Volleyball's a net gain for Stevenson's Antonijevic
Just like his father and older brother, Nikola Antonijevic has a knack around the net.
The difference is, the sport that will allow the Stevenson junior to take his athletic skills to a higher level does not feature a net that stretches to the ground.
The 6-foot-8, 175-pound Antonijevic has been selected to USA Volleyball's boys youth national team, which will compete in the NORCECA Continental Championships in Guadalajara, Mexico, from April 3-11. If the U.S. wins the championship, it would travel to Singapore in August for the first-ever Youth Olympic Games.
"I was very happy that I made it because I've been playing volleyball for only (two) years," Antonijevic said. "To see where I've come from is great."
Antonijevic father, Sole, played professional soccer in the former Yugoslavia. Sole and his wife, Mimi, currently are the owners of the Chicago Wind junior soccer club. Their oldest son, Stefan, played soccer for Stevenson and at Marquette and is now using his 6-6 frame for Valparaiso.
Stefan even played for the Serbian U19 national team two summers ago.
Nikola played club soccer his freshman year before competing for Stevenson's varsity as a forward the last two falls. He said he will no longer play soccer so he can concentrate on volleyball.
"Playing soccer was fun, and my dad played it," said Antonijevic, who was born in Phoenix but moved to Buffalo Grove with his family when he was 1. "Volleyball was something new. I just got addicted to it. It's a lot different from soccer. It's just interesting for me."
When Antonijevic was playing volleyball for Stevenson his freshman year, a club coach spotted him and got him to play club for Rolling Thunder. He went to Junior Olympics with Rolling Thunder, before hooking up with Adversity's 17 elite team.
A middle blocker who plays right side in high school, Antonijevic will be playing his second varsity season this spring. He had 2 kills and 2 solo blocks in Stevenson's season-opening 25-13, 25-23 loss to New Trier on Tuesday night.
Antonijevic's rapid rise in volleyball has surprised even himself.
"I guess hard work has paid off," he said. "I'm just grateful. In volleyball, my height helps."
His father knows what it takes to compete in sports at a high level, and Antonijevic will listen to the advice he's been given.
"He just tells me to keep working," Antonijevic said. "He said, 'The more touches on the ball you get, the more you play, the more experience you get, the better you're going to get.' He just wants me to keep working at it."