Povezovanje je ključ do uspeha
Ko sem začel s triatlonom, se z marsičem nisem obremenjeval. Danes pa so to prepreke (ali pa so bile) oz. pomembne stvari brez katerih ni mogoče doseči končnega cilja. V vrhunskem športu samo ure in ure treninga še zdaleč niso dovolj. Športnik potrebuje okolje v katerem lahko trenira in je do potankosti organizirano, potrebuje trening partnerje - družbo brez katere je težko preživljati težke ure in deliti veselje.
Poleg tega je tu ogromno stroškov in logistike glede načrtovanja tekmovanj, priprav... Vse to pa predstavlja še dodatno oviro, če nimaš dovolj denarnih sredstev. Na začetku poti si lahko marsikaj financiraš sam, a ko enkrat treniraš 5-8 ur dnevno in ti je to poklic, je potem vedno težje. Stroški vsega pa z napredovanjem v višji rang tekmovanj ponavadi vztrajno rastejo. Tudi sam sem se znašel v začaranem krogu že na začetku poti, ko kljub vsem potencialom in talentu, enostavno nisem bil tržno zanimiv za podjetja. Podjetjem so pomembni rezultati, prepoznavnost, osebne lastnosti športnika in seveda reklama, ki jo športnik lahko nudi. Takrat moraš imeti vizijo, jasne realne cilje in seveda tisto nekaj malo drugačnosti, da v tebi vidijo X - faktor. Začelo se je z malimi sponzorstvi, ki jih je treba negovat in se učiti. Ko z leti počasi gradiš odnose, se odpirajo nove možnosti in če imaš srečo, da se ti vse izide potem prispeš na cilj. A pot najbrž nikoli ni lahka, saj pri nas redko vidimo, da bi kdo imel preveč sredstev za trening ali tekmovalni proces :)
In na koncu so za morebiten končni uspeh "krivi" prav vsi deležniki. Tudi tisti prvi sponzor, ki ti je poklonil par majic, da si lahko kasneje nanje dodajal pokrovitelje in partnerje, ki so v tebe skozi leta vlagali po par tisoč evrov. Zato nikoli ne pozabi kje si začel in vedno verjemi, da če se boš potrudil in naredil vse kot je treba nekje čaka nekdo, ki bo prepoznal v tebi dodano vrednost ter te podprl!
Zato sem presrečen, da sem kar med sezono dobil podporo s strani podjetja GVO, ki se me je odločilo podpreti in postati moj generalni partner. Zahvala tudi podjetjema Vahta in Q-FREE, ki sta prav tako podprli moj cilj ter vsem, ki mi stojite ob strani že od prvega dne. V čast si štejem, da smo do danes še vedno vsi skupaj.
(družinsko podjetje Metalia je bilo eno prvih, ki me je podprlo na moji poti)
When I started with triathlon I did not think of any hurdles that may come along. But today these hurdles are important and somehow I have to overcome it to reach my goals. Hours and hours of long trainings are not enough in professional sport. An athlete needs good training conditions and everyday has to be well planned and optimised. You need good training partners, because without them is almost impossible to get through.
There are also a lot of expenses and logistics when planning races and training camps. So if there is lack of money this is a huge downfall. At the begginig of path I was able to finance my activites, but now when I am training 5-8 hours a day it is impossible to have steady job and train. And with trainings and competition on higher levels also expenses rise exponentially. At the beggining getting sponsors was very difficult. I was just not interesting enough for the companies. Companies value good results, media exposure and atheletes special character atributes. YOu have to have a vision, clear and realistic goals and little of that x-factor. It all began with small sponsors, which you have nourish. With years you meet diferent people and new oportunities arrive and if you are lucky everything aligns and you cross the finish line. And I guess, the path is never easy and there are never too much funds to cover training and traveling costs.
At the end everybody that contributes is important, from the smallest sponsort to the biggest. That is why you must never forget any of them and be thankfull to all of them. At the end if you keep doing the best you can, right people will see your effort and tallent to support you, I am sure.
That is why I am happy to announce that I got a general partner in the middle of season - company GVO d.o.o. At the same time also companies Vlahta and Q-FREE decided to support my goal. Therefor I thank all of them and also to all the other people and companies to believe in me and helping me in achieving my olympc goal. Thank you all! I am proud to be on this path with you.