Meet Your Trojans: Edina Selimovic

LITTLE ROCK – This week's featured "Meet Your Trojans" student-athlete is senior volleyball player Edina Selimovic, an international business graduate and health science major from Gracanica, Bosnia-Herzegovina.
 
The Trojans will continue the 2016 season this weekend as they host Oklahoma, Mississippi State, UAPB and UT Martin in the Little Rock Invitational. Little Rock will look to break the all-time attendance record with a #CrowdSpike against Oklahoma on Thursday night at 6:30.
 
What made you want to attend UALR?
 
Mostly volleyball, but I can play volleyball and attend school at the same time. That's kind of not possible back home. You have to choose one. You either have to spend your entire day in practice. Practices are twice a day and every day, or you have to be in school all day.
 
What's your favorite thing to do in Little Rock?
 
I love nature, so every time I have some free time I like to go out to climb a mountain or hang out with my friends. I went to Petit Jean Mountain just the other day. I like Pinnacle Mountain too. Lakes are pretty fun. Cliff diving was cool and really fun.
 
What's the best part about being a Trojan?
 
The best part of being a Trojan is the "Trojan spirit" for me. Because we all are kind of like a family. We all work together and communicate together. Even with other athletes, not only volleyball. I feel like I'm at home. When I'm a Trojan I feel like I have a family, and it's fun to be a part of.
 
What's something that most people don't know about you?
 
That I'm weak for old people and babies. I love babies, and I love old people. They are the most honest people in the world.
 
Who is the athlete you most admire?
 
For me, every athlete in the world who works hard, works extra, and is good and successful. I like the ones we can read about and inspire us. So it's not only one person that I'm admiring, it's any good athlete in the world. It's any person in the world who can inspire you to do something and to work better.
 
What has been your favorite moment of playing for Little Rock?
 
When we won the 2014 Sun Belt Championship. That was really fun and we all cried. We worked so hard for it, and we were happy to get it. Then after that, we won the first round of NCAA Tournament and got to go to the second round. That was something amazing.
 
What's the best advice you've received?
 
My mom would always tell me to work hard for myself, but I also need to work hard to make myself better. That makes my teammates better so that we as a team can compete better. For example, if my attitude is wrong, I'm going to make somebody else have a bad attitude. So it's advice from my mom to always do my best and to be the best person that I can be on the court.
 
Who was your childhood hero?
 
My mom. She's always been my hero and she's always going to be. She has worked so hard in her life to get to where she is now. She's my hero because she's the best person in the world that I know.
 
What advice would you give to children just getting started in athletics?
 
Get engaged in whatever they do and to play with heart. Be the best that they can be because they're starting now, and they are becoming better every day. They shouldn't start and just stop there because you have to keep improving. Improvement is the key. Work as hard as you can, and you are going to become better and better every day.
 
What are some of the community service projects you've been involved with since coming to Little Rock?
 
I've done a little coaching for Little Rock Juniors, and I've been involved with the Junior Trojans Club.
 
What's your favorite home-cooked meal?
 
My favorite meal is risotto. When my mom makes that for me it has chicken, rice and vegetables. It's just special for me, and I love it. It's not actual Bosnian food, but it's my favorite. My favorite Bosnian food is Bosnian Pie. It's a big, salty pie. You can make it with meat, spinach or with whatever you want. It's just special.
 
What's the best reason people should attend your team's games?
 
It's fun to watch us play because it's all about teamwork. It's also just fun when we score.