Samokov, Bulgaria, April 2, 2015. Anja Asonja symbolises one rare case in which art finds ways to perpetuate its presence inside and outside the Volleyball court. Some fans of the sport may agree that the elegance of a vigorous spike, the plasticity of an endless block or the magic of a sublime set constitute the absolute representations of the artistic displays that can be exhibited in sports halls. The young Serbian player does not turn these actions into art, but she also has the talent to maintain her creative side when she is not playing the sport.
Born in the city of Višegrad, Anja Asonja brightly shines as one of the upcoming stars of the sport in 2015 CEV U18 Volleyball European Championship – Women being held in Bulgarian cities of Samokov and Plovdiv. In the ranks of a Serbian squad that has bewildered in the preliminary round of the competition, the opposite player acts as one luminary in the impressive generation of the young side trained by Jovo Cakovic. After four matches, the 1.90 meters-tall player has registered a tally of 26 points and three blocks in the remarkable run of the four victories achieved by the Serbian team.
Despite her early age, it is for her artistic inclinations outside the court that this 15 years old star in the making really stands out, as she has found her passion not only in hitting the ball, but also in creating pieces of art with a brush and a canvas. “I have always liked painting. When I was young, I was painting all the time and then my aunt, who is good painter herself, saw me and she was very interested in my skills and in what I could do,” the young athlete explains.
Whether in the national team as one promising figure of the gifted Serbian contemporaries or in her club of Red Star in Belgrade, Ms. Asonja tries to combine her two passions. “At first, when I was a little girl, my favourite thing was to paint. When I was younger, I loved painting pictures I saw in books. Later on, I started to like Volleyball and now I actually prefer it to painting,” said the promising athlete.
The young player, who is receiving the encouragement from teachers and family to continue with her creative activities, has showed an innate ability to master the many-sided skills of landscaping and portrayals, and she hopes to expand her abilities in a near future. “Maybe I will study painting at the University, that is one option I have,” comments Asonja, who has already succeeded in her other interest. “In my elementary school I won second place in a competition with other children in my town,” states the Serbian international.
The 15 years old star in the making comes from a family of athletes, as father and two cousins are basketball enthusiasts, and she started playing Volleyball at the early age of nine. Her dreams are within the confines of a sports hall, but the young girl has an open mind about what future may bring. “I want to be a professional Volleyball player, but before that I want to graduate. Education is most important because you don’t know what can happen,” she said.
For the time being, the artistic opposite has only eyes in what lies ahead in the next days, as Serbia will be among the four teams that will fight for the continental crown. The promising athlete, who is also an expert in traditional Serbian folklore dances, is rejoicing her days in Bulgaria. “We have a good atmosphere in our team. Outside the court we are good friends, even if we play in different teams, it doesn’t matter. We always do our best to clean all the negativity in our game and to stay focused together,” stated Ms. Asonja.
Maybe her experience in Samokov and Plovdiv will result in inspiration for her next painting.
Click here for more information, including schedule, gallery and statistics.