Basketball as a lifestyle

By Ģirts Smelters

Anna Kondratovica (born in 1988) is a former basketball player and also a basketball referee, who played as point guard.  Kondratovica has played for “BK Kolibri” and “University of Latvia”. Currently she is coaching young girls, working in the sports service centre at the University of Latvia and studying in the Faculty of Social Sciences.

Kondratovica is linked with sports in LU very strongly, as she organizes basketball league at the university and the basketball night tournament. She is responsible for all basketball at the LU as well as managing women’s team for the faculty.

Kondratovica also is the only woman referee with Latvian Basketball League category in Latvia. She received her license only 6 months ago and is still practicing, but in the next season she will join the men’s league referees. “It is the thing I enjoy doing and it is also great to know that you are the only one in all country,” Kondratovica says of her new credentials.

Apart form refereeing and managing basketball life at LU Kondratovica also tries to be a role model for children and is coaching 7-12 year old girls in the BK “Kolibri” basketball system. She has practices 3 times a week and on weekends there are games.

“It is the most responsible thing I have done in my life- coaching the children. At this age the coach has a very big influence on children and it is very important to do all your best, so the child becomes a good athlete as well as good person,” Kondratovica says.