My Volleyball Journey

My Volleyball Journey by Samir Radončić

Its always hard to start.

My “volleyball journey” started long time ago. I was born on 01.18.1990. At that time the great Yugoslavia was at the “point break”. Situation was getting worse with every country that left the ex federation of Yugoslavia. Slovenia left first,then Croatia and Bosnia & Herzegovina last among them. People of Bosnia voted for independence with more than 60%. After that day, the situation got even worse. Former Yugoslav National Army started to gather in Croatia and Bosnia. Finally in 1992 the war started. It was one of the bloodies confrontations in Europe after second World War.

My father played for many teams in Yugoslavia.He ended his career as a player in Volleyball Club “Zenica” (my birth city). In his late 30s, maybe even 40s he started coaching and playing volleyball under constant danger of aggressor shelling and fire. He gathered 15-20 young boys from the city, and started practicing in a small gym.

That’s where my story starts.

As I was a little kid maybe 4-5 years old,he used to take me with him to the trainings.As every kid,with the ball i did everything except volleyball.The war finished in 1995. and my dad was still coaching and playing,things got a bit better,they got a net and few balls from World Vision!Shortly after in 1997, Zenica was far the best volleyball club in Bosnia & Herzegovina. Years have passed and i went to trainings from time to time. Becoming a teenager,I often used to say to my dad that i hated volleyball and that i don’t see the point in playing it. At that time i wasn’t really into it, i was more into video games and stuff. He started coaching girls team of Zenica in 1998, so i was more attracted to volleyball then.

At the age of 10 I started training volleyball for real.We had trainings 3 times per week and i really enjoyed it.But shortly after suffering the lack of money and support the club “went down” so I was back on point 0. Years have passed, my only contact with volleyball was at the summer pool, where i played volleyball on sand, for fun.

Growing up,the idea of starting to train again seemed more and more attractive to me. At 2001, my mum got diabetes so my father, sisters and I were helping her a lot.In the next few years her health was really bad and eventually she died in 2004. That was the year i started training volleyball again. With my initiative, my father gathered 20 boys and girls and started coaching us 2 times per week. With each passing training, i started to feel more and more in love with volleyball. Trainings were fun and the gym was a good place to go in these bad times because Bosnia is still recovering from the war.

In the year 2007, we decided to register the club as Volleyball Club “Ruki” (read Rookie) Zenica. With help of some friends we bought few of new balls,a new net and started training for real,as a team.Step by step, kids and teenagers started joining in. At the end of 2007. we had 100 members! Men’s team was mostly consisted of guys of my age(1990) and the girls team was a little bit older. The club joined the second national league in October 2008.

It was really scary to play a “real” match against a “real” opponent! Wearing your club uniform for the first time was sensational! So many emotions in hour and a half of the game.I was 18 years back then. With each passing year our team gained experience,strength and will to go on! It is not easy to be a sportsman in Bosnia, but we managed to stay together.League after league, tournament after tournament, teams started to change, old guys leaving, new guys coming. I guess that is natural. Today in 2012, we are fighting to become champions of the II league and to enter the I National League! My team has changed a lot during the time. It changed 3 setters,5 or more hitters etc.

Today…

I really cant imagine my life without volleyball. I also started coaching kids and i enjoy it! I’m trying hard to help my dad and to support my team as much as I can.Had a lots of downs and ups, but never really gave up. In Bosnia, no matter what you are doing you will have financial trouble. Sport is a really hard thing to do! You must bust your ass off if you want to get new uniforms, new ball etc! But i guarantee you that the hard work really pays off! Nothing better than to see smiling faces of your teammates, gym full of kids running around.Neither I nor my teammates are getting payed for playing. That’s the true love for volleyball. People usually call me nuts, insane and stuff, but I don’t care. That’s what makes our lives better and our city a better place to live.

My team means everything to me! Of course it would be nice to play outside the country, for teams such as PGE Belchatow, Dinamo, Fenerbahce etc. but my team is still my team.

Best regards,
Samir Radončić

(images: Samir Radončić)

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