#17 Everything Is Possible with Jana MATIASOVSKA

Athlete Case Study: A Slovakian NCAA All American, Pro & Azerbaijan National Team Volleyball Player 
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Dec 27, 2014

BACKGROUND

I've known of Jana for some time now mostly because I run and agency and she was a top recruit out of college and also because we both played in South Korea. I heard from friends and contact great things and knew of her song performance for Louisville University's Cardinal women's volleyball team. She's a total success on the court and well as soon as I heard her character was spectacular off-the-court too I just had to have her on... 

She's taken some big risks in her life being one of only a history of a few student-atheltes to leave her country of Slovakia to attend college/university in the USA and then she choose to take a new nationality to play for the Azerbaijan team to be challenged and reach higher heights in her sport. True courage and dedication to becoming a great athlete and the intelligence to make what she says was the "best decision of her life" to play for a NCAA school in the USA so that no matter what happened with sports she would be able to have knowledge and a highly respected degree to secure work when she must stop pro sports.

BIO

Jana MATIASOVSKA

Born:        7. 7. 1987 
Height:        199 cm
Weight:        83 kg
Spike reach:    319 cm
Block reach:    300 cm
Position:    Receiving Spiker, Opposite Spiker

Born in Bratislava, Slovakia in 1987. Started playing volleyball at 13 for a local club, Slavia UK Bratislava. Upon high school graduation, went to study at University of Louisville through a volleyball scholarship. In 2009 turned pro, signed with Russian Uralocka Yekaterinburg. After 1.5 seasons in Russia, played two seasons in Azerbaijan, one in Korea, again one season in Azerbaijan, and currently in Poland.

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MOST GRATEFUL TODAY FOR:

PERSONAL QUOTE:

Positive anything is better than negative nothing - Elbert Hubbard

MOST INFLUENTIAL MENTOR(S) IN HER LIFE: 

Every step of the way there has been someone. First my parents; then my great mentor at the University, Stan Jonas; and now my fiance, Yigit Kulan. They have provided me with support and motivation.

Key Discussion Points:

• What’s her story and how she got into sports?
• How has she failed?
• Why did she choose her pro teams?
• How did she choose to play for another country's national team?
• What is she most excited about?

Key Lessons:

• MORE COMING SOON!

ATHLETE'S TIP JAR

What was holding her back from becoming better?
Fear of Failure and high expectations

How She gets rid of negative thoughts:
Just blocks them out! Don't keep thinking about them...

Sleep & Morning ritual: 

How does she adjust to a new city and/or team?
Likes to observe everyone and everything for the first few days to see how things and people operate/behave before making initial moves to integrate into team.

Recommended Book:
Freakonomics by  Levitt & Dubner 
Super Freakonomics by Levitt & Dubner

Name THE person you feel has been MOST influential in your life to reach higher and be better?
College Coach

A learning resource you love to use...
 

Give a tool/habit you love to use to stay healthy:
Sleep a lot and eat a healthy diet

A useful tool or tip for eating on the go -OR- for traveling in general?
Always pack a snack - banana, nut mix or at least a sports drink

Most Grateful For:
 

Key Person In Her Life:
 

INFO

Charity/Organizations They Add Value to:
I donate to World Wildlife Fund (WWF). Otherwise, I believe in random signs of kindness and help, so I try to add my part whenever I see an opportunity. Often the teams I played for participated in various charity events.

Business/Work:
Pro Volleyball

Past/Current Teams: 
 Canakkale Belediye Spor (Turkey)

Recommended Guest:
 

Follow Athlete Here:
Facebook | Instagram 

Definition of Beyond Athletic?

"Coming Soon"

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