School Project roadshow visits number of schools in eastern Croatia

With the start of the year 2023, the Croatian Volleyball Federation switched their attention, when it comes to activities run in conjunction with the CEV School Project ‘Play Volleyball – Grow with it’, to schools located in the very east of the country.

Regional Coordinator, Mr Bogdanović, visited as many as five schools in a short time, including two in the city of Vinkovci, which is widely known for women’s Volleyball. Elementary school Bartol Kašić and elementary school Ivana Brlić Mažuranić hosted the delegation from the Croatian Volleyball Federation. At the Bartol Kašić school headed by Professor Elez, a training for students from the sixth grade was held, while at the Ivana Brlić Mažuranić school, the focus was on seventh graders instead. Through numerous exercises, the instructors showed what Volleyball is all about in a good and entertaining way. The two schools were very happy to receive balls and net bands, because this way Volleyball will come to life even more in the weeks and months to come.

The next stop of this roadshow was three schools in the very suburbs of Osijek. At the Matija Gubec elementary school in Cernik, 31 fourth-grade students attended Mr Bogdanović’s training. Basic Volleyball elements and many relays that included Volleyball skills proved to be the right way to introduce the children to this beautiful sport. Along the way, Professor Dorontić also received a couple of inputs to enrich his own classes and to introduce new exercises.

In Garčin, at the Vjekoslav Klaić elementary school, a group of 31 fifth graders joined a ‘copy’ of the session delivered in Cernik. Professor Matić, a great lover of Volleyball, helped and educated himself along the way. The balls and bands provided by the Croatian Volleyball Federation will enable the school to include even more children in their PE classes.

‘The icing on the cake’ was a visit to the Višnjevac school in the very vicinity of Osijek. That place has been known for its women’s volleyball school for many years. Their results at the Croatian championships in younger age categories show that they are a real stronghold of the sport in the country. Professor Škrinjarić has developed an excellent cooperation with the local women’s Volleyball club. Due to a flu epidemic, unfortunately, there were not that many children at the training, but the plan is to visit this school many more times. Balls and net bands from the CEV School Project will greatly help them to provide even better conditions to grow the next generation of local players.