Edina SELIMOVIC | My International Student-Athlete Experience

Edina SELIMOVIC | My International Student-Athlete Experience 

“I did NOT regret 0.1% for my decision to come here! It’s a one life opportunity and one life journey! ”

— Edina S. (Bosnian Volleyball Student-Athlete)

First, a little background on you and the school...

• Your full name:
  Edina Selimovic


• Your country of origin?
  Bosnia


• Your last team in your home country before attending school internationally?
  ...


• Name of your college/university?
  University of Arkansas at Little Rock


• This school is in...
  USA


• ...your sport?
  Volleyball, 


• ..your jersey # ?
  4


• ...received a scholarship?
  Full Athletic


• ...enter your major(s):
  International Business


• ...select your status in school:
  Senior


• Lastly, please enter your PERSONAL profile link from your school’s website:
  http://lrtrojans.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=2217&path=wvball


 

Tell your experience BEFORE you got to your foreign school...

• ...choose any of the following that helped you in your process of deciding/getting to a foreign school:
  Parents, 


• ...how difficult was it to decide to go to a foreign school (0-10 being the most)?
  8


• ... If you knew what you know NOW... how difficult would it have been to decide to go to a foreign school (0-10 being the most)??
  0


• What were the main things that convinced you to choose to go to a foreign school? :)
  The main four things that made me to come in US are: to play volleyball of course, to get a college degree, to learn how to speak English, and new experience! 


• ...What, if any, were the difficulties in choosing to go to a foreign school?
  Being far from my family...


• ... and how did you overcome these obstacles to get to a foreign school?
  Easy... just put on the piece of paper what would I gain and what would I lose by coming here... My gains won, and my decision was obvious! 


• ... how helpful were the staff at the school with getting you admitted (0-10 being the most)?
  10


• What things  helped you get everything done to get to a foreign school?
  Coaches from the University helped me a lot, and foreign student-athletes !


• 
  

Lastly, your experience at your foreign school...

• ...your happiness with international student-athletics?
  10


• ...What, if any, were the difficulties to adjust to life in your school’s country?
  Whenever I first came here I couldn't speak English that well so that was basically the most difficult for me, and I would say "adjusting to food"


• ... and how did you overcome these obstacles to adjust to school life?
  By studying more and more every day, talking to people and meeting new friends! By realizing it was easier and easier every day...


• ...What were your best experiences in your foreign school?
  Seeing all these big beautiful Gyms...visiting a lot of different states...different program of practices and workouts...how much you can be appreciated only if you work hard and share your positivism....meeting families and friends that will stay forever in my life...coaching little girls (11's,12's,13's)...tasting the best deserts in the world...making 2nd round of NCAA last year...visiting my family in California two years in a row...much more...


• Anything else you’d like to mention?
  I did NOT regret 0.1% for my decision to come here! It's a one life opportunity and one life journey! 


• Would you be interested in an international athlete network? Yes


• Do you plan to be a PRO in your sport after college? Yes

#19 10 Steps To Find A College For Your Sport! with Ryan Jay Owens

10 Steps To Find A College For Your Sport! with Ryan Jay Owens

#RJO SOLO SESSION: A current pro since 2002 living, playing & working in over 30 countries globally!

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LISTEN NOW BELOW TO THE FULL EPISODE! (m:s) -or- in iTunes | Stitcher

VOLLEYBALL PLAYERS!
Use EliteVolley.com's Blog post to create your CV and submit it for FREE HELP!

1. MAKE IT A GOAL

• Write it down! Put why you want to accomplish it…. what happens if you do.. what happens if you don’t do it… people that you know that did it & people you don’t know but that were the best at it like All-Americans from your country or state.

• List of top 10-15 places where you would like to go to (inform yourself about schools, academics and coaching staff)
  
   

2. PREPARE YOURSELF

Get all of your school records, create your CV, schedule your tests and make sure you’re eligible to play for either the NCAA, NAIA or JUCO schools.

 

3. RESEARCH

Make a list of possible mentors, coaches, schools & companies that can help you get to school. Use Facebook, USNews.com, the school’s team rosters & an internet search will help you find international/national college recruitment scouts/service like my free service through EliteVolley.com & Elite Sport Students Project.

4. CONTACT YOUR NEW NETWORK

Send your email and CV to all of the mentors, coaches, schools & services ASAP. You can start this at age 15!

[SANJA TOMASEVIĆ TIP: Ask coaches for a chat and a tour of the school via Skype or Google Hangouts.]

Click to Sign Up For Help HERE

5. IMPROVE IN SCHOOL

The better you do in school the more chances and opportunities you will have when you want to go to college. Learn more through MOOCs if you find your subjects easy… Join a school extracurricular club or comittee… Get tutoring from teachers or other students… Take required tests for US Colleges like the SAT & TOEFL… Surround yourself with top students.

6. IMPROVE IN YOUR SPORT

Improve your weaker skills first… Don’t forget your mental skills like visualization or meditation like olympians… Get flexible, stronger & faster… Learn how to “EAT CLEAN” and get the proper amount of sleep and how to recover from exercise… & find a mentor in your sport… pick the best athlete’s in the world to emulate by watching their videos online & don’t be afraid to contact them via twitter, email, Facebook.

[#PRORJO TIP: Anyone in need of help for fitness, finding a school, nutrition, volleyball, etc. Contact Me]

7. STAY UP-TO-DATE & FOLLOW UP

Keep your CV online using Google Drive and make new documents using Google Documents.. all FREE!

• Be sure you follow SAT, TOEFL, ELIGIBILITYCENTER.ORG

• Follow coaches & students playing in US & CANADIAN schools from where you are from…

• Follow Up by telling teams when you update anything on your CV!

• Communicate with the people helping you to see if anything has changed!
  
   

8. TRACK PROGRESS

Make sure you are hitting your mini goals each day/week/month!

• Keep track of schools that are contacting you…

• Keep records of your improvements physically, nutritionally, educationally, socially, etc.
  
   

9. REVIEW GOALS

Every month be sure to re-evaluate your goals to be sure they are still what you want to accomplish. Change anything that needs to change. Mark the ones you completed as COMPLETED! :)

10. BE DISCIPLINED

Be aware of what you are OR are NOT doing everyday to reach your goals… Keep them in places where you can see them. Mirrors, doors, tables, pocket, bags, phone/computer screens, etc.

• Find someone that is driven to have a great life like you. Ask that you check in with each other each day or each week at a certain time to check that you both have done the mini goals you should be doing every day and week.
   

BEWARE!

BE CAREFUL WHO YOU TELL & WHO YOU ASK FOR HELP!

TIPS:

• CLEAN UP YOUR IMAGE

  • SELFIES? ALCOHOL? ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES? OFFENSIVE BEHAVIOR? GET RID OF THEM! No Team wants a player that will cause trouble or not have great character!
     

• ADD VALUE BY HELPING OTHERS & SHARE IT ON YOUR CV
   

• SPEND TIME WITH MENTORS 

  • “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with!” -Jim Rohn 
    [#PRORJO TIP: Use BeyondAthletic.com to get free mentorship and contact info of olympians, pros & college all-americans!]
     

• USE FREE SERVICES WHEN POSSIBLE IF QUALITY…

  • EXAMPLES:

    • FIND SCHOOLS: ELITEVOLLEY.COM, BEYONDATHLETIC.COM & ESS….

    • EDUCATION: KHANACADEMY.ORG, CREATIVELIVE.COM, COURSETALK.COM…

    • SPORTS STREAMING SITES LIKE: LAOLA1.TV, YOUTUBE, LIVETV.SX, WIZIWIG.TV, SPORTLEMON.TV
       

• RESEARCH WHAT YOU DONT KNOW!

Be Great & Be More Than Just an Athlete!

-RJO