{"id":168882,"date":"2025-03-05T17:16:43","date_gmt":"2025-03-05T15:16:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/serbiantimes.info\/en\/?p=168882"},"modified":"2025-03-05T17:16:44","modified_gmt":"2025-03-05T15:16:44","slug":"coaches-exist-because-of-players-not-the-other-way-around-pesic-speaks-candidly-about-serbian-basketball-reveals-what-determines-victory","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/serbiantimes.info\/en\/coaches-exist-because-of-players-not-the-other-way-around-pesic-speaks-candidly-about-serbian-basketball-reveals-what-determines-victory\/","title":{"rendered":"“COACHES EXIST BECAUSE OF PLAYERS, NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND”: Pe\u0161i\u0107 speaks candidly about Serbian basketball, reveals what determines victory!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

For him, success was never a bad teacher, nor did it lead him to believe he could never lose. We have grown accustomed to his achievements, but he is well aware that coaches exist because of players, not the other way around<\/strong>. At the Kopaonik Business Forum<\/strong>, Svetislav Pe\u0161i\u0107<\/strong>, the head coach of the Serbian national basketball team, shared insights from his rich experience:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“There is no big difference between being a player or a coach\u2014what matters is how dedicated you are to your work. The most beautiful moments of my career were as an active player, and believe me, I never dream about today\u2019s games, but I still dream about playing. Imagine how I feel when I wake up?”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pe\u0161i\u0107 studied and graduated in economics, as did his wife. At the time, he says, basketball was not the business it is today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We had money, sometimes an apartment, but we also had to get an education.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interestingly, Pe\u0161i\u0107 never actually wanted to become a coach\u2014it happened almost by accident. While serving as general manager of the Bosna basketball club<\/strong>, he couldn’t find a replacement for a departing coach and had to step in himself:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“It wasn\u2019t like today\u2014one leaves, another arrives immediately. The club president told me, \u2018Until you find someone, you\u2019ll do it.\u2019 But I only became a real coach when I realized that what I asked from my players, they actually accepted. And that was it.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

He says it was a privilege to coach players like Divac, Kuko\u010d, \u0110or\u0111evi\u0107…<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite his confidence, he insists he remains humble\u2014a trait he attributes to his upbringing:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“That\u2019s how I was raised. We from those regions are like that. There must be a balance between modesty and confidence. Being self-assured without proof is just boasting.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A famous anecdote illustrates this. At his first press conference after becoming Germany\u2019s head coach in 1987<\/strong>, he made a bold statement:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“In my cowboy English, I told the journalists that Germany would be European champions. The translator repeated my sentence and asked, \u2018Is that what you meant to say?\u2019 I confirmed. I knew they had potential, and they gave me the opportunity to become what I am today.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, Pe\u0161i\u0107 admits that without his family\u2019s support<\/strong>, he wouldn\u2019t have succeeded:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“This job is 24\/7\u2014before, during, and after the game. It\u2019s impossible to live the life of a coach without that support. When I retire, I will hang all my medals around Vera\u2019s<\/strong> neck. I\u2019ve always felt like I didn\u2019t give enough to my family.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a top coach, the greatest achievement in life<\/strong> is not the championships or medals won, but the fact that he is still coaching<\/strong>, still passionate<\/strong> and dedicated<\/strong> to his work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“There is no universal formula for victory and success\u2014it all depends on people. Being a coach today is not the same as it was 30 years ago. Today, players expect you to provide solutions, while we used to be creative ourselves. A coach must never put himself ahead of the team, but players must know who is in charge and follow him. We have found that balance. We train basketball, but also interpersonal relationships. I work on that every day. Without it, there are no results. I don\u2019t believe in motivation\u2014only in discipline<\/strong> and responsibility<\/strong>.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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