The
first time I saw Branko was on a small inlet of a
great European river – the Danube. He was sitting in
his canoe setting up poles for a canoe slalom training
course. As a photographer, I was immediately
intrigued. My interest grew, until one day I asked if
he would agree to a photo series of his life as a
coach. He agreed and I came to know Branko, his
students and his work with them from a much closer
angle.
Branko
holds a university degree in Biochemistry. Despite
working full-time, he has been a volunteer coach for
children and youth for the past 40 years. Meets and
practices take place at least three days per week,
year-round, even during school summer holidays.
Summers happen on the water, winters happen in the
gym, at the pool or in the weight room. He prepares
students for canoe slalom and sprint competitions in
Slovakia and abroad. During the summer, he organizes
summer camps that perfect water skills, and tourist
canoe trips down rivers. Former students are on hand
to help him with his endeavors.
Since
minimal funding is available for the sport, he fixes
older vessels for his students, so that they are able
to train. His responsibilities include securing
training areas, boathouse and slalom course upkeep,
and last but not least, finding sponsors.
His
leadership of children and youth is based on a natural
authority. As a good teacher would, he exposes them to
a controlled risk, which he teaches them to tackle
with respect and without fear. Meets and most of all
summer camps under his guidance are not only a way to
exercise sporting techniques, but also to teach life
skills and teamwork.
I
spent a quality amount of time with Branko and his
students and was able to get to know them better. Now
I know that he not only sets the course for canoe
slalom but for life itself.
Branko Illek (1949) graduated from
Comenius University in Bratislava with a degree in
Biochemistry. He has worked in the medical laboratory
field and is the author of several specialized
publications. He has lectured on laboratory technology
in clinical biochemistry at both undergraduate and
postgraduate levels. His coaching career began after
graduating from university. He gradually obtained the
highest possible qualifications at the Coaching
Department of Comenius University. He began coaching
at the Slávia Club of Comenius University and
presently heads the Water Slalom Club of Karlova Ves
in Bratislava. Apart from coaching, he is also an
international canoe slalom judge, taking part in
numerous world competitions (World Championships,
World Cup, European Championships). He is the first
Slovak to have judged at the Olympic Games. He was
chief judge six times at the World Cup, a feat no
other Slovak has accomplished. Hundreds of students
have trained under his guidance, many achieving great
success (World Champions, Czechoslovak and Slovak
champions). Present-day competition boat
manufacturers, the Vajda brothers, also started out in
his team.
Rád
by som poďakoval Brankovi a jeho zverencom za to, že mi
umožnili nazrieť do ich klubového života, Eve a Niki za
preklad sprievodného textu do angličtiny - oficiálneho
jazyka projektu TheOtherHundred.