University of Minnesota Athletics
Players Mentioned
From Belgrade to Baseline: Bodin Zarkovic
2/13/2020 4:46:00 PM | Men's Tennis
The life of a student-athlete poses a variety of hurdles: from new living situations, friends, course content, practice schedules, and difficulty of competition.
That balancing act becomes even more complicated when you're over 5,000 miles away from home. This was the challenge for freshman Bodin Zarkovic, as he decided to leave his native Serbia to play tennis at the University of Minnesota.
Despite having never lived in America prior to his commitment to the University of Minnesota, Zarkovic had some idea of what American culture looked like. When he was 12 years old, he would find himself traveling to Florida for tennis tournaments with his mind racing.
"I just remember coming to America and thinking that everything was just huge," Zarkovic said. "I liked it. It really was a great first experience for me."
Fast forward to last year, where the now-adult Zarkovic decided to make the decision to travel to the U.S. to play collegiate tennis. Even though his previous travels to the U.S. struck a good chord with Zarkovic, he says that it wasn't the main deciding factor that pulled him to America, and more specifically Minnesota, to play tennis at a collegiate level.
"I mainly liked the coaches and the guys on the team," Zarkovic said. "I knew Stefan [Milicevic] because we were from the same town, and I just liked everything that I heard from both Geoff and Urban, so I just thought that this would be a good place to go."
Zarkovic's hometown of Belgrade, Serbia, is home to a population of over one million people, but luckily for him, he had a connection to home right on campus. Belgrade is also the stomping ground of Gophers senior Stefan Milicevic.
For Zarkovic, having a familiar face on the team that he not only recognizes, but could trust, too, went a long way in his decision to come play for the Gophers.
"Because I have Stef, I always have someone that I can talk to about anything and everything. I have a great connection with all of the guys, but because I know Stef from my earlier years and most of these guys I'm only just seeing for the first time, I didn't really have the immediate courage or trust to talk with any of them about that kind of stuff, but I definitely have that trust with Stef," Zarkovic said. "He helped me a lot whether it be with classes or how to organize my time; just all of the little things you need to know when you're entering college to make it easier."
Ultimately, Zarkovic's stint in the U.S. has only just begun. Holding a singles record of 5-1 and a doubles record of 3-2 for the Gophers so far this spring has shown that the freshman is adjusting well in his transition so far.
In fact, Zarkovic believes that more international athletes should follow the path he's decided to take. Not only has it shaped him into a better tennis player, but a well-rounded teammate and student.
"I would definitely recommend that everyone comes here and completes some form of college. The universities here are unbelievable," Zarkovic said. "The only other advice I would give would be to not be lazy and to just try to be the best teammate you can possibly be."