn't been asked?
What do you like to eat when you go home?

And what's your answer?
I eat all of my mom's cooking, from smothered pork chops to smothered chicken, and the team's favorite, which is gumbo, seafood gumbo.

21. How would it feel to end your career in New Orleans with a championship?
I can't talk about that right now because I get so excited but I think everything is working out right now.

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