Some athletes don’t need Olympic medals or global fame to leave a lasting mark. They inspire not through trophies, but through authenticity, determination, and quiet leadership. Venla Varis, former professional basketball player from Finland, is a woman whose story transcends sport, from a humble beginning in a small Finnish gym to professional courts across Europe, and now to the halls of medicine.

It all started with a friend

Venla’s entry into basketball wasn’t marked by ambition, but by imitation. As a nine-year-old in Finland, she simply wanted to do what her best friend was doing. “She didn’t like it when I copied her,” Venla laughs. “So, I waited two months after she started playing, and then I joined the same club.”

What began as a casual decision quickly grew into a calling. Even in those first practices, something clicked. The ball, the rhythm, the movement; it all felt natural. “I got the layup on my first try,” she recalls. “The game just made sense to me.”

Choosing basketball over soccer

Like many kids, Venla split her time between sports, soccer and basketball. But as the training schedules intensified, a choice had to be made. “I just couldn’t figure out soccer,” she admits with a smile. “Basketball felt right.”

That decision would shape the next decade of her life. She chose a high school based on its basketball program, dedicated herself fully to the sport, and eventually found herself competing at the highest level for her age, including Finland’s U16 national team in 2014.

A natural talent on the rise

Venla’s rise in Finnish basketball was steady and confident. After five years at her first club, she transitioned into Finland’s national youth league at just 13, the highest competitive level for her age group. By high school, she was playing in Finland’s Women’s National League, often facing opponents twice her age. “We were 16, 17-year-olds playing against 30-year-old women. It was a huge leap.”

Still, she held her own. “It all felt very natural,” she says, describing not just her skills, but her mindset. Venla belonged on the court, and she knew it.

From Finland to Phoenix: the American dream

In her early twenties, Venla took a leap few dare to make. She moved to the United States to play college basketball. She joined Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona, a stark contrast to Finland in both climate and culture. “The heat, the people, the sheer size of everything, it was overwhelming,” she says. “In Finland, people stay in their own bubble. In the U.S., people talk to everyone.”

Although she was a little surprised, on the court she adapted quickly. Her Finnish high school team had trained rigorously, so the high volume of practices, conditioning, and weight training didn’t faze her. “I was ready,” she says, “and I gained so much grit.”

Her freshman year, however, brought emotional challenges. “The hardest part was after Christmas. You say goodbye to your family and fly back alone. That’s when the homesickness really hit.” But through the adversity, friendships formed. The experience proved to be both humbling and valuable.

Basketball across borders: life in Germany

After graduating in 2021, Venla continued her basketball journey in Europe. She signed after halfway of the season with Bender Baskets in Grünberg, Germany, helping them remain in the league during a critical spring season. “It was Division Two, but I made an impact.”

Germany itself was an unexpected adjustment. “You needed cash everywhere, the highways didn’t have lights, and the culture felt older.” Yet she appreciated the people, the team spirit, and the opportunity to gain experience.

A heart still at home

In 2023, Venla returned to Finland, both for love and for one last shot at basketball glory. “My boyfriend is living here, and we had a strong team in Finland. We won bronze, and I really wanted to come back and try for gold.”

But that gold medal eluded them. The following season ended in the quarterfinals, a disappointment, but not a regret. “We had a good group. It just didn’t work out that year.”

And so, Venla found herself at a crossroads. As the 2024-2025 season ended, Venla made a daring decision: she applied to medical school. She told her agent she would only continue her basketball career if she didn’t get accepted. It was a gamble. In Finland, it can take years to secure a spot. But Venla put everything into the entrance exam, and she made it! “Someone gave up their place, and I got in from the waiting list,” she says. “It felt like luck, but I know how hard I worked for it.”

With that, she officially closed the chapter on professional basketball; not out of fatigue, but because a new purpose had taken root.

What she will miss, and what lies ahead

“I’ll miss the team,” she says. “I have always been a team player. That’s what I will miss most.” While she is excited for the challenge of medicine, there’s a sense of longing; not for fame or records, but for the rhythm of practices, the camaraderie of teammates, and the joy of competition. “I only played professionally for three and a half seasons. It was short, but it was full. I would have loved to play in countries like Sweden, Iceland, or Switzerland. Living somewhere for an entire year, being part of a new culture. It’s something special.”

But she carries no regrets. She’s traded one team for another. And in many ways, the skills she honed on the court (communication, discipline and empathy) will make her a better doctor.

Venla Varis never chased stardom. She chased purpose. From her first bounce of the ball to her final whistle, she embodied the heart of a true athlete, not measured by trophies, but by growth, resilience, and quiet leadership.

As she steps into the world of medicine, she does so with the same focus and humility that defined her basketball career. Whether on a hardwood court or in a hospital corridor, Venla brings light, strength, and care to those around her.

The best chapters are still to come Venla!