After a busy day at the Neretva regatta in Metković, where they won one gold, two silver, and three bronze medals, claiming first place overall in the youngest category for male and female cadets, the rowers of the “Rama” Rowing Club are back to regular training on Monday. The youngest members were the first to arrive and launch their single-seater boats (skiffs) and one four-seater (coxed four) into Rama Lake. One by one, under the watchful eye of coach Filip Šimunović and coach Delfina, they start rowing along their route. They are followed by Ana, Mia, Iva and Ines with the coxswain Ivan in a coxed four.
Josip, who comes from the nearby town of Ripci, is also a regular at the training sessions. He participated in the Regatta and won a bronze medal:
“I’ve been training for about six months now, and I like coming here. I enjoy rowing and hanging out with everyone. It was amazing at the regatta; we won third place in the quad scull. It’s a great feeling to win a medal,” says Josip. Iva was also part of the “bronze quad,” earning her second medal since she started training.
“I come from Jaklić, and I love everything we do in the club, especially rowing. It’s a wonderful feeling to go out on the lake in a boat and row. When I’m in a boat, I like that we all row together and there’s no arguing,” says Iva.
After their training session, during which they rowed along their designated routes on Ramsko Lake under the guidance of their coach, Delfina, the girls and boys carried the boats, oars, and other equipment back to the warehouse with help from senior club members. Among them is 17-year-old Ivana, who has been in the club for over five years.
“I started rowing when I was the same age as they are now, and I’ve achieved a lot over the years, especially at the beginning. For the past two years, I’ve been rowing in a double with my friend Antonija, and we’re doing well,” says Ivana, who also mentioned how important the club is for her:
“I live in Ščit, the club is nearby and it was a great opportunity. If it wasn’t for the club and rowing, I don’t know what I would do. If I left the club, I would be bored. This way, I always have something to do. When we are not training on the lake, we also have a gym we can go to, and we regularly participate in other club activities and projects that are not directly related to rowing. I am currently involved in a project for high school students – every month, we have a workshop and an activity. We have social events coming soon, swimming, badminton…”
Ante and Stjepan, who were preparing for the Vukovar rowing marathon with Filip and Delfina, also arrived for their session. They competed in the eight, but since they didn’t have an oct, they prepared in two groups of four. They borrowed an oct from their friends in Vukovar for the event. Ante was actively involved in the club for about five years. Since starting university in Split, he occasionally returns to row as a hobbyist.
“The club meant a lot to me. I spent my high school days and grew up there, and it’s a big part of my identity. I couldn’t imagine growing up without this club. I would have done some other sport definitely, but this was nearby, and it’s a good sport for endurance and strength,” says 21-year-old Ante Franjić.
After training with the youngest members, Delfina Tadić, who hails from Prozor/Rama and holds a Masters in Kinesiology, completed her own rigorous training for the rowing marathon. She has been working as a coach in the club for three years since graduating from university.
“Our club is definitely one of the best in the country in terms of how it operates, if not the best, and it’s a pleasure to be a part of it – from the training sessions, through working with children, participating in regattas, but also participating in various projects. The club is very important for both me and all the children who have the opportunity to engage in such a useful sport right at their doorstep and make the most of the lake. It’s priceless,” says Delfina, adding that she is involved in almost all club activities:
“We are fully engaged—every Saturday and Sunday—with activities like hiking, cycling, clean-up campaigns, projects with young people, summer programs for children including swimming and rowing lessons…, involving children in every sport we can. It is important for us that the children get into the habit of training and playing sports, which keeps them off the streets,” adds Delfina, underscoring the personal significance of the club to her:
“If I didn’t have a job in my profession here at the club, I would have to look for other options. After finishing university, I had an opportunity to stay in Mostar, where I studied, but I told myself that I would go home and try to find a job. When they offered me a job at the rowing club, and I saw how it’s run and how it supports young people in every aspect, I decided to stay there.”
Filip Šimunović, coach and president of the “Rama” Rowing Club, takes pride in the club’s work and achievements since its establishment in 2013, particularly since rowing doesn’t have a long tradition in the region, despite the lake being ideal for the sport.
“We can thank the renowned Croatian trainer, Srećko Šuk, for our early beginnings. He had been bringing groups of rowers to train here since 2002. The club was finally founded through the IPA cross-border cooperation project. At the very beginning, many doubted we’d succeed. We were inexperienced but eager to learn,” says Filip, reminiscing about the club’s early days.
“After that, I spent several years working with a trainer. I then completed my studies in kinesiology and got important international certifications as a trainer. After he left in 2015, I continued working with children and young people. In the beginning, we had nowhere to compete. In 2017, we joined the Dalmatian Rowing Association, and once we started winning medals, it motivated all of us to keep going strong. The lake offers ideal conditions, including a marked 2000-meter Olympic course. We also host the traditional “Lake to Lake” regatta, which attracts over 100 participants annually…”
He adds that the club’s efforts were quickly recognized, leading to support from the Municipality. However, they still needed additional funds to purchase expensive equipment. They focused on capacity building and participating in projects, where, in addition to equipment, they received crucial support in building their skills and connecting with other organizations.
“In 2020, through the PRO-Budućnost project, we connected with the Association “Green Valley” from Jablanica and organized a rowing and kayaking course, and our young participants cleaned part of the shore of Ramsko Lake together. Through PRO-Budućnost, we got to know the Institute for Youth Development KULT, and they included us in some of their programs,” says Filip, noting in particular their involvement in the Localworks capacity-building program:
“With the support of the Institute’s team, we participated in valuable training sessions that improved our understanding of how organizations operate, including writing requests. They were always there to answer any questions we had about these topics. We are still in the midst of this process; we’re working on our documentation, the statute, and operations. The first time we cooperated, it helped us with getting projects up and running, and our latest cooperation through Localworks is helping us define the necessary procedures. It helped us strengthen the organization, broaden our perspectives, better recognize and utilize our excellent resources, and strive to make an impact in all aspects. Since we already have some resources, let’s work to improve them. We always work to empower our own membership base through projects. Currently, we are focusing on the project “Youth for a Better Tomorrow,” which involves 38 high school students in workshops, volunteerism, and various other activities.”
Filip mentions that through lectures and activities with the Institute, they’ve met many colleagues from all over Bosnia and Herzegovina, which has motivated them to pursue more initiatives.
“We have already initiated several projects with associations from Tuzla and Sarajevo, and we have also collaborated on a project with the Travnik Red Cross, whom we met during one of the Institute’s seminars.” We had social events in Travnik, then here in Rama and we went to Livno. This led to many friendships and acquaintances. “Last year and this year, we participated in the ‘Let’s Do It’ activity, and we remain in contact with many others, planning to collaborate as soon as we get the opportunity.”
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