Scott: When did you start playing basketball? How old were you?

Felicia: I was probably in junior high when I started playing. I don’t know what age that was but probably junior high. I got more serious when I got to high school.

S: Who were your role models in basketball or otherwise?

F: Probably just my family growing up. You know they really encouraged me to play and I always played with my brothers and cousins out in the street and stuff. My brothers really encouraged me. My parents.

S: Do you have a big family?

F: Yeah, I have three brothers, one sister. I only grew up with one brother unfortunately but you know they really supported me throughout my younger years.

S: So, while you were in high school, the WNBA and the ABL got started. At what point did you start thinking either when you were in high school or college that you might try to go pro?

F: Probably in college. During my freshman year in college, I thought I could probably make it to this league if I could improve my game individually. Throughout my four years of college, I just had the mindset that I needed to get better at my shooting and that’s what I did. A couple of summers at Oregon State I just stayed all summer, worked out, lifted, conditioned, and all that stuff. Put a lot of shots up and just sort of got focused just to get better and to improve my game, especially my shooting.

S: We have heard from a couple of people that your nickname at OSU was Fee.

F: Yeah. [smiles]

S: And we actually saw some people at the Portland game that had a big sign that said Fee Dogg.

F: Yeah. That’s…

S: Is that short for Felicia? Or is there a story behind that nickname?

F: Naw. That’s just Fee. I don’t even know where people brought it up. I don’t know the first person to call me Fee, but my name is Felicia – started out with Fee for short.

S: And it kind of stuck?

F: Yeah, it’s kind of stuck with me and it’s pretty cool.

S: A couple of people have started calling you the Mighty Mouse or The Beav.

F: The Beav?

S: You know, Beavers and Oregon State. Do you want us to stick with Fee or are Mighty Mouse or The Beav okay?

F: Oh no. Fee is fine. People have been calling me that for years so. If you want to call me Mighty Mouse or The Beav, that’s fine too. That’s alright. It doesn’t matter.

S: You played Oregon in the second round of the NIT this year. What was that rivalry like for the last four years? Did you really get into it very much?

F: Well, yeah, definitely. They were our rivals from day one. You know, we didn’t beat Oregon my whole career.

S: Really?

F: ’til my senior year.

S: Wow.

F: You know what I mean? So it was like, it just was something that personally me and Erica Cook, we were the only two seniors, that we wanted to do. The whole week prior to the game everyone was pumped up and psyched about it and we had like tattoos and we really got into it. We really wanted to beat them, but we didn’t beat them until my senior year and at their place. That was the best part.

S: Yeah, that place is hard to win in.

F: It is very hard, so that’s the best feeling I’ve ever had.

S: Cool. We have kind of a little bit of rivalry between Seattle and Portland. It’s kind of a fun rivalry just because, you know, Coach Dunn, coached in the ABL down there and a lot of the players played down there and so there’s a lot of connections.

F: Oh, yeah.

S: Yeah, their mascot always comes up and gives us a hard time when we’re at the games.

F: Serious?

S: Yeah. It’s all fun. Do you have any pre-game superstitions? Or anything like that before you go on the court?

F: Actually I don’t. You know the whole day I’m just staying focused. But I don’t really do anything, you know, spiritual or rituals or anything.

S: So whats up with the tall socks?

F: [laughs] I don’t know. Actually, I have had that all throughout high school, all throughout college. I don’t know. I just like to wear my socks high. When I was younger I was really ashamed of my legs, I think. When I was real young. I never wore, even if it was like 110 I would always wear pants. I never wore shorts, but I grew out of that phase. But I just always kept with the high socks. So, it’s just a trademark I've got.

S: What’s your favorite basketball moment so far from your career?

F: Probably beating Oregon. Yeah. At their place. That was the best feeling ever.

S: That’s a good one. Are you glad that you stayed in the Northwest after you were drafted?

F: I’m very glad. You know, I’m from California, went to Oregon State and I’m just here. I’m familiar with West Coast and happy to be here in Seattle. Great city. Close to my family and friends.

S: Have the Seattle fans treated you fairly well? A lot of the fans that go to the Storm games also go to the Husky games.

F: Yeah, definitely.

S: One person said that she was really glad to see that you were playing for us instead of against us.

F: I think I heard, yeah, actually at one of the practices I heard a lady from the crowd say that, “I’m happy you’re playing for us, not against us.” So, yeah the fans are treating me well.

S: One of the things that everyone been real impressed with so far is how fearless you are out there. It’s like when you are out there, you are coming out of nowhere and fighting for every rebound. Where does that come from? That intensity that you have?

F: You just have to have the heart and desire to want to get every ball that you can. And every time I’m out there, they are looking for me to rebound and play good defense so every time a shot’s going up I’m running in there trying to get the board, fighting with the big kids in there. So, just the heart and the hustle that you have to have inside if you want to get a board.

S: During the preseason you were scoring quite a bit and that’s fallen off a little bit recently. Have the other teams just cued in on you really tight or… what’s going on?

F: I think it’s there. I just need to get my rhythm back. I just kind of lost my rhythm a little bit. I just have to stay confident in my shot ’cause I’ve been missing some nice open shots that I normally hit. You know, I just got to get back into my rhythm, flow of the game, get back to my hustle, my defense and rebounding and hopefully get some easy shots until I get my confidence back.

S: What’s your favorite kind of music or your favorite band?

F: Well, I like country mostly.

S: Really?

F: I like country. I like all kinds music. But country, through I listen to a lot. But Rap, R&B, I like it all. Oldies, you know.

S: What do you do for fun when you are not playing basketball?

F: I don’t do anything. Actually, I go to sleep, watch T.V. ’cause I’m always tired after practice. So, I go home, take naps, sleep, watch T.V.

S: Which of the other Storm players do you hang out with?

F: Probably me and Big Dog, Takeisha Lewis.

S: The rookies hanging together?

F: Yeah, yeah sometimes Aida. But mostly me and Takeisha hang out a little bit.

S: Most of the other Storm players play internationally during the WNBA offseason. Have you thought about that yet? And do have any idea where you might like to go?

F: Yeah, I was thinking about it. You know, after hearing all the stories and what’s going in our country right now I don’t want to leave the states right now. When I’m not playing, I plan to go back to school and finish up in the fall.

S: Really. What are you studying?

F: Health Promotion and Education.

S: And what kind of career track do you want to go into?

F: Either I want to be a nurse or a PA. But right now I want to get into working with juveniles. You know being a court counselor for them.

S: That’s great.

F: That’s what I’m trying to get into for as an internship, at the moment.

S: What’s the one thing that you want Storm fans to know about you?

F: That I’m a hard worker, never let up and like you said, fearless. Willing to do anything, give up my body for a charge, just, you know, a hustle player. A lot of energy, being a spark off the bench and just doing anything to help our team win.

S: And the last question I’ve got for you is what advice to you have for any young women out there who are playing basketball in high school and are thinking about going on to college or wanting to go into the WNBA. What would you tell them?

F: Just keep playing. Keep working on your individual game. Get a coach out there to help you with your shooting. Try to join some organized clubs. Don’t just go out to the park and play rat ball because that won’t help you at all. Just get into organized teams and just try to work on your individual games and progress with your team skills.