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Women’s hoops players undeterred by George injury

By WTOP Staff

DOUG FEINBERG
AP Basketball Writer

Tamika Catchings has known Paul George since he was drafted by the Indiana Pacers in 2010.

She was sickened when she heard the news that he broke his right leg on a freak play during the U.S. men’s national team scrimmage Friday. Still, the Indiana Fever star has no hesitation about suiting up for the women’s national team again this fall.

“I don’t think it gives me a second thought,” said Catchings, a three-time Olympic gold medalist and two-time world champion. “For me representing our country is the highest honor you can have. I know I speak on behalf of all the women, and I’m sure the men too, who are trying out, it’s an unfortunate injury that can happen anywhere.”

Catchings’ thoughts were echoed by U.S. women’s national team players across the country over the weekend.

“It’s part of the game, they give up their summer to go play and represent our country when they could go sit at home and do nothing,” said Brittney Griner, who hopes to play for the U.S. in her first major international competition this year. “We know the risks. Every time we step out on the court, we know the risk. It’s tough, it’s tough.”

Some NBA executives have long been concerned about injuries to players during summer competitions. A few NBA players have turned down playing for the national team because of fatigue, injury risk or contract status. Yet few women have ever said no when the U.S. comes calling.

“These guys could get hurt like that in a practice,” said Washington Mystics coach Mike Thibault, who was an assistant for the U.S. women’s team from 2005-2008. “Should you stop playing for your country because of this? I don’t know that. That’s a freak thing that happened. It could happen in your first regular-season game. I’ve coached USA basketball for the WNBA players and men in the past and it’s a risk you take. But almost every player in the world takes it and loves to play for their country.”

There is probably little that a WNBA team could do if it wanted to stop a player from competing. As it is now, most of the Australian national team players took off the WNBA season to train for the world championship this September. Countries such as Russia and Australia offer bonuses to their players for leading the national teams to medals at the Olympics and world championship. Those bonuses can approach what a player makes in the WNBA.

It comes down to simple economics and how different it is for the men and women. The top salary in the WNBA is around $110,000 while the average in the NBA is roughly $5.5 million. The U.S. men’s national team players who will make the World Cup team this September earn on average nearly double that.

Most of the women’s players make their money playing overseas, with the top ones earning anywhere between $600,000 and $1 million. If the situation was different, and the players could make enough to only play in the WNBA, maybe it would be different.

“It’s difficult to answer that question because for a really long time that hasn’t been the scenario,” said Sue Bird, who has won three Olympic gold medals for the U.S. “For people my age — and the answer might be something different for somebody younger — overseas always existed but there wasn’t professional basketball in the U.S. So the national team has always been on this pedestal for people in my generation. It’s always been an honor to play and that was what you were striving for to make the team and represent your country. It always was the end game.”

Bird went on to say that even if that scenario did exist she would still suit up for the U.S.

“I still think for me personally it would be hard to say no,” the 33-year-old said.

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AP freelancers Al Bravo in Phoenix, Steve Hunter in Seattle and Jack McCarthy in Chicago contributed to this report

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Follow Doug on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/dougfeinberg

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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