Polish Roots
Hello everybody!!
For everyone that has been keeping up with me, I am currently playing basketball in Poland! I was able to make it because I FINALLY received my Polish passport.I want to say thank you to my Uncle George and Dad for helping me with the whole process of translating and going to the embassy with me to wrap up this almost two year process. My dad is from Poland which makes me 50% Polish.That allowed me to get my passport and also means bigger and better opportunities for overseas basketball. Teams are only allowed 2 Americans per team so with my Polish passport I can now be listed as Polish. When I finally went to the Polish Embassy in Chicago and held that passport a sigh of relief and the biggest smile crossed my face.
Let's recap this past year! Lots has happened and I want to share with you all. After my season in Tenerife, Spain, I went back home. And, as many of you know, it is my favorite thing. The summer of 2022 was one to remember. For starters, David, my boyfriend, has been teaching me how to golf…let’s just say it’s going. As you can see, i get to learn from a pro.
I never realized how much fun the sport golf is, but at the same time very frustrating. It’s a mental game against yourself, which I like, and it’s something very different from basketball which I appreciate. Later in the summer, I finally played my first 9 holes on an actual course and didn’t do too bad. Looking back at pictures makes me that much more excited to start playing again. My sister has also been learning to play-maybe this year we will have the battle of the sisters!
The beginning of summer was very much a resting period for me. I let my body recover from the basketball season. I spent time with friends and family in Palatine and Chicago- going to restaurants, sporting events, and walking around.
A lot, and I mean A LOT of close friends and family got married this past year, so summer was also filled with all types of wedding events. My cousin’s wedding was in early June in Steamboat, Colorado. My family and I went early for some family adventures before the big day for Kaitlyn, my cousin, and her husband, Matt. We used to go to Steamboat when I was younger for skiing and snowboarding trips, but haven't been back in a very long time. This was in the summer which was also different, but fun. My dad, cousin, uncle, and I went on a cattle drive. I am telling you it was one for the books, and an experience I will remember forever. I also will be going on another cattle drive. I felt like a true cowgirl! For those who don’t know, horses are my all time favorite animal. I have ridden horses before but have never done anything like this. We also explored the trails. The whole family went on a nice hike, saw some amazing views, and a gorgeous waterfall. I realized hikes aren’t my thing…I think I will just stick to cattle drives instead.
The fourth of July came around, which is one of my favorite holidays. It’s summer, warm out and I get to be around good friends and family. Barbecuing and swimming, what is better than that? Per usual, we watched the fireworks on Lake Beulah and I went back and forth to Lake Geneva as well.
Not too long after that was my sister's bachelorette party. As the maid of honor, I got to set up the whole thing. Brit wanted to spend the weekend at her husband's family's lake house and it was the best, most relaxing, and fun time with all of the girls! We even got a private chef to make us all of Brit’s favorites for dinner one night, played lots of fun games, and just laughed a lot.
This past summer was non stop. I also got to see my favorite country artists live at Country Thunder, a country music festival that happens every year in Wisconsin. David secured us Tito’s passes, which got us to be pretty close to Morgan Wallen, my favorite artist. It was the most fun I’ve ever had at a concert! We went with friends and had a blast.
Another really, REALLY exciting thing I got to do was throw the first pitch out at a Cubs game. It was a surreal opportunity and none of it would’ve been possible without Jon Scheyer. He is also from the Chicago area and we would talk about the Cubs and Chicago all the time. He ended up seeing a tweet of mine talking about how gullible I am. And played one of the biggest April fools joke on me and completely pranked me. I was devastated when I found out it was a joke! But, in the end he made the dream a reality. Coach Scheyer threw out the pitch the game before me and made sure I had my chance the next day. I’ll let you guys be the judge on who had the better pitch. Coach Scheyer, thank you so much again! It was a special moment for the Gorecki family and I had my favorite fans sitting right there watching me throw it.
The end of August rolled around and that meant the basketball season was about to start. I got a job in Gdynia, Poland to play basketball. I was really excited for the opportunity to play in Poland. It would be the perfect opportunity to experience Poland and my heritage. I also knew I was going to a program that was successful and had really good coaches, teammates and just an overall great organization. It’s over halfway through the season and we are playing well, and still room for improvement just in time for playoffs to start.
A typical week day for me looks like this…
7:20 am wake up, make my coffee and brush my teeth/wash my face
8:00 am out the door on the way to the first practice
9:00 am practice till 11:00 am
11:30 am- 3:50 pm get home make more coffee, (And i combine breakfast and lunch into one) and just chill until my second practice
5:00 pm-7:00 pm practice
7:30 pm - bedtime I eat dinner, talk on the phone and hang out until I go to bed and do it all over again.
The days fluctuate depending on what our game week is looking like and of course we have some off days in there as well. I do really love it here, the beach isn’t too far away and it’s very pretty.
The buildings are nothing like I have seen before. It's very nostalgic in a way, walking around there are certain things that remind me of going over to my grandparent’s house. I am eating the types of food my grandma made, realizing the way they did certain things was very European, and it makes me smile being around it. My grandparents that were from Poland have passed but I know they would be so proud of me where I am at in my career and playing back in the homeland.
I was really fortunate that my coach and General manager allowed me to go home for two special and important weddings. The first one, which was my sister and brother in law's wedding! They got married this past October in Chicago! What a fun weekend of celebrating it was-Brittany and Colin are the most perfect couple and I am so happy for them! I was also the maid of honor, which was the best a little sister could ask for in her big sister's wedding. Then the other wedding, which was in November, was David’s sister's wedding. That was a destination wedding in Cabo San Lucas. It was yet another weekend of beautiful celebrations and lots of love. What a lovely couple they are.
Right now we are at the peak of the basketball season. A lot of things are upcoming- Eurocup standings, the regular season for the first half wraps up and we are on the last string of things heading into the New Year! It’s always hard being away from family and friends during birthdays and the holidays, but I have exciting visitors coming very soon! My sister and her husband, Colin, are coming at the end of December and staying into the New Year. My boyfriend comes at the end of January and my parents come in February! They all will help make the holidays that much better and make being away not as bad either. Then, honestly after that I will be home in no time! I am really enjoying getting to see the country and exploring. Trying new foods, seeing new places, it’s been quite an experience to say the least. I tell people this all the time, but I can say that this is my first year overseas that I have actually loved. I guess my first year made it so that every year it would just be better and better…
I am also thrilled and blessed to be someone that was asked to be a partner for a program with Meta for Instagram reels. It’s been a challenge because I create content to show my experience as an overseas player, and try to show all aspects of my life. I make fashion videos, basketball, a day in my life as a professional basketball player and lots more. I would love to know from YOU guys what you would like to see more of while I am making these videos. Let me know in the comments below! This has been keeping me busy but a fun new hobby that goes until February. If you want to check those out I will link my instagram here and go to the “reel” section.
https://www.instagram.com/haleygorecki/reels/?hl=en
I hope everyone has a Merry Chritsmas and a safe/happy New Year, and gets to spend it with loved ones. Tune back in after the new year for a new blog of me wrapping up my first Polish basketball season and other events! Here is one of my most recent reels I posted of the Christmas Market in Gdansk, Poland! Enjoy :)
https://www.instagram.com/p/CmeM1d2BYM-/?hl=en
-HG2