Ermin Jusufovic’s exceptional 20-year profession in sitting volleyball is a shining instance of relentless dedication and enthusiasm. Since first donning the jersey for Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2001, Jusufovic has devoted himself to the game with loads of dedication, pushed by a deep ardour and overflowing assist of his household and pals.
“Truthfully, once I began representing Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2001, I by no means dreamed it will final for over 20 years. My greatest motivation has at all times been my love for the sport. I nonetheless take pleasure in being on the sitting volleyball courtroom simply as a lot as I did 20 years in the past. How might it not be? When I’m on the courtroom, I’m actually exhibiting the most effective model of myself. I need to additionally point out the assist of my household and pals, which has been invaluable all through my profession. I at all times attempt to make them proud,” Jusufovic defined.
Jusufovic’s introduction to worldwide competitors was nothing in need of a dream come true on the 2001 European Championships in Hungary.
“That first competitors was a dream come true. Only a 12 months earlier than, I used to observe the video games of (Sabahudin) Delalić and (Asim) Medić. In 2001, I grew to become their teammate, and collectively we grew to become European champions. I’ll always remember my mother and father’ tears once I returned residence and my first look on Televizija Tuzlanskog kantona (RTV TK),” he recalled.
As a group captain for greater than 15 years, Jusufovic has realized the nuances of management. “I imagine that empathy in direction of teammates and their issues, each on and off the courtroom, is a key trait for profitable management. A captain ought to be a good friend, but in addition somebody who is aware of the boundary between the pursuits of the group and the person. Having the ability and prepared to compromise can be essential,” the Bosnian athlete burdened.
Among the many myriad of worldwide competitions he has competed in and conquered, there are a lot of victories he remembers, however just one victory stood out for him.
“That’s a troublesome one. There have been many victories, however the greatest one is certainly our first victory in opposition to Iran on the World Championship in Egypt in 2002. We knocked them out within the semifinals, which paved the best way for our first world championship title win. It was Iran’s first loss in over 15 years,” he stated.
His quite a few awards and accolades replicate his dedication to the game, however one holds particular significance him.
“Essentially the most vital of all my particular person awards is the MVP recognition of the membership’s Euroleague in 2022 in Myslowice, Poland. I gained the championship title and finest participant with my membership SKISO Sinovi Bosne Lukavac in our first official look in Europe. My membership has given a lot to sitting volleyball in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and it deserved such recognition. It would stay a long-lasting reminiscence for me.”
Their males’s sitting volleyball nationwide group has turn out to be essentially the most adorned in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s sporting historical past, successful a complete of six Paralympic medals – two gold, three silver, and one bronze. Jusufovic has earned medals within the final 5 editions, together with the bronze medal from Tokyo 2020, which he hopes to proceed including to in his sixth straight look on the Paralympic Video games in Paris.
