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Day two of the Kids Camp in Budva pulsed with fresh energy as the young judo family gathered once again, inspired and challenged by iconic figures of European judo. Among them was Larisa CERIC of Bosnia and Herzegovina, a double world medallist and four-time European medallist, whose presence alone lit up the tatami. After an engaging session on the mat, she took a moment to reflect and share her thoughts.
“This is [Kids Camp] a perfect concept because when we were young, we didn’t have this opportunity,” she began with sincerity. “Now, the new generation has this opportunity to learn from the best, to meet the big champions, to hang out together, to learn something new, to improve their judo skills and most importantly, to have fun.”
Ceric’s connection to the next generation goes beyond instruction, it is deeply personal and rooted in gratitude. “When I got the invitation from EJU, I was so excited and very honoured to be called here because I understand that the European Judo Union appreciates my results. I have won two world medals, four European medals, and for me, this is a great chance to show my judo skills here at the training camp. I see that people from the EJU respect me and my career just like people from the Judo Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and it means a lot to me.”
For Larisa, the true magic of the Kids Camp lies in giving the children direct access to their role models, both on and off the mat. “The fact that the kids have hands-on experience as well as being able to see their heroes in live action, in competition, is really special because when we were young, you know, we didn’t have that chance to go to the European Championship and watch our idols and feel that atmosphere in the sports hall that we had yesterday for example. I think these young people are very, very happy because the EJU started to give them a chance to be at the European Championship and learn a lot.
“To be with the champions is amazing and it’s not only amazing for the kids, but believe me, for the athletes competing too,” she added with passion. “I remember, I always liked to fight in Sarajevo, in Zagreb, in Belgrade, in Podgorica because we speak the same language and a lot of people know me. So every time I went to the final block, I heard so many people in the crowd cheering for me, and in a lot of situations, that helped me very much, like when I felt tired, when I thought I couldn’t go anymore, I heard those people cheering for me and I got more power. So this setup is not only a support for the children but also for our champions.”
While her accolades are many, coaching kids is far from new for Larisa, it is a calling that followed her Olympic journey. “I have my own club. After the Olympics, I started my judo school inside my club, so I have a lot of kids and I really like to work with them. It helps me feel relaxed because, you know, with kids, you learn judo again. You practice with them in every training and most of all, we have a lot of fun because they are small and it’s like we are playing but we are learning judo through games. It is nice.”
When asked about her teaching philosophy, her answer was immediate and heartfelt. “My primary objective when teaching children is I just want them to have fun because I think if they like judo and if they have fun, I think they will stay in judo. Sometimes kids have a lot of pressure from parents, from coaches, and maybe they stop judo altogether. But my main goal is to keep them happy and maybe one day, from that group, to have one good cadet, junior, or maybe senior judoka.”
In Ceric, the young judoka in Budva hadn’t just seeing a champion, they are learning from someone who remembers what it was like to dream without the same opportunities, and who is now making sure those dreams are more possible than ever before.
Author: Szandra Szogedi