Inside The Life Of A College Basketball Player

Originally published May 29, 2024

In my first blog post, I talked about how the 12 years I played basketball were some of the best and most challenging years of my life. The sport has taught me so much of what I know about myself and life as a whole. One of the most important lessons I learned during my time on the court is how to be a good friend and teammate. After playing with the same people for so many years I gained a family and a support system bigger than anything I could imagine.

One of those teammates who became family is my friend and college athlete, Andrea Stajic. I started playing basketball with Andrea in elementary school and she is one of a few teammates who have continued to play in college. I have never seen anyone love the game as much as her and I am lucky that she had time to talk with me about the sports she’s played for so long.

Q: What’s your name, age, and what school do you play for?

A: My name is Andrea Stajic, I am 20 years old, and I play for Cal Poly Pomona Women’s Basketball.

Q:How long have you been playing basketball?

A: I have been playing basketball since I was 4 years old. 

Q: What is your favorite thing about the sport?

A: My favorite thing about the sport is that it brings me a lot of joy while providing my life structure, friendships, and opportunities.

Q: How important do you think it is for female basketball players to have a positive reputation/public image?
A: I think it is important for female basketball players to have a positive reputation and public image. This is because the sport is growing a lot right now, and to help this growth, there has to be a good image and message surrounding female basketball players if we want the popularity to increase and stay. We are not only playing for us, but we are playing for younger generations, for their aspirations to become possible and desirable.

Q: Have you had any struggles with anything in particular about being a female athlete? Do you see these same struggles in male athletes?

A: I try not to focus on the comparison honestly. Sure, there is not as much money, but there are also not as many fans attending. I think it is our job to keep doing what we are doing as female athletes to increase the fan bases and grow the sports on the women’s side. I truly believe that when we achieve fan bases and athlete participation similar to men’s sports, pay will come with it. These things take time and I think that it is important to think about, but it shouldn’t be the main thing on your mind. At the end of the day, we all just love the game and that’s the main reason we play. 

Q: Are there any female basketball players that you admire who you think have crafted a positive public image? What have they done that you’ve admired (e.g. donating to a cause they believe in, advocating for themselves in interviews, etc)?

A: I think a very obvious female basketball player is Caitlin Clark. Do you see how much the attendance has risen for the games she plays in, and the ticket pricing??? The best part is, she doesn’t care about all of that. She just plays and looks at how she can help her team win. I think the wow factor that she has brought to women’s basketball is just what we need, but the best part is that she does it humbly.

Q: Do you plan to continue playing after college? If so, in what league/where?
A: I would ideally want to go play in Europe. My first choice would be in Spain, but I would be open to several countries. 

Q: How do you plan to build your brand/reputation if you continue to play at a higher level? 

A: I would plan to do it in a way that expressed love for the sport and support for younger generations specifically.

If you couldn’t tell from this interview, Andrea loves basketball. For as long as I’ve known her she has lived and breathed the sport and I’m lucky to have seen her grow into the player she is today. I hope Andrea’s journey reminds you that anything is possible with enough passion and perseverance.