MEN'S WATER POLO: NOW, IT'S UP TO HIS TASTES SBUTEGA ADJUSTING TO BRUINS -- AND FOOD.Byline: HEATHER GRIPP Staff Writer The food was the scary scar·y adj. scar·i·er, scar·i·est 1. Causing fright or alarm. 2. Easily scared; very timid. scar part. Leaving his family to live in a country halfway around the world, where he knew no one and could barely speak the language -- that part of Krsto Sbutega's decision to leave Italy to play water polo water polo, swimming game encompassing features of soccer, football, basketball, and hockey. The object of the game is to maneuver, by head, feet, or hand, a leather-covered ball 27 to 28 in. at UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX was nothing compared to what he'd already overcome. War in his native Yugoslavia prompted Sbutega's family to flee flee v. fled , flee·ing, flees v.intr. 1. To run away, as from trouble or danger: fled from the house into the night. 2. to Italy when he was 6 years old, leaving all but a few suitcases of belongings belongings Noun, pl the things that a person owns or has with him or her Noun 1. belongings - something owned; any tangible or intangible possession that is owned by someone; "that hat is my property"; "he is a man of behind. They found a tiny apartment in Rome, and Krsto and his sisters would wash dishes to repay the local nuns who fed them during the two years it took their father to land a regular job. Urged to play a sport, Sbutega chose his dad's favorite, water polo, but his swimming ability was so limited, he first needed four months of swimming lessons. When Sbutega received pro offers in Europe after high school, he instead chose UCLA, where he also could pursue a chemical engineering degree, but the paperwork required ``made the SAT look like the easy part.'' His first application for a visa was denied, and he didn't receive a visa until the day before he was scheduled to leave for the U.S. ``Everyone was asking me about leaving and asking me how I feel,'' Sbutega said. ``I was just like, I'm so happy I'm here. Everything is done and I'm sure I'm here. All that process wore me down. I lost some weight and didn't practice for, like, two or three months. ... ``My English wasn't that great and didn't know anyone, but I wasn't that worried about being in a new country. The fact that I'd moved from Serbia to Italy, I think, helped. It wasn't a new experience. I think I was more open-minded. It was easier for me to accept different things.'' The big worry was what he'd eat. ``What they imagine in Europe is when you come here, all you guys eat is hot dogs and hamburgers and there's nothing else, except maybe a little bad Chinese food,'' Sbutega said. ``Then when I came here, the food in the dorms was so good. So that was a huge plus, I was relieved. ... ``I didn't like Mexican Mexican named after or originating in Mexico. Mexican axolotl see ambystomamexicanum. Mexican beaded lizard (Heloderma horridum and spicy food spicy food Nutrition Any comestible marinated in and/or which contains chili peppers, mustard with horseradish, curry or other spices that evoke a desired intraoral sensation that crosses pain with pleasure; SFs may elicit an autonomic nervous system at the beginning, but I got used to it. Now sometimes I crave for a burrito. And my roommate introduced me to sushi, and I love sushi now. I love everything now.'' And the Bruins love Sbutega, whose adjustment in the pool has been just as pleasing. After redshirting his initial season at UCLA, Sbutega was third on the team with 28 goals last year as a freshman. This season, the attacker has 14 goals in eight games as leading scorer for a Bruins team that is ranked No. 4 in the nation and looking to move up when it joins the rest of the West Coast's elite at this weekend's Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, Tournament. ``He's a very creative offensive player,'' said UCLA coach Adam Krikorian, noting Sbutega's defense is a work in progress. ``He loves to play offense. ``His best games are in the future. If there was one sort of coming out, it would be the conference tournament the end of last season. He played phenomenal in the conference tournament and has sort of carried that over into this season. He's one of the best players in the pool any game he plays.'' Sbutega feared the level of water polo in the U.S. wouldn't match the European European emanating from or pertaining to Europe. European bat lyssavirus see lyssavirus. European beech tree fagussylvaticus. European blastomycosis see cryptococcosis. game, but he says it is just different. He jokes that he's ``kind of corrupted cor·rupt adj. 1. Marked by immorality and perversion; depraved. 2. Venal; dishonest: a corrupt mayor. 3. my teammates a little'' by introducing them to the more tactical European style of play, but he has become accepting of the American game. Sbutega said he'll likely go to Spain to play professionally for a year after graduating from UCLA, but his desire to attend grad school and be a Naval architect naval architect n. One who designs ships. might keep him from playing beyond that. ``The one thing about Krsto is he's a very intelligent young man,'' Krikorian said. ``He's not just here to play water polo. He's a 4.0 student who's mastered a new language and had to make a lot of adjustments. He's very intellectual and works extremely hard. I know all the guys on the team have a lot of respect for him and what he's gone through.'' heather.gripp@dailynews.com (818) 713-3607 CAPTION(S): photo, box Photo: Krsto Sbutega has scored 14 goals for the UCLA men's water polo team -- and is also enjoying American cuisine Cuisine (from French cuisine, "cooking; culinary art; kitchen"; ultimately from Latin coquere, "to cook") is a specific set of cooking traditions and practices, often associated with a specific culture. . Evan Yee/Staff Photographer Box: SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TOURNAMENT |
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