Andrej Verbajs will be defending the pond in 2021

11th, Feb 2021

GH: This season, like many of your teammates, you were a “rookie” in flag football, but you still scored 6 touchdowns and a total of 7 “point after” scores. Did you meet your expectations with the performance or did you expect better stats?

AV: “To be fair, I didn't expect anything, but if I didn't break my rib in the first tournament, which made it impossible for me to practice for a while, and if I didn’t injure my sole in the tournament in Planica, the stats would be even better.”

GH: You proved you could match up with the other centers in the league when you were named the best center of the round in Week 3. What do you think about the competition in your position, which is strong both within the club and at the league level?

AV: “Regarding the club, I don't see the boys as a competition, but rather as a team. At the league level, I think I can match up with any center, especially after the first season.”

GH: During the quarantine and isolation, you proved to be in excellent fitness and technical condition. How did you take care of the mentioned and what gave you the motivation to train in these unusual times?

AV: “I took care of it with proper nutrition and a lot of running and training. I channeled motivation from the anticipation of the start of the season of the sport that I fell in love with.”

GH: In the previous sports you played, you were not satisfied with the motivation and dedication to the sport and you want to achieve something more in flag football. How satisfied are you with your investment in flag football so far and in which area do you want to make even more progress next season?

AV: "Given the injuries and other “bullshit” that happened last year, I’m happy with the progress. Above all, I want to progress in fitness and technique."

GH: You started your sports career at a young age with basketball, continued with martial arts, and now you’ve landed in team sports once again. Did the transition between sports, which are so different in terms of dynamics, cause you any trouble?

AV: “Switching between sports didn’t cause me any trouble or headaches.”

GH: How did Kous recruit to get you into the Frog team look like, and what convinced you to stay in the world of flag football?

AV: “Recruitment took place behind the bar; unfortunately, I was on the "wrong" side of it, but still. I like flag football as the sport itself, it’s great to get a sweat going and to catch a ball that is not round.”

GH: Your idol, Marko Milič, was one of the basketball players who opened the door to all the generations that came after him. In your opinion, which of the basketball legends would you point out that had a key influence on the development of basketball as we know it in Slovenia today?

AV: “Perhaps Ivo Daneu, as he was one of the first Slovenes in the Yugoslavian national team and he led the selected team to numerous medals at European and world championships.”