With an average age below 18 years, the Polish side has amazed in the Euro Winners Cup with their attitude and energy
This Euro Winners Cup 2016 has brought lots of new faces to the beach soccer world. New players and teams that have made a jump onto the international scale, rising stars…
But one team in particular have earned a place in beach soccer fans’ hearts.
Poland’s Sparta Daleszyce, by far the youngest team in the competition, has been playing at a great level, showing great guts and a stunning spirit against much more experienced sides.
They won’t win the title this year in Catania, but Sparta, with an average age below 18, have already broken one very special record: they are the youngest team to participate in a top-flight senior beach soccer event.
The coach, Marcin Wengorski, told Beach Soccer Worldwide the details about what can sometimes be a tricky job.
A teacher outside beach soccer, he said: “It is a hard task, but at the same time it is very rewarding. We knew that it would not be easy, but we came here to learn and to gain experience, and we are happy because this is exactly what we are doing.”
Captain Kamila (with only 17 years old, by the way), told how the team met for the first time two years ago in their hometome Daleszyce.
“We put a team together as an extracurricular activity, to train and play after the school hours, and we have been playing for some time now,” she added. “This year, we wanted to give it a try on beach soccer, and we love it!”
Besides being the youngest team, they also have the youngest player in the form of defender Weronika Ozibko – just 15 years old.
Aged just 15, she sees such competition with respect, but never fear, and at the same time is fully aware of the experience she is living.
“I am very happy. It is something great to be here, to be part of it, and I am proud to have been given this opportunity,” added Ozibko. “It is a great experience for me.”
This is just the first chapter for Sparta as they seek to work hard to be in Catania again next year, where they will likely be the youngest team in the competition once more.
