Twenty-two-year-old Helena Kovačević from Vlasenica, who won two titles with the Red Star Women’s Basketball Club – the Serbian Championship title and the Milan “Ciga” Vasojević Cup – told SRNA that the success came after a great deal of sacrifice and perseverance, which paid off.
Kovačević said that the Red Star’s players dominated throughout the entire league, as well as in the finals series, where they defeated the team from Kraljevo 3–0. This led to outstanding results and a historic achievement; they finished the season with 27 wins and not a single loss in the domestic championship, something that had never happened before in the club’s history.
She added that it is an honor to play for the best basketball club in Serbia, where she signed her first senior professional contract.
“I had a significant role on the team, playing at the shooting guard/small forward positions, alongside very talented girls who compete at a high level. They are national team players, and it’s a great honor for me to play with them,” Kovačević said, emphasizing that although each of them is unique and different, once they step on the court, they live for each other and the team.
Kovačević says that the training is intense, and anyone who chooses to become an athlete should know that it requires a lot of sacrifice, but that love for the game outweighs all the hardships and helps overcome obstacles.
She noted that this year was especially challenging, with a packed schedule and extensive travel, recalling their participation in the EuroCup and the match against Galatasaray in Istanbul, where they suffered a defeat and failed to advance further in the competition.
Kovačević says she has experienced a lot throughout her career; among other things, she played for the Belgrade team, completed secondary school there, received a scholarship, and that this sport brings many privileges.
She says that she has extended her contract with the Red Star for another year, and while it’s too soon to speak about plans, she’s certain that her priorities are clear: staying healthy, completing her studies at the Faculty of Pharmacy, and continuing her basketball journey with hopes of one day playing for the national team and perhaps playing abroad.
Source: srna.rs
