
Sanja

Sanja
No dream has boundaries, so as mine. Since day one strapping on a snowboard I was determined to go a step further and pursue my dream. Growing up in a rather small community with a lack of sports culture it was nearly impossible to progress or even maintain a certain level in the sport you choose, (let alone for a girl), so sometimes it felt like a struggle, but a strong will conquers all obstacles. However, motivation and dedication are the keys to every success and the best way to stay focused on the main goal is to always strive for more.
Being a woman, in a sport dominated by men sometimes it feels like you are not doing enough or you’re not as good as them - yes the level is different and we are not same but we are far from less capable or weaker and actually seeing women raising the level higher every day more and more is so inspiring and being able to witness all these women reflecting strong, powerful and passionate image is so much encouraging for all of us chasing our dreams to grow up into brave, confident and successful women. It is truly wonderful to be inspired and believed in, as I was lucky enough to be presented to the biggest brand in the snowboard industry and getting a support from a team like Burton girls is huge empowerment and honor to represent, I truly believe that individually we are strong, but together we are stronger.
Practicing a winter sport means you really need to put in the work during off season and what works best for me personally is creating a certain routine combining different types of workouts throughout the year to keep up the form and prepare the body for the upcoming season, always having fun and mixing up the exercises, being active in the outdoors and exploring the nature. Snowboarding has brought me to many amazing places both physically and mentally. Being on a top of a mountain surrounded by breathtaking views all around you is something that you cannot experience in any other place, which really does corresponds with the mental growth of a person, expanding your views on how you see the world to endless horizons. Becoming the person I am today is in many ways influenced by the mountains and the outdoor inspired lifestyle, it helped me shape my personality, learn how to respect the nature and the people I meet in it - creating special connection between us as human beings and the earth at it’s rawest form.
Competition on the other side gives you yet another perspective on how you manage with the wins and success, but more importantly how you deal with the losses and how you keep up the motivation to move forward after you failed in something you’ve been working on so hard. The most important lesson I’ve learned from snowboarding is that no matter the final result, if you gave it all you got on that certain day, you’ve already won for yourself, never look back, even if you are not the one standing on the podium with a medal on your chest. It’s not the prize you get that counts or makes you a better person at the end of the day, it’s the moment you realize that if you believe in yourself you will find the strength to rise above it all and get back up more determined than ever and that everything happens for a reason. Any sport in fact is a great way to develop the personality of a kid at a young age, it helps create a strong person with high values that is capable of overcoming any situation life throws at us and it teaches skills like commitment and consistency lead to greater purpose in life. The process of learning something new trains us how to enjoy the journey called life. It’s the passion that drives us as women to always get better and reach the peaks. I’m seeing progress in women’s sport now more than ever, I like the progression and I believe that the future is bright with so many girls involving into sports and breaking the barriers of the mainstream. Be inspired, inspire others and don’t let anyone bring you down or tell you that you can’t do it cause you can and you will. Until we all win!