For some, sport means competition. For others, it’s routine. But for Lea, a long-time rower from HAŠK Mladost, sport became a space for growth, development, and discovering new ways to stay connected to what she loves, even after stepping back from daily training.
Meet Lea: a student, judge, sport enthusiast and a living example that sport continues beyond the boat.
Lea, can you briefly introduce yourself?
Hi! I’m Lea, a student at FER (Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing), and I’ve been rowing for seven years. Although I train less now due to university responsibilities, I’m still an active member of the club, just in a slightly different way.
What motivated you to stay involved, even if you’re training less?
Rowing practices are intense, and with university and other extracurricular activities, I didn’t have the energy for daily training anymore. But I didn’t want to lose my connection with the club and the sport. The club gave me the opportunity to help write project proposals and funding applications, which turned out to be a great way to stay involved.
We’ve heard you’re now also a certified judge?
Yes! The club supported me in obtaining my judging license, and now I participate as a rowing judge at competitions. Even though I’m not competing anymore, I feel like I’m still contributing to the club and the sport and that means a lot to me.
How would you describe what rowing has given you?
Rowing is definitely one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life. I’ve met incredible people and gained knowledge and experiences I never expected, not just in sport, but in life in general.
What did you learn through the STAY! project?
The most important realization for me was that sport is more than just the physical part. Through the project, I got a behind-the-scenes look at everything — organisation, administration, communication — and it opened my eyes. Sometimes I find that world even more interesting than competing!
Are you still staying active in sport?
Absolutely. Sport gives me structure, a sense of belonging, and joy. I’m happiest when I’m active and surrounded by people from the sport.
Lea’s story proves that leaving sport doesn’t mean leaving the community. Through the STAY! project, she found a new perspective and her club gained a dedicated member who may no longer sit in the boat, but is still rowing with the same heart.
How can sports clubs keep young people involved when competition alone isn’t enough? For Levski – Sport for All, the answer lies in connection: to family, to community, and to the deeper values that sport can bring. As part of the STAY project, Levski explored new ways to engage youth, encourage responsibility, and ensure that no one is left behind – even when life takes them off the pitch.
We spoke with the team at Levski about what worked, what challenged them most, and what they plan to keep doing long after the project ends.
Why did you decide to include families and friends in sports training?
When we involve children’s loved ones—friends and family—in training, it motivates the young athletes to give their best. The chance to perform in front of people they care about boosts their self-esteem and confidence.
At the same time, this approach attracts new members to the club—volunteers, sponsors, and fans. In our case, family support is essential: they help with event organisation, transport to competitions, and even with repairing and maintaining sports facilities.
How did young people respond to taking on assistant roles, like coaching or refereeing?
At first, young people are unsure and a bit nervous. But they are also curious. With guidance from our coaches, they quickly build confidence and learn skills that will help them in the future.
Some of them now see a future in sport—not just as athletes, but as coaches, referees, event organisers, or even sports journalists and analysts.
Which activity was the most challenging to organise?
Organising sporting events in another city—like judo or karate competitions—is especially challenging. While young people are eager to help, it often involves logistical obstacles: getting time off school, written parental consent, and arranging travel, food, and accommodation.
Did you see any young people re-engage in sport through these activities?
Yes. One example is a karate athlete who is now studying engineering. He remains deeply connected to the sport. In addition to offering technical support to the club and helping with communications, he’s started training to become an assistant coach.
For him, karate is more than a sport—it’s a way of life. He may have chosen another profession, but he will be able to teach and inspire others through karate for the rest of his life.
What skill development did you observe most among participants?
We saw significant growth in several areas: communication, teamwork, leadership (especially in running training sessions), presentation during events, and patience—particularly in judging roles.
What advice would you give to other clubs wanting to retain young athletes?
Start by analysing your own club’s needs and then consider what resources you already have—your coaches, admin team, athletes, and their families. From there, set realistic goals.
For example, there’s no need to train someone to assist at ceremonies if your club doesn’t host events. The key is to develop roles that genuinely support your club’s daily work and long-term mission.
Which of your STAY activities do you plan to continue?
We plan to continue all of them:
Assistant coach
Event assistant
Club influencer
Ceremony assistant
Assistant referee
Each of these roles has proven valuable for both the club and the young people involved.
Vanina’s insights reveal the power of a supportive, inclusive approach to youth sport. The story of Levski – Sport for All is a powerful reminder that sport can be much more than winning and losing. It can be a space for growth, learning, and lifelong connection. Through the STAY project, Levski has shown that when clubs invest in people—not just performance—they build a stronger, more resilient future for everyone involved.
Stay tuned as we continue sharing stories from across Europe that are reshaping the future of youth sport.
What happens when the voices of local clubs and the reach of a European network come together for a common goal?
That’s exactly what we explored in this conversation with Martjin from EMCA – the European Multisport Clubs Association. As one of the key partners in the STAY project, EMCA brought its experience, connections and vision to help amplify the message that young people should have more than one way to stay involved in sport.
We spoke with Martjin about EMCA’s role in the project, the impact it has had across the EMCA network, and what comes next.
What was EMCA’s role in the STAY project?
EMCA was primarily responsible for coordinating Work Package 4, which focused on communication and dissemination. Our job was to make sure the project’s results were not just documented but shared meaningfully—with clubs, coaches, and stakeholders across Europe. That included promoting good practices, connecting project partners with new audiences, and facilitating the exchange of ideas.
We also worked closely with partners like HAŠK Mladost, UNICAS, Lazio, Levski, and TSV Bayer 04, helping them present their work to the wider EMCA community. One of our highlights was organising the dedicated STAY Conference during our annual EMCA CONNECT Days, where all members could learn from the pilot activities and contribute their own insights.
Why did EMCA decide to support a project focused on preventing youth drop-out from sport?
Because the numbers speak for themselves. Youth drop-out, especially between the ages of 13 and 20, is one of the biggest threats to grassroots sport. EMCA’s mission is to strengthen multisport clubs across Europe, and we knew we had to be part of a project that addressed that challenge head-on.
The STAY project gave us an opportunity to promote solutions: improving coach education, creating more inclusive and flexible club structures, and showing young people that there’s a place for them in sport—on or off the field.
How did EMCA contribute to connecting and supporting the pilot clubs?
Besides being involved in all project meetings and dissemination efforts, our biggest contribution was providing a platform for visibility and knowledge exchange. We hosted dedicated sessions during EMCA conferences, where clubs could present their work, get feedback, and inspire one another. This encouraged a sense of ownership and momentum that continued even beyond the immediate project partners.
How did EMCA facilitate knowledge sharing during the STAY pilot actions?
The most direct example was the STAY Conference held during the EMCA CONNECT event. We presented the project outcomes to all our member clubs and followed that with a roundtable discussion. That session sparked a lot of interest—so much that several non-partner clubs asked if they could translate the STAY e-learning platform into their own languages and use it in their local contexts.
This wasn’t just dissemination—it was the beginning of a ripple effect.
What impact has the STAY project had across the EMCA network?
The impact has been meaningful and multi-layered. We’ve seen:
Enhanced coach education: More clubs now understand how to approach youth engagement with long-term thinking.
Policy development: The project encouraged clubs to formalise their efforts to retain young people.
Stakeholder engagement: From volunteers to administrators, more people are involved in shaping club life.
From a personal point of view, I’d say the most valuable outcome is the cultural shift. Clubs are no longer thinking only about competition—they’re thinking about how to support young people holistically. That’s what will sustain sport for the next generation.
How will EMCA support the continuation of STAY’s practices beyond the project?
The key is EMCA Studia, our digital knowledge library. We’re including the STAY e-learning platform and all related resources there, so they’ll remain accessible to all EMCA members—and even beyond. Any organisation interested in preventing youth dropout in sport will be able to benefit from what we’ve learned.
We see this not as a project that ends, but as a foundation that we’ll keep building on.
Stay tuned as we continue highlighting the people, clubs and ideas behind STAY! Together, we’re shaping a more inclusive, flexible, and future-ready sport landscape across Europe.
As part of our STAY! project spotlight series, we sat down with Dunja from HAŠK Mladost, the club that coordinated one of the most comprehensive pilot actions in the entire project. Working across four sections: water polo, swimming, rowing, and hockey, HAŠK Mladost tested how volunteering, communication, recreational training, and even club governance could help young people stay connected to sport, even after stepping away from competition.
We asked Dunja about the goals behind their activities, the challenges they faced, and the lessons they’ve learned along the way.
Why was it important to offer so many different roles beyond sport training?
From the beginning, we understood that retention in sport doesn’t always mean keeping someone in training five days a week. Young people leave competitive sport for lots of reasons—academic pressure, injury, burnout—but that doesn’t mean they want to leave their club or community. So we looked at sport as more than performance. What if you could stay involved as a referee? A social media manager? A volunteer at events? That’s what we tried to make possible.
How did young people react to being part of event organisation and club media?
Honestly, they exceeded our expectations. A lot of them didn’t see themselves as someone who would run a medal ceremony or take charge of live updates on Instagram. But once they tried it, they really stepped up. You could see how proud they were to contribute. And others noticed too—staff, parents, and even visiting teams commented on how capable and professional they were.
What was the most complex part of the pilot to manage?
Logistics! We had several sports involved, different calendars, school obligations—it was like building a puzzle every week. Making sure the right people were at the right place, at the right time, and still felt confident in their roles was probably the hardest part. But it was worth it.
How did you recruit youth for these roles—like social media or refereeing?
Most of the time, we worked through the coaches. They know the athletes and could tell who might be interested in doing something different. In water polo and rowing, we reached out directly to girls who had recently stopped competing and invited them to try volunteering or join a recreational group. We kept it open and voluntary—no pressure.
And how did you support girls who had already left competitive sport?
We created recreational training sessions specifically for them—especially in swimming and water polo. No pressure, no scores, just activity and connection. Beyond that, we offered them meaningful roles in events and communications, and in rowing we even invited young women to join the administrative side of the club. It’s about recognising that their experience and voice still matter, even if they’re not wearing a cap or a racing suit.
What was the idea behind the Poolcast video series?
Poolcast was something special. We partnered with the Croatian Water Polo Federation to create a short-form interview series that showed different career paths after sport. We talked to people who stayed in the world of sport—as referees, coaches, physiotherapists, media coordinators. The message was simple: there are many ways to be part of sport, and they’re all valuable. We wanted our young athletes to see that.
What changes did you see in the young people involved?
So many. Confidence, first and foremost. Whether it was someone speaking at an event or leading a warm-up, you could tell they felt proud of their role. We also saw better communication and stronger bonds within and between sections. It helped break down the old “athletes vs. volunteers” mindset—everyone started seeing themselves as one club.
Balancing sport and school is tough—how did you manage that?
We designed most roles to be flexible. If someone couldn’t attend every week, they could help out on a weekend or contribute content remotely. We also launched a tutoring initiative in water polo and rowing, with support from older athletes and parents. It helped relieve some of that stress and showed that the club cares about them as whole people, not just as athletes.
Which roles or activities do you see continuing after the project?
Several are already continuing. Refereeing and jury table support are integrated into our matchday system. Our social media team still includes young people from the pilot, and in rowing, youth are actively involved in planning and admin. The recreational sessions are still running too. These weren’t “project” roles—they’ve become part of how we work.
What was the biggest challenge overall?
Helping youth see themselves as capable. Many didn’t believe they could be good at something like refereeing or managing a social media account. Some had stepped away from training and weren’t sure if they still belonged. Building that self-belief took time and mentorship, but it was the most rewarding part.
This interview shows just how powerful it can be when a club opens its doors to new forms of engagement. At HAŠK Mladost, STAY! wasn’t just a project — it became a catalyst for rethinking what it means to belong in sport. By creating space for young people to stay connected through meaningful roles, the club is not only keeping athletes involved, but shaping the next generation of volunteers, leaders, and changemakers in sport.
The European Multisport Club Association (EMCA) proudly took part in the #BeInclusive EU Sport Awards 2025, held in Brussels, celebrating projects that promote inclusion through sport across Europe.
At EMCA, we believe in turning knowledge into action and the recent expansion of the STAY e-learning platform into eight European languages is a perfect example of how our network makes that possible.
This development was driven by the interest and enthusiasm shown at the STAY Conference held during EMCA CONNECT, where we presented project outcomes to our full membership. The session sparked wide engagement, leading to several non-partner clubs volunteering to translate the course for use in their own communities.
Thanks to the collaboration of our members, the STAY e-learning is now available in:
Catalan & Spanish – Sant Cugat Creix
Dutch – EMCA Secretariat
French – French Federation of Omnisport Clubs
Greek – Panionios G.S.S.
Hungarian – BEAC – University Athletics Club
Portuguese – Sporting Clube de Portugal
Turkish – TAC Sport Club
These translations are more than just language—they reflect local context, terminology, and cultural relevance, making the course truly usable across Europe.
All content is hosted on EMCA Studia, our digital knowledge library. It ensures that the resources developed through the STAY project remain freely accessible to all EMCA members—and beyond. Any organisation working to prevent youth dropout in sport can benefit from what we’ve built together.
This effort is a true showcase of what EMCA stands for: collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and real support for grassroots sport development.
With the assistance of EMCA and its wide-reaching network, a memorable international basketball encounter recently took place in Paris.
EMCA member NPC Rieti played a pivotal role in arranging a friendly basketball match for one of its affiliated clubs, NPC Colombia, as part of an ongoing exchange program focused on youth sports development and cross-cultural collaboration.
The NPC Colombia girls’ team, which travels to Europe several times a year, participates in training sessions and development programs under the guidance of NPC Rieti coaches. These visits aim to elevate both the individual and team skills of the athletes, helping them gain exposure to European basketball standards.
As part of this effort, a friendly match was organized in Paris against the Paris Université Club girls’ team. The game not only offered competitive experience to the Colombian players but also symbolized the strong bonds being fostered through EMCA’s network of cooperation.
This initiative forms part of a broader collaboration plan, with similar friendly games being prepared for the male NPC Colombia team in the near future, strengthening EMCA’s mission to unite communities through sport.
📸 Check out the photos from this inspiring encounter below.
20 March 2025, Costa Navarino (GRE) – IOC (International Olympic Committee) has a new President – Kirsty Coventry from Zimbabwe! First ever female president and first candidate from Africa in the history of IOC!
“At a time when our world is so divided, the Olympic Movement can help bridge gaps, build back trust and showcase the best of humanity”, she said.
EMCA congratulates the new IOC President and supports strongily her message of the importance that the Olympic and sport movement should play in the polarised and violent global political stage.
Regarding her past, Coventry went on to compete in five Olympic Games, winning seven medals, including two gold, making her Africa’s most decorated Olympian. But it was out of the pool where she made the biggest splash of all. On 20 March 2025, Coventry was elected the 10th President of the International Olympic Committee at the 144th IOC Session in Costa Navarino, Greece. At the age of 41, she became the first woman and first African chosen to lead the 131-year-old organisation.
Since its founding in 1894, the IOC had been headed by nine men – eight Europeans and one American. Coventry, only the second woman ever to run for the post, prevailed over six other candidates in the first round with 49 out of 97 votes. “It is a really powerful signal we are truly global and evolved into an organisation open to diversity,” she said.
Born on 16 September 1983 in Harare, Coventry learned to swim at age 2, taught by her mother and grandfather. She joined her first swimming club at 6 and quickly developed a competitive streak. Without indoor pools, she played other sports in winter, including field hockey, cross-country, and tennis, but swimming remained her passion.
Coventry’s big breakthrough came four years later in Athens, where she won three medals, including Zimbabwe’s first individual Olympic gold in the 200m backstroke. “Standing on the podium was quite surreal,” she said. “I was thinking back to when I was 9 years old. I was now nearly 21 and realised I had finally achieved my goal and my dream.”
Returning to Zimbabwe, she was met with a rapturous hero’s welcome, a powerful symbol at a time when the country was torn by internal strife. “Zimbabweans came out to thank me and say, ‘We’re so proud.’ It showed me how powerful sport can be to break down barriers and bring people together.”
It was a memory that shaped Coventry’s IOC presidential campaign, a message she shared in her presentation to members in January. “The transformative power of sport – that’s not just something I’ve said, but I’ve actually lived it and seen it. And I believe in it,” she said.
Statement by EMCA President Christina Tsiligkiri:
“The election of Kirsty Coventry as President of the International Olympic Committee marks a historic milestone not only for the Olympic Movement but for the entire global sports community. As the first woman and the first African to assume the IOC presidency, Coventry symbolizes the power of inclusion, progress, and hope.
Her personal journey – from the Olympic pools to the highest level of international sports leadership – is living proof that sport can transform lives, societies, and mindsets. EMCA firmly supports her vision of sport as a unifying force that bridges divides and strengthens social cohesion.
Having a woman in such a high-ranking leadership position sends a powerful message about the direction global sport must take: toward genuine equality, inclusion, and the recognition of women’s contributions at all levels. Kirsty Coventry’s election inspires and encourages new generations of women to actively pursue decision-making roles and stands as a beacon for all of us who believe in the transformative power of sport as a catalyst for social progress.”
