Conversations with athletes.

A short conversation with Angie Bjorklund.

Angie Bjorklund is a recently retired professional basketball player in search of her next passion. She loves connection, community, and to enjoy a balanced, simple life which is what brought her to living in Spain. Angie is constantly learning and is currently getting a Body-Oriented Life Coaching Certificate to add to her Sports Psychology Masters. Some of her obsessions is nature, healing, adventures or traveling, music, spontaneous dance, and loving, encouraging, and connecting with others.

Oz: What does it feel like to not have to tie your basketball shoes twice a day anymore?

Angie: Depends on what day you ask me. Feels like a rollercoaster. Some days I am so happy, and some days I miss it. Over time, I have realized it’s not necessarily the basketball I miss, but the voids it left. I miss the teammates, the fighting towards a goal with a community. I miss my job being movement and flow. I miss developing a skill that has never ending potential for improvement. I’ve learned more and more about my values by breaking down the voids sport has left.

Oz: Do you crave routine or run away from it?

Angie: crave it. love the work hard, vacation hard life

Oz: Tell me about your approach to physical practice after you retired.. As in.. how do you feel when you enter the gym.. how does your body feel upon waking.. what kind of movement do you enjoy?

Angie: this has been one of the hardest adjustments and I have yet to fully figure it out. In the beginning, the weeks after I retired, I didn’t want any exercise. Then I realized how important it is for my mood and energy and overall well being. Starting to train again after retirement was hard. Its hard not to train like I’m training for basketball. It has involved lots of trying new things, yet still haven’t found my groove nor my motivation for it 100%.

Oz: A moment after you retired you felt as alive and playful as on the basketball court.

Angie: I would say towards the end of my career the aliveness and playfulness faded which was part of my decision to retire. But while playing spikeball and paddle, I felt that familiar spark, energy, and playfulness I had while I was young playing basketball.

Oz: Belonging. What does this word mean to you?

Angie: currently working through this topic with my therapist. belonging seems to be a core motivation in decision making for me, whether that be my worst or best decisions.

Oz: If you couldn´t speak about your basketball career or baller Angie, how would you introduce yourself to people?

Angie: This is such a good question, because it’s such a struggle for me now to figure out what to say without being “a basketball player,” but I would say I am currently a basketball trainer and love working specifically with younger kids (ages 10-18) which is so fun for me to teach kids that are at the age where I enjoyed playing basketball the most!

Oz: One thing that the sport taught you, that you transfer to social relationships.

Angie: Sport taught me how to encourage and call out the great in people. Most people see something great and they never say it out loud. Sport taught me that when someone does something amazing, you tell them about it.

Oz: In a few words, walk me through the meaning of basketball in your youth.. to pro ball, and now.

Angie: in my youth, age 10-16, ball was my passion, I was obsessed with the process of training. I loved that I could go to the gym for hours working on a move or a shot. The process of learning a skill was more exciting for me than winning games. I didn’t work on my game to “become the best”… I worked on my game… because I literally just enjoyed it. When I entered college and pro ball, I felt I had to care more about wins, statistics, etc, and the love for the game faded. The culture sucked the joy out of it for me.

Oz: One song that gives you the chills.

Angie: don’t give up by United pursuit (lyrics reminds me of the dialogue between me and my body)

Oz: An advice for younger Angie ?

Angie: Goodness I think younger Angie gives me all the advice, she’s my favorite version of myself! But I would say to her “don’t let the world tell you who you should be”

Oz: What are you up to now?

Angie: I am integrating my education in sport psychology with a body-oriented life coaching certificate. With that I want to create a unique, mind-body approach to supporting others that are going through life or sport related challenges. I’m also doing a number of basketball camps, clinics, and currently have a seasonal basketball skills training academy for kids”

You can follow Angie on IG: @bjorklundangie and follow her work on her website.