On the 15th of September in 2006, a 17-year-old slender young man stepped out of the arrival gate of Helsinki-Vantaa airport without any knowledge of Finland and without any information about his future. Home had remained far away in the town of Doboj in Bosnia. The only thing that was certain to him at that moment was that he should play basketball in Uusikaupunki. There was no information about returning back to Bosnia.
This was the beginning of a period that completely changed the direction of the young boy’s life in the Balkans.
That young man who permanently settled in Finland was Bojan Sarcevic.
– Shy Bojan arrived in the country that September day. He only sparingly spoke English during the car journey. The only thing he knew about Finland was Lordi, who had won the Eurovision Song Contest earlier in the spring, the then executive director of Uusikaupunki Korihaide and currently employed by the Basketball Association Tom Westerholm remembers.
Bojan Sarcevic still doesn’t forget the September day 18 years ago.
– I was terribly nervous and in shock when I was away from home for the first time and I was still so young. I sat in Tom Westerholm’s gray Peugeot for five hours on the way to Uusiakaupunki, and then I was surprised that I didn’t know Finnish or English, Sarcevic laughs.
Culture shock also hit during the first shopping trips in the new hometown. Of course, there was plenty of stock in the store, but something strange caught my eye.
– I was surprised when people played fruit games in the shop. It has remained in my memory that both young and old grandmothers played fruit games in the store. That was quite a shock, Sarcevic recalls with a laugh.
Bojan Sarcevic’s arrival in Finland was not just a short visit but a permanent one. Boja of Bosnia is currently Boja of Uusikaupunki, who received Finnish citizenship last year. Two things are the most important in Finland for Sarcivic, who became Finnish.
– People and nature. I really appreciate the fact that people are kind and positive. Of course, Finnish nature is a wonderful thing. I recommend everyone to go for a walk in the forest and nature, he rightly reminds.
For Sarcevic, Bosnia, the country of his birth, has been left behind, at least on a spiritual level.
– At the very beginning, homesickness bothered you, but times have changed. I remember last summer when my girlfriend and I were visiting Bosnia. I told him after two weeks that I can’t stand being here anymore, so let’s go to Finland, he laughs.
Temperament on the field decently
Bojan Sarcevic liked Finnish basketball right away. The Bosnian youth adapted to Korihaiden’s A-junior team right away and almost immediately he was promoted to the representative team. Sarcevic’s career in the Finnish league has lasted 18 consecutive seasons, and the mileage is staggering, more than 700 league matches.
– The Finnish league suits me because I am neither a physical nor an athletic player. That’s the main reason why I’ve played here my whole career, Sarcevic explains.
Staying in the Finnish league permanently has not only depended on game-related issues. The activities of the clubs have been of great importance.
– Many do not understand that in Finland the clubs always act towards the players as agreed in advance. Salaries will come on time or whatever it is. If you go to another country, the salaries may be a couple of months late. It is safe to play in Finland, he states.
The image of Balkan character traits is very often associated with temperament and a fierce, even violent nature. Emotions are shown openly so that you can see, hear and feel them. Bojan Sarcevic signs this.
– Yes, I have a temperament on the field in games and I show it. However, I am a completely different person on the field than at home. I’m a good friend to everyone, because you can talk to me about anything, he reminds.
– Temperament definitely comes from the fact that we Balkans always want to win, no matter what kind of game it is, even if it’s something funny.
– The desire to win is under our skin, and we don’t accept defeats at any point, Sarcevic explains with a smile the Balkan competitive spirit.
Tom Westerholm, the former executive director of Korihai and the current competition manager of the Basketball Association, emphasizes that Sarcevic’s temperament on the court has remained moderate over the years.
– Bojan has played very decently these years and stayed on the field very well. He has not had many technical errors worthy of an outing. Otherwise, he has been a very well-liked guy in the sports community.
Korihai’s self-righteous captain supervises the daily level of demands among the team, if necessary, with exactly the Balkan temperament.
– I am quite direct and honest in our team’s booth. If a teammate doesn’t do the job as agreed, I say so honestly. I don’t have to say it twice, they understand very well, Sarcevic puts it with a smile.
The captain’s feedback in the middle of the team can be emphatic if necessary.
– Then I get angry if someone doesn’t do the work, even if they could. If someone is talented in something, but does it lazily, I hate that attitude.
– My teammates understand that I sometimes have a temper and I might be tougher. They understand that my Feedback is always for their benefit.
Perhaps as a future coach, Bojan Sarcevic is not going to foam at the side of the field with a red face.
– If I ever become a coach, I will surely find two sides on the bench and on the edge of the field: Finnish calmness and relaxation and Balkan temperament. It’s a pretty good combo, he reckons.
Development must not stop even in old age
Bojan Sarcevic can be considered a Korisliiga legend with good reason. He belongs to the club with more than 6,000 points in the history of the league, but the skilled back is always known above all for his quality passing skills. Sarcevic has been at the top of the pass statistics for several seasons. The ability to pass and distribute the ball says a lot about a man’s personality. He is, as the saying goes, a team man with a capital J.
– For me, the team always comes first, he says directly.
– I like to help people. That explains why I want to share things with other people. Passing skill itself comes from reading the game and being able to interpret the game. If you want to be a good passer, you have to know how to read the game well, Sarcevic, who has given more than 2400 passes in his league career, explains.
Development must not stop even at the age of 36.
– I still want to improve and understand the game better, it’s not about age. I want to understand and study how to break the opponent’s defense better, he says.
Sarcevic has won the Finnish championships in his time at Kauhajoki and the serving champion has also been chosen as the best player in the finals, but the man still has enough goals in the final stages of his career.
– I have already achieved a lot personally in Finland, but now I would just like to be with the team to take Korihai back to the medals. Access to the higher promotion series has been a two-year project for the club, many do not understand that. This has been built for the last two years, he reminds.
In the spring, a smile on the faces of the fans
In recent years, the sky of Korihaiden has been a constant battle for a place in the series, but now the traditional Uusikaupunki basketball club is like being reborn. To everyone’s surprise, Korihait made it to the upper secondary series of the Korisliiga and as spring progresses, anything is possible. Purposefulness has always been present in the team.
– Before the start of the season, I divided the team into three stages of the season. First, getting to six sacks in the regular season and that has been achieved. Now the goal is to reach the top four and home advantage. It would be a big thing because we are a good home team, says Bojan Sarcevic.
– The last stage for Korihai is the medal fight. We believe in that, because our team is built evenly. Our team is a threat to the opponent everywhere and in every aspect of the game, even though our club has the smallest player budget in the league, he continues.
Sarcevic reminds us that Korihait is not in the upper secondary series just to participate or bully his bigger ones, but to seek something concrete.
– Winning a medal is a big goal for the club and for me in the spring. We also have to remember the great fans of Korihai, who like basketball. I would like them to have a smile on their face in the spring, he laments.
The last time Korihait won a medal in the league was 29 years ago, when Uusikaupunki’s crew took silver.
Bojan Sarcevic’s passion for basketball has not waned over the years, even though the man is already 36 years old. His career will never last forever either.
– The big thing in terms of me continuing is where the club wants to go and whether the club wants to raise the level and the bar higher. What kind of acquisitions Korihait will make after the season is of great importance in terms of my continuation, Sarcevic ponders.
– If the club announces that next season we want to fight for the championship, then fine. In that case, I want to do everything in the summer so that the goal will be fulfilled during the season, assures the living legend of the Korisliiga.