OGNJENOVIC Maja

General
INTERNATIONAL RETIREMENT AND RETURN
She announced her retirement from the Serbian volleyball team following the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, before returning to international competition ahead of the 2018 World Championship in Japan. "After the [2016] Olympic Games I was thinking that this is the end of this beautiful story for a volleyball player who turned 32 years with silver Olympic medal and other medals from major events. I thought that was the crown of my career. I knew that I could not go for the [2017] European Championship, because I didn't have the motivation or energy. I was tired after 13 years of playing non-stop in the national team, because I had no time for private life, to relax. But in January [2018] coach [Zoran] Terzic started to ask me if I was thinking about coming back, because we had a good team and my return would mean a lot. All this impressed me, this that I am needed." (ekspres.net, 03 Aug 2019)

OVERSEAS EXPERIENCE
She has played club volleyball in a number of countries, including Romania, Italy, Greece, Poland, Russian Federation and Turkey. "I have tried to get the best from each country. Sometimes it was a connection through language, character, fashion or cuisine." (gloria.rs, 06 Oct 2015; ekspres.net, 03 Aug 2019; Sport Klub YouTube channel, 23 Oct 2018)

OTHER ACTIVITIES
She is a member of the Athletes' Working Group at the European Volleyball Confederation. (ekspres.net, 03 Aug 2019; cev.eu, 2019)

CAPTAIN
She was named captain of the Serbian volleyball team in 2012. "For me it means to be always there for the girls, giving them a helpful hand, behaving in a way to let them see, in me, some kind of support. I play with girls who are 10 or more years younger than me and it surprises me sometimes, but whenever they need something, I am there for them." (fivb.org, 01 Aug 2014; gloria.rs, 06 Oct 2015; ekspres.net, 03 Aug 2019)