Sea, handball, fun and lot of kids – Zorman's recipe for happy holidays

You think that big ventures need vast plans? Wide board of people and years of setting? Well, in some cases maybe yes, but sometimes enthusiasm and a close team of buddies is all you need to have.

This is how the idea of Rokometna Akademija of Uroš Zorman was born. This summer seventy Slovenian kids joined by the young prospects of handball from Serbian Crvena Zvezda spent an intensive week in Croatian Savudrija, having fun with Zut and his friends.

Hey, why don’t we start a camp?

“My friends said once ‘Hey, why don’t we start a camp?" says the Slovenian player. “You know, seven years ago there were no projects like this in my country. I was still quite young then, but I said ‘OK, we can try!’ and actually the first camp we made was full!”

“Then we were choosing different places, but for four recent years we have been picking the beach. You know, for kids these are holidays. And holidays without sand and the sea?” he asks laughing.

Each year the Zorman’s academy is attended by almost 100 children in the ages between 7-15. They train handball twice a day, learning from the best. This summer special guests that accepted the invitation to the sunny coast of Croatia were Uroš’s teammates from the national team, including Sebastian Skube, Dragan Gajić, Luka Žvižej and the coach Boris Denič.

It’s about having fun!

But handball camp does not mean playing handball all the time. The centre back of Kielce takes care so that the attendees never get bored, organising talent shows, body painting, playing cards, board games or basketball.

“This camp is in the end of the season. Almost each kid participating has already had regular trainings in the club and now, when they have holidays, I don’t want to push them and hang over their heads repeating ‘Handball, handball, handball!" he says.

“I have kids too, so I know how it works. After school year their heads are full, they need to rest. I think the most important for them is to gain some experience, learn a bit from professionals, but also to get to know new faces, make relations with kids coming from different places. And after all just to have fun.”

Zorman’s project is dedicated to everyone, also to those, who have never had a handball in their palms before.

“Of course it’s for all! For those who train handball and for those who don’t. I also want to open it for all kids, not only Slovenian. I know that it will be a quite long way, but I’m looking forward. You never know what the future brings to you!”

It’s always like that!

It takes a bit of time to organise everything. After a tiring season the camp becomes next challenge to meet.

“My head is really full after the whole year and at the beginning of the holidays I always say “Ok, this is the last summer”. But then when I come to the camp and see all of those kids so nice and cheerful, I am already starting to make plans for the next camp. It’s always like that!” he laughs.

“In the end when you see the kids so happy, crying when they have to go back home, you are satisfied.”

Now, when the preparatory season in Kielce has already started it is Zorman’s turn to take a part in a camp. In the middle of August his team will set out for Bieszczady mountains to build their form for the upcoming season.

“These two camps are completely different. This one will be more serious, professional. Of course each year the beginning is a bit hard, but when you come in, everything is easier,” he smiles.

Photo: Slavko Kolar