Če je šport izgovor, tudi prav. Gremo v svet!

Košarkarji evropski prvaki, odbojkarji evropski podprvaki, rokometaši 4. v Evropi, Primož Roglič 1. na svetovni kolesarski lestvici, Tim Gajser svetovni prvak v motokrosu... Še bi lahko našteval... To so aktualni podatki na dan 26.1.2020. Vse to iz 2-milijonskega naroda, vse to iz nabora komajda 7mestnega števila moških v lepi naši domovini. Ženskih uspehov tokrat ne bom našteval.

Slovenski kotiček v Tele2 Areni. Foto: Slavko Kolar

Uspehi nam zelo pogosto lepšajo dneve in tedne, malo smo se že razvadili. Čeprav mi osebno nimamo nič s tem, nas vseeno razveseljujejo. Vsa čast športnikom, ki vsak dan garajo za te uspehe, s katerimi se potem vsi hvalimo.

Ti zmage in porazi so vedno dobra tema pogovora, iz tega se razvije debata. Seveda obstajajo tudi kavč selektorji, ki so se večinoma od športa preizkusili samo v  desetprstnem tipkanje na tipkovnico. Po športnih debatah ljudje grejo od pogovora dobre volje in ne jezni, zamračeni, zmedeni v primeru ko debate pade na politiko. 

"Panem et circences" (Kruha in iger) so dejali že Rimljani, vedeli so kako v ljudeh vzbuditi zadovoljstvo.

Vsakemu navijaču tekma njegove ekipe dvigne adrenalin že doma, če navijaš na prizorišču pa si tako ali tako čisto v tekmi, ogret (sicer na drug način) tako kot igralci, dihaš z ekipo, si čisto v tekmi, skoraj tako kot da bi bil na igrišču. V dobrem in v slabem.

Ob tej svetovno znani zastavi z napisom Trebnje sedaj dela zastava z napisom Moškanjci že kar konkurenco.

Res je bil sem na EP 2016 v rokometu na Poljskem kot prostovoljec, prav tako na olimpijskih igrah v Riu kot prostovoljec - to je bilo organizirano in dalj časa trajajoče. Tako navijaško pa sem v zadnjih 4 mesecih komaj zdaj uvidel kako dober izgovor je to, da greš nekam na izlet v tujino, spoznavaš nove ljudi, se družiš s podobno mislečimi. Nastajajo  nova prijateljstva, nova poznanstva, nove poslovne priložnosti, srečuješ ljudi različnih profilov iz cele Slovenije, nikoli ne veš koga boš kdaj rabil. Več nas je, bolj smo glasni!

Navijači v Stockholmu z reprezentanco. Foto: Slavko Kolar

Navijamo za Rogliča in Pogačarja v Madridu

Še sam si dober teden nazaj nisem mislil, da bom danes sedel v Stockholmu, pel skupaj z ABBO "Dancing queen" karaoke in pisal blog, pa ga. Brez dobrih iger rokometašev zagotovo ne bi videl teh severnih Benetk, mesta ob vodi, te idilične severne arhitekture in spoznaval prijazne ljudi. V sredo je padla odločitev, v soboto zjutraj sem sedel na letalu, brez dolgotrajnih priprav na potovanje. Pri tej mizerni ceni letalskih kart si prav premalo privoščimo takšne izlete. Na drug konec Evrope, v Azijo ali severno Afriko lahko prideš za isti denar (oz. ceneje), kot te stane prevoz v Dalmacijo in domov za dopust. Samo dovolj iznajdljiv moraš biti. 

Tako ko razmislim, sem skoraj prepričan, da bo spomladi čas za nov podoben projekt. 

Čisto preprosto je, samo odločiti se moraš in iti. Če maš še nek izgovor, je to še lažje.

No v iskanju letalskih kart za nov izlet ne bom več dolgovezil.

Simon

#6 Volunteer or spectator, job or opportunity?

If you ask me headline question - volunteer AND spectator and more than opportunity.

Accreditation with pins

Why come to Olympics just to work? Maybe I am so in love with sports, but c'mon, you cannot just come to Olympics to work and obey the orders from supervisor, whom is by the way among paid stuff. You get your Olympic clothes and accreditation, and you don't use it at all? They didn't pay us anything except for that clothes, food on working days and transportation. But where are the tickets, volunteer parties, getting to know each other? That only depends on a person and his intentions to make new friends, meet new people and maybe because of that, once explore the world. If I met volunteer not from Brazil on ticketing in front of Arenas, it was easy to go in, but usually there were Brazilians afraid of closing their eyes just to let me in to watch some matches, afraid to ask someone the same question at other venues. I thought that we volunteers should help out each other - especially because some tickets were really expensive, but OK, lecture for next time for me. That was the only negative part of volunteer experience, otherwise it was amazing to be part of the games. 

Rio2016 everywhere (Deodoro park)

There are a lot of positive things about being a volunteer. First of all, making new friends from all over the world. Also there is one great thing for being a volunteer - you are part of big machine, which is needed to work smoothly, that people from other end of the world can enjoy the games on TV or as spectators live at venues. And you can see closely, how many parts has this machine, how does it work and what can go wrong. The most important thing everywhere is that everything has to be perfect for TV. 

Few Slovenian volunteers (5/10+)

There were volunteers from more than 100 countries, so there were also more then 10 Slovenians (I still do not know, if I met all of them). It is really nice to meet some people from your country with same thinking, plans and love for sports. We already decieded to make some meeting soon, of course with caipirinhas and Brazilian music. And with some of them, we already turned our compass towards Japan and Tokyo2020. 

The best fans on the world with Sara Isakovic

As a spectator I have really special experience, I visited a lot of sports, but supporting Slovenian athletes here in Rio was really amazing. For great atmosphere at table tennis, sailing and handball, I joined four amazing people from Trebnje and surroundings (Thank you Čarli, Mlaki, Kuri and Jerry) - we have been so loud and supporting for Slovenia, that we made it to New York Times, all Slovenian TVs and newspapers and all over the internet. If few Slovenians can make big part of Future Arena screaming "Dajmo Slovenci" then anything is possible. Dissapointment after Slovenian team lost quaterfinal match against Denmark was huge, but at that moment they were better and now they are Olympic champions. It was seen, that we were breathing with a team. But this is sport, this is the past, now we should go for the new wins in future. There was a lot of joy, celebrating Slovenian medals.

sLOVEnia

Slovenian olympic committee prepared some celebrations and hanging out with our athletes, celebrating their successes and there was also oppourtunity to meet some important people from Slovenian sport organization. So I hope, that meeting them was good deal for the future, maybe already for Tokyo2020. I will be there for sure, but still do not know in what position. Only one thing is certain, in summer 2020 I am travelling to Japan.

Last time in olympic park 

From Rio with love, 

SR

#5 Living my dreams - let it last forever

Now it is day 9 of Olympic games and I can tell you, I live my dreams. Amazing venues, crazy atmosphere, top athletes of the world, wonderful city - it is like wonderland for me.

With my flag enjoying olympic park

Venues - arenas and stadiums are amazing,  atmosphere at all of them is great, Brazilians really like sports and they know how to support all partcipants. The organization although is not so good, especially ticketing and transport to the venues is a problem, as one of athletes in olympic village said, they are never on time, when they supposed to be. When you are on spectator buses, you can expect to be like sardines in a tin, too many people. Security is also just like on airport, so all procedure to come to the venue and spectator area or your work, it takes at least 30 mins.

But once you are in, you forget about all the problems before - then opens for me totally different world - spectators from all over the world, if you are in national uniform - they want to take picture with you, if you are in volunteer uniform, they will ask you a lot of questions, but all people are really kind and atmosphere is amazing. Special olympic sport is also exchange of pins, some people have like a hundred of them, so on my next olympics I will be prepared and bring a lot of Slovenian ones.

Here are some venues:

Olympic tennis stadium

Water polo arena

Olympic park panorama - from left to right Cariocas arenas triplets 1,2,3; Future arena, Olympic aquatics stadium

Olympic stadium - athletics 

Handball - Future arena

My workspace - Badminton arena - RioCentro Pavillion 4

At olympics is also a great time to see some new sports live, so I try to visit as many venues as possible, for me everywhere is a lot of spectators, more than I expected. But the best atmosphere and most amazing venue of this olympic games is for sure BeachVolley arena on famous Copacabana beach - I was lucky to be there on a rival game between home Brazil team and neighbour Argentinian team, crazy atmosphere, full arena, amazing athletes and view from dreams. 

BeachVolley Arena at Copacabana beach

But from the spectator position I can say that with Brazilian fans only Slovenian fans especially organized on handball matches, leaded by my friends from Trebnje. At match of Slovenia versus Brazil, at some moments we have been louder than full Future Arena of brazilian fans. We are not a lot of people here, but we support our team from all heart!

The best fans on the world - supporting team Slovenia (source: www.delo.si)

Also volunteer experience is amazing, making new friends from all over the world. Volunteers are from 18 years old to more than 70, all races, all nationalities. And all of them are amazing people, for most of foreigners there is sometimes a problem, that some of Brazilian ones, does not speak English. Luckily we got tags: I speak English, so by accreditation you know, who is easier to speak with him or her. But I will leave more from making friends and meeting people from all over the world for the next story. It is so amazing that especially us international volunteers already started thinking about next project - Tokyo2020. 

Until next time from Olympic Rio,

Simon Ranfl