Volleyball and Ulcinj residents, volleyball in Ulcinj?
It existed, of course, but mainly through small schools and the enthusiastic work of physical education professor Vukašin Radošević, who gathered boys who wanted to play volleyball.
The club rose and fell, started and stopped - in a word, existed, and sometimes not even that. The chronic lack of funds and support was an "eternal" obstacle to starting a more serious story...
Until this season, when OK Ulcinj became a Super League team. People organized themselves, support arrived - and the stadium was full. In the last round, the fourth in this year's EPCG Super League, the first victory came, against Cetinje.
- The people got up to watch, they saw something new was happening. We have a hall, a small hall, which was full against Cetinje, we believe it will be full against Sutjeska as well - Nikola Ražnatović tells Odbojka.me.
It is he, Nikola Ražnatović, a native of Ulcinj, a former Montenegrin national team member, a long-time international player, who is perhaps most responsible for the “return of volleyball” to the southernmost city. He received an invitation, a request to return, to activate the players, but also, more importantly, to gather and make the whole thing serious. He is both a player and a coach...
- I came at the invitation of Vukašin Radošević, as someone who not only played volleyball, but also as someone who is involved in coaching and as someone who has coaching experience. I worked in Red Star with the juniors, I was an assistant to Ivica Jevtić in the first team. My wish was to play at least one match for my Ulcinj, and now, it turned into something more than that - says Ražnatović.
He was born in Ulcinj, where he finished elementary and high school, but when he went to study in Niš, his volleyball career began far from his hometown. From Novi Pazar and Niš, through Cyprus, Romania, Slovenia, Lebanon, and back to Serbia, where he ended his playing career two years ago, in Ribnica from Kraljevo - he believed at the time.
- I'm in solid shape, despite a two-year break, we Ulcinjites obviously have good genetics and predispositions to play sports - he says with a smile.
His role on the field, of course, is just to help his young teammates.
- Vukašin Radošević's volleyball school was transformed into a club at the initiative of the president of the Volleyball Association, Nikola Kažić, and we filled the Super League after the closure of the men's team Galeb. We filled the team with four Budva players, who were sent to us by Miljan Bošković as loan players, there are also two guys from Bar, and of course from Ulcinj. That mix from the south, Ulcinj, Budva, Bar, brought us our first victory, which was very significant - points out Ražnatović.
- Our idea is survival, then growth. We also need to bring in two or three good players, that's the plan for next season, but with or without them, we have to work. We have support and conditions, which is the most important thing.
Ražnatović lists:
- Professor Vukašin Radošević should be highlighted, it is incredible how enthusiastic this man is. I would also like to thank Nikola Kažić, then Ivan Ječmenica, we were together in the national team ten years ago. The city also stood behind us, the mayor Genci Nimanbegu and the president of the municipal assembly Ivana Popović. Their support means a lot to us.
Point by point, set by set, and here is the first victory for Ulcinj.
- We were looking forward to reaching 20 points, then winning the set, now we are looking forward to winning. Soon we will look forward to winning. Of course, it is not yet the level I am used to, but for my city, for my Ulcinj, I am satisfied - concluded Ražnatović.
Bonus video:
