Interview With a WNBA Basketball Player: ACE KONIG
Continuing our industry experts series, This week’s discussion is with Aislinn “Ace” Konig, a professional basketball player in the WNBA. We will be talking about all things sport, fitness and recovery.
Ace graduated from Brookswood Secondary after helping the Bobcats win three consecutive B.C. 3A senior girls provincial titles, earning the most valuable player honours each time — the first player in the history of the tournament to do so.
Now playing in the WNBA for the Washington Mystics, Ace is one of the few Canadian-born players in the league. For a young age, she is already making waves in this profession.
What made you want to become a basketball player?
Basketball has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. Nearly everyone in my family has played basketball at a significant level so, when it came time for me to choose a sport, basketball was a natural choice. Being able to take this love of basketball and turn it into a career was an incredible dream that I am now able to experience first hand.
We see how successful you are at such a young age, signing to Washington Mystics, do you have any advice for young athletes wanting the same success as you?
My advice to young athletes is to believe. The power of self-belief is amazing. There will be many people and obstacles that are going to make you doubt yourself. Don’t let them shake you. Continue to work and believe in yourself, and the good things will come.
What do you see yourself accomplishing in the next 5–10 years? What are your goals?
My goal for the next 5–10 years is to win a medal at an Olympic Games with the Canadian National Team.
This year has been inspiring and fast-paced for you; how do you stay consistently motivated throughout your career so far?
My trick to never losing sight of my goals is to have a repeating notification in my phone that reminds me of my goals once a week.
Basketball is a very physically demanding sport, how do you look after your mind and body?
When I was in university I really struggled with unexplainable pain in my joints caused by inflammation so I decided to switch my diet to vegan and I saw some really amazing results. In terms of mental health, I use art and meditation to express and manage my thoughts and emotions in a healthy way so that they don’t disrupt my performance.
What are your essentials to keep in your gym bag?
My gym bag essentials are headphones, chewing gum, a metal reusable water bottle, a lacrosse ball, and of course my Flow device!
How frequently do you use your flow device and how has it helped you in your recovery?
I use my flow device almost every day, whether it is to warm up my muscles to prevent injury or to deal with soreness after a training session. It has really increased the speed of my recovery.
Why is recovery important for you as an athlete?
Basketball is a year-round sport. I play 12 months of the year so taking care of my body and maintaining my health is the top priority.
What are the most common injuries you find in basketball?
Muscular injuries and soreness caused by fatigue are the number one issue I have to deal with and that is why my Flow device is so crucial to my recovery and performance.
Visit flowsportstech.com to learn more, or to purchase a Flow Massage device and speed up your recovery today.
