Friday 7:00 pm
Thursday was a day full of thought and wonder. Until now, I don't quite know how I should relate to the whole thing. On the other hand, I know one thing, I can't stay quiet and have no opinion. Especially when he's been living in a basketball environment for many years and I'm well aware of what's going on in it.
Starting from the beginning...
Reading the article accompanied me a lot of feelings. One of them was compassion Compassion for all ′′ victims ′′ who were notoriously humiliated, challenged, and molested. It's hard for me to even think about it, because these were the girls I shared the locker rooms with, the national staff groups, the rooms in the bursa, the time for: meals, in school, and above all on the pitch where together we were working towards jointly targeted sports goals. These are girls who treat like sisters. It hurts even more to read the stories of their traumas that formed before my eyes.
The second feeling was grief. I'm sure I'm not the only student of SMS PZkosz Lomianka accompanied by this feeling. In a moment, I will explain exactly why I think so.
As we could read in the article, coach Roman Skrzecz treated his players differently. I was part of a group of those who didn't experience any excuses from him: he bet on me, I got a lot of minutes on the dance floor, his remarks only concern what was happening on the field, I was a leader in his teams. You can say I have nothing to write about, but the truth is that hurting your loved ones hurts more than your own, and I could watch this every day. Seeing a friend crying into a pillow was rather normal, but it's sport - IT NEEDS TO BE TWISTED!
Returning, regret is probably the best word describing all the events that took place. Regret and remorse that I respectfully treated someone who definitely doesn't deserve that respect. Grief and anger, because the traumas and suffering did not spread evenly after all SMS players, and affected the ′′ selected ′′ individuals in such a vast way. Grief and bitterness that as 16-year-old children we were not aware enough to set boundaries and fight for ourselves.
That is why I would like to focus on this awareness in my statement. On awareness and changing the standards and working culture of coaches developing children in all sports disciplines, because I believe that situations like this from our basketball community are also normality in other sports circles.
Why do we lack awareness?
I think Poland is a master at creating taboo topics and practicing silence language in topics that are uncomfortable or delicate. We think that if you don't talk about something, the problem will disappear. Unfortunately, the truth is completely different. Sweeped under the rug problems someday hit you with strength and it will be hard to do anything with them anymore. We all know how important prevention is in sports e.g. before the injuries. In the case of interaction with another human being, in the case of abuse, in the case of hate and hate, this is an appropriate education that we are definitely missing.
How is a 14-year-old girl supposed to judge that something is right and wrong? How can she assess that the way the coach, educator, teacher addresses her is considerate if she has never been educated in this direction? How do you judge that something is harassment and something is not, if Poland is so distinguished from sex education?
When I read the comments and see ′′ why didn't these girls report this sooner?", I ask myself, do people realize what type of problem we're facing? Stories presented in the article are the statements of WOMEN who, after many years of their lives and continuous learning, realized that ′′ NORMAL ′′ things accepted, cannot be reconciled, because they are actually a gradual deprivation of dignity. For years we've been giving permission for rude, sexist comments! Why is that? Because we're scared! The reason we're afraid is because coaches have control over our dreams. We believe that by setting boundaries and defying trainers we will throw away all the work we have put into building our past career. That's why we prefer to remain silent.
How do you change it when there is still silence? How do you change it if people know but still don't talk? We need leaders and votes! That's why I'm so glad that there were people who decided to create this article. I am happy that the changing generation is increasingly recognizing how important it is to defend their point and fight for the good of the general. I am grateful and proud of the girls who decided to speak despite their fear. Not for themselves, but for other children who, like them, are just starting their basketball adventure.
This is not revenge! It's not the desire to bring down one man. This is a fight for basketball and all the kids that will ever love it again! This is the fight for coaches with passion, authority, for people who will inspire young people to push their own limits, to be fulfilled people who know how to set goals and pursue them!
Being demanding doesn't mean being TYRAN and discipline doesn't mean TERROR. This is a thin line and it's very easy to cross.
TO ALL CHILDREN AND PARENTS:
Everyone deserves a demanding but positive and safe work environment. This is critical to our physical and mental development. That's why our mental health IS important! How we feel IS important. Let's not forget that at the end of the day every athlete should take joy and satisfaction from what they do. Basketball this is a GAME. It doesn't define what kind of people we are and what values we have.
I believe that we can change a lot, because I know that apart from the bad ones, there are also many valuable coaches who want victories, not the defeats of their pupils!
At the very end, referring to the words of Director Teresa Juranek, which hurt me so much...
If you've been hurt by someone, remember one thing...
IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT!
Let's build, not destroy! Together we can do more!
Anna Makurat
