All Smiles
February 03, 2004 | Volleyball
by Lisa Krikava
Danka Danicic smiles.
More lies behind that smile than is revealed - her upbringing in war-torn Yugoslavia, endless hours of travel that kept her away from her family, and her decision to leave behind the world she knew for an opportunity at success in the United States.
The smile, however, is genuine, for Danicic has overcome much to be where she is today, suiting up for the nationally-ranked UW volleyball squad.
A native of Ljig, Yugoslavia, Danicic (pronounced "DON-ih-chich") did not have many sporting options as a child.
"Where I come from, the only sports girls are able to play are soccer, volleyball and chess, she says. "I chose volleyball and have been playing it ever since."
Danicic played throughout her years in school and continued her career by joining local club teams. One day, she received a phone call that changed her life.
"I found out that my friend had told the UW that I would be interested in playing volleyball for them," she says. "Then the Washington coaches contacted me and asked if I wanted to be on their team. I was very excited."
The decision to leave home and venture to Seattle was not a difficult one.
"Playing club volleyball in Yugoslavia kept me away from my family for long amounts of time, so I was used to that," she says. "It was still hard, though, because the U.S. is so much farther away, but it was such a good opportunity. When I told my parents about how serious I was about coming here, they were very supportive. I was excited to come."
Upon arriving in Seattle in the fall of 2001, Danicic was awestruck by the college environment, for both athletics and academics.
"I had no idea that college volleyball was such a big deal," she says. "I never thought it would be as serious or as huge as it is. Sometimes, I wish we had more people come and watch our games, but there is still so much support for the team. It is amazing to see it and be a part of it."
Living in a new country and without a command of the English language, Danicic became accustomed to frequent miscommunications. One such misunderstanding led to a broken nose for Danicic, when she and teammate Paige Benjamin collided during a match in Hawaii.
"It was all a big accident," she says. "I was lucky that my nose didn't bleed, but it was so crooked. I had to wear a big facemask during the game after it happened. I looked like Hannibal Lector."
Fortunately for Danicic, she had help in the transition, in the form of teammate Sanja Tomasevic. Tomasevic also came to UW from Yugoslavia in 2001, and the two formed an instant bond.
"When I first got here we did everything together, including speaking in Serbian," she says. "Now, I mostly talk in English. I feel very comfortable here."
Danicic had to learn the language quickly, if only to figure out what the Husky coaches wanted her to do.
"I did have trouble trying to understand what the coaches were telling me," she says. "Partly because I struggled with the English, but also because the techniques and styles that are taught are very different."
Well into her sophomore season, Danicic has become comfortable in the Huskies' system, developing her techniques and proving her dedication to her teammates in more ways then one. As her skills improve, Danicic will play a larger role on the court.
"Danka is a tremendous defensive player and has a good feel for the game," says head coach Jim McLaughlin. "She sees the game and reacts well. She could be a very accurate server for us."
A true sign of her happiness at Washington is that Danicic plans on staying in Seattle even after her career comes to an end in two more years.
"Although I do miss my home and my family, I love it here very much," she says. "The best thing about Seattle is the UW. I have made lots of friends and I always have somewhere to go and something to do here in Seattle. Playing volleyball here is better than doing so anywhere else."
Danicic smiles - and why not? - when there is so much to smile about.
