Wisconsin Badgers Volleyball Player Anna Smrek Followed Her Parents Guidance
Anna Smrek and her parents Michael Smrek and Sanja Smrek are athletic and artistic. Anna’s dad is a former basketball player and her mom is a former ballerina.
Smrek is a collegiate volleyball player who first pursued ballet like her mother. However, she inherited her father’s height and was taller than an average kid attending ballet class, so by the time she reached 6 feet and 2 inches, she switched to playing volleyball.
Unlike her father, who utilized his height to play basketball, she went to pursue volleyball, and Mike never forced or pressured her to play hoops. The former NBA player always encouraged his daughter to follow her interest and pursue her dreams. The elder Smreks always valued their children’s choices and nurtured them with unconditional love, care, and support.
Anna Smrek Was Born To Athletic Parents
Anna Smrek was born to her parents on the 11th of August 2003, and she is now 19.
Mike, a former basketball player, and Sanja, a former ballerina, never forced their daughter to choose a specific career. Instead, they always encouraged her to follow her dreams and path.
The belief and faith that her mom and dad have in her are what drive the athlete to do her best on the volleyball court, and she continues to strive to be better every day for them. Furthermore, Anna has reached where she stands today with her family’s consistent love, care, and guidance, so she has always remained grateful to them.
Likewise, she has an older brother named Luke Smrekwho, who played tennis at Robert Bateman High School and Marquette University. The 24-year-old Luke serves as men’s tennis graduate assistant coach at Ball State University.
Anna Smrek Father Is A Former NBA Player
Anna is the daughter of a former basketball player Michael Francis Smrek who spent 12 seasons in the NBA.
Michael played for San Antonio Spurs, Fulgor Libertas Forlì, Golden State Warriors, and Los Angeles Clippers.
The volleyball player’s dad started playing basketball in tenth grade at Eastdale High School and spent his collegiate career at Canisius College. Furthermore, the Portland Trail Blazers selected Mike in the 2nd round of the 1985 NBA draft.
As a rookie, the elder Smrek played with the most exceptional basketball player of all time, Michael Jordan ‘MJ’, and the Chicago Bulls after making it to NBA. Moreover, while playing for two seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, he earned two NBA championship rings in 1987 and 1988.
The former basketball player played in the Greek League for Dafni BC (1992–93), and KK Split in Croatia (1996–97) before retiring from his professional playing career.
Anna Smrek Inherited Her Height From Her Father
Anna received one of the best gifts from her father, her height.
She stands tall with a listed height of 6 feet and 9 inches which is very advantageous for her position as a Middle Blocker/Right Side Hitter.
Her father, who stands 7 feet tall, utilized his height to play basketball during his prime, but Mike never pressured his children to follow his path and play the same sport he did. Although people thought Anna would play hoops, he never convinced her to do so and encouraged her to follow her passion and interest.
She was a ballet dancer before she began playing volleyball. Furthermore, she changed her path from dancing to athletics after reaching 6-foot-2. Her mother, who signed her up for a ballet class while she was young, took her father’s advice and enrolled her in playing volleyball.
Moreover, the father-daughter duo almost reaches the same peak and looks identical. The athlete is much more like her dad than her mom, and they have similar facial features. The former basketball player also jokes that her daughter is his prettier version.
