Interview With Andja Ivkovic

ANDJA IVKOVIC

 

Maybe all of sudden the name of Andja Ivkovic might not be familiar to you, so I’ll put you in the picture. Andja is a Serbian National Team player on its youth categories, and played for Spartak. She’s 18 years old (She’ll turn 19 on the next December the 3)  and I had the honor of meeting her during Tenerife’s European U18 last year, and I was lucky to meet her again at the last U19 World Chamionship in Bratislava this last summer.  

Maybe not so well known as some of her teammates in the Serbian national squad, she’s part of the Serbian generation who’s been sharing triumphs with Spain in youth categories in the last three years. This Subtica native, 1.89 tall, has an important role as forward, power-forward, always standing up, helping her team in the difficult moments. I’ve seen her desperation and grief after losing against Spain in Tenerife’s European U18 Championship, and her joy after winning the bronze medal (After beating Spain) at last Bratislava’s World Championship. 

There was where she told me she’s going to attend at Collage in the Status (As well as Tamara Abalde has done) and turn into a “Gael” from IONA University, in New Rochelle, New York, and since I thought that would be an story to share, I asked her if she’d like to answer some questions about this new adventure in her life, and this really nice serian agreed pleasantly. 
 

LOK@S: What are your feelings about this new stage in your life?

 

ANDJA: Right now I feel like this one of the best decisions that I have ever made, and I think that is going to have a positive effect on my life in every possible way. If anybody had a chance to come and play for a college and study in the US I would recommended.

 

LOK@S: You’ve been yet attending to high school at the States, which was that high school, where  is it and how did you get the chance to go and study there?

 

ANDJA: I attended Oak Hill Academy in Virginia. The head coach of my high school team, Mike Rodgers, is a really close friend to one of my families close friends. Since our friend always knew that I wanted to come to school to the US, he connected us, and it kind of happened randomly, but I’m glad it did.

 

LOK@S: Do you expect it to be a big step from high school to university, at school level?

 

ANDJA: Yes, I expected it to be, and it truly is. The amount of time that we have to spent studying is at least 3-4 hours a day which is a lot if you look at the fact that beside that we have 3,5-4,5 hour practices a day. It really is a huge step.

 

LOK@S: You played ball in high school, how was the basketball you played there and what was your role in the team?

 

ANDJA: I played a shooting guard and a power forward, I was a senior as well so a lot was expected of me. I ended up being my teams MVP, and the most recruited player on the team. 

 

LOK@S: What are the main differences between the style of basketball there, and the style you used to play in Serbia?

 

ANDJA: Well I will tell you my opinion, but I have to admit that somebody might disagree with me.  I think that players in Europe, not just Serbia are more skilled when it comes to shooting and handling the ball, and on the other hand, players in the US are much more physical and they run at a much higher speed. But I have to say that there always are a number of players who have a different style of playing than the surroundings that they are in.

 

LOK@S: Can you tell us a little bit about the experience of playing in high school, your teammates and coaches too?

 

ANDJA: I have to say that my team mates were a lot to handle, I guess because I am just not used to playing with girls who are younger than me. But beside that it was an unforgettable  experience and something that helped me a lot to adapt to college basketball. I have to say that I had a great relationship with my coach, and that he and his family helped me go through a lot tough times while I was away from home and my family.

 

LOK@S: And after high school, in the summer, you played the World Champ with Serbia, where you claimed the bronze medal against Spain, although you didn’t play in that game, you were a key player throughout the tournament, what were your feelings through the tournament? And what were yours and your teammates feelings after claiming the medal?

 

ANDJA: My team-mates from the country team and me were really happy that we proved that a small country like Serbia is one of the biggest basketball powers not just in Europe but in the world as well, and I hope that next generation of young ladies who are going to play in the future for the country team follow our foot steps. We were really proud of what we achieved but at the same time we were really sad in a way that that championship might have been our last championship together as a team.

 

LOK@S: Is it difficult to join the national team after competing in a complete different league?

 

ANDJA: Yes it is was because I had to adjust to a totally different role than I had in my high school team, and the style of the game is a lot different. And that all had to happened in a time period of 5-6 weeks.

 

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LOK@S: How different is basketball with Serbia and with the States at that level?

 

ANDJA: It is a lot different from the perspective of speed and style. But once you get adjusted there really should not be any problems.  

LOK@S: Did you met there with some high school players from the States?

 

ANDJA: Not really, I wish I did 

LOK@S: What was the funniest story of the tournament?

 

ANDJA: I really can say, there were a lot of fun stories to tell, but after we got our medals, the fun started on the bus back to Serbia. It was just fun spending time with all the girls and just sharing moments that I will never forget. 

LOK@S: Back in the states, what are your expectations at school level? Is your school specialized in some concrete studies?

 

ANDJA: No it is not. I really expect to be successful from every point of view and I realize that it is going to be heard and that I will struggle at some point, but everybody who knows how do deal with pressure and has their goals set is not likely to fail.

  

LOK@S: What studies are you going to attend to, and is there any special reason for you to study that?

 

ANDJA: There is no special reason, but I would like to study Criminal Justice, but I don’t have to pick what am I going to study until my 3^rd year, so my decision is still not final.

 

LOK@S: While some of your Serbia’s team teammates have underwent pro careers, like Sonja Petrovic (Bourges), Jelena Milovanovic (Sopron), Maja Miljkovic (Celta) you’ve taken a different step, joining the University, What made you decide for that option, instead playing pro? 

 

ANDJA: I think that school should be a really important thing for young persons, and by going pro I felt that my education would suffer a lot, so I decided together with my parents that this would be a great option for me to stay in school and still play basketball on a high level. And after finishing school I can always come back home and play pro, if I still have a desire to.

 

LOK@S: What do you think that the collegiate career can bring to you at this new level? Do you have some concrete goals for you as a freshman?

 

ANDJA: I really don’t know what can bring and what will bring because I am just at the beginning of my college carrier, but my goals as a freshmen are to get as much as minutes as possible in the game, and for next year to be a starter.

 

LOK@S: What would you like to achieve when you’re a senior?

 

ANDJA: I would like to be remembered like some one who came to IONA College and achieved their  goals by hard work and dedication. I want to be one of the players that people are going to talk about good in a way that I helped the basketball program grow and sat a good example for the players who would attend this program in the future after I’m done with my college carrier.

 

LOK@S: Are very obvious the differences between freshmen, sophomore, juniors and seniors?

 

ANDJA: No, because in this program, we play to win, and those who are capable of wining are going to be in the game and on the basketball court, regardless of their age and year of college that they are in.

 

LOK@S: What can you tell us about your coach and teammates?

 

ANDJA: I have 4 assistant coaches, Christie Abbate, Mandy Myers, Jessica De Palo and Toni Horvat. The Head Coach is Antony Bozzella. I have to say that one of the main reason why I picked IONA College basketball team is because I feel extremely comfortable with my coaching staff, and I feel free to say that I look at them and consider them like family, because they are really someone who I can trust and turn to in any situation. I met most of my team mates on my official visit, and they are a group of young and ambitious ladies who are helping me a lot adapt to college. Plus, the girls are really making me feel more welcome and more at home which takes my mined away from home and thing that I sometimes miss a lot from Serbia.

 

 

LOK@S: In which conference will you compete?

 

ANDJA: In MAAC conference.

 

LOK@S: What are the goals for your college in the competition?

 

ANDJA: Our only goal is wining the MAAC Championship and going to the sweet 16.

 

LOK@S: Where do you stay there, in a dorm or are you staying with your parents or some relatives?

 

ANDJA: I’m staying in the dorms with my team mate, Catherin Lutz.

 

 LOK@S: Thank you very much Andja for sparing us the privilege of taking some time to catch up with ourselves about this new stage in your life, which in all sincerity I hope that would be extremely beneficial for you in both levels, in the academics and in basketball, and that we can meet again in not so long time. I’ll always be a pleasure 

Andja: If you have any other questions I will be more that happy to answer them, that much time I can always find.  I hope every thing is well. 

 

LOK@S: Thanks to you, Andja. 

MIQUEL BORDOY CANO

LOKOS X EL BALONCESTO FEMENINO