"Outside the Lines" with Vanessa Clementino
9/27/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Sept. 27, 2005
Hello, my name is Vanessa Clementino and I'm from Brazil. I was born on Oct. 4, 1980, and raised in Aracatuba in Sao Paulo State. When I was 12 years old, I decided to live by myself. This was a big change in my life because I had to learn how to take care of myself. On my own, I did a lot of different things. For example, I was a model for five years and at the same time was learning to play basketball, which I really enjoyed. Even though I loved modeling, basketball always came first in my heart.My family still lives in my hometown of Aracatuba. I have a mom, dad, sister and a little niece who is five years old. My family is very important to me. They are my heroes for life because they make me feel very strong when I am weak. I miss them very much. I decided to leave my country and family to come to America to fulfill my dream.
Coming to America was the hardest decision I have ever made in my life. I grew up speaking Brazilian Portuguese, and I never spoke any English before I came here. I learned some basic English from my ex-coach Michael Landers from Trinity Valley Community College in Athens, Texas. Coach Landers has been a big part of my life and I care a lot about him and consider him to be part of my family. I have not seen my family in Brazil in three years.
I also have a boyfriend, Chris, who is very special to me. This very sweet person is the best thing that has happened to me. He is not only my boyfriend; he is my best friend and main source of strength.
Coming to TCU has been one of my best experiences. At TCU, I found great people including my teammates and the staff. One of the most important things I have found here is the fans of TCU basketball. They showed me a lot of support during my first season.
All of my experiences at TCU and in life make me believe that everybody has the opportunity to be successful. There are always days that are hard, but we still need to believe that a day can get better. We need to just work hard and believe in what we can give to everybody around us. My life is a blessing from God, and I believe I'm going to have a great season. I plan to do my best and work hard and see the results of my efforts.
