Getting to know – Montenegro’s rising star Dušanka Petrović
Feature
Dušanka Petrović is not just a Volleyball player or an athlete, but a number one in everything she does. She is talented, hardworking, smart, well educated, and above all extremely good and always smiling. If anyone deserves to be the captain in their club for being a true leader – she deserves that honour. It is no coincidence that she wears the number 1 on her jersey – since right now she is probably the best Volleyball player in the Montenegrin First League. Therefore, you may call her a number 1 in every possible way.
On Monday, October 18, she turned 22. On the same day, she was the best player of the match against Albatros, won by Luka Bar 3-1. She scored as many as 23 points in the process – the best birthday present that she could have asked from herself. The birthday celebration was even more beautiful because of that.
“Apart from yesterday’s victory and scoring 23 points, my favourite birthday card, as always, is coming from my family and friends. It is really nice to do all this when you know that your loved ones support and encourage you,” says Dušanka.
Yesterday’s game, as well as the first three rounds, showed that the league is going to be very competitive. The only thing that is almost certain is that Dušanka's club, Luka BAR, will have an extremely difficult task if they wish to retain their title from last year.
“Teams have a similar quality this season, and we have seen that in the first three rounds. There were many surprises, and I think it will be the same until the end of the season – therefore, every point will be important. Our team is young and inexperienced, so we will need a lot of work and patience to keep the title with us. As the most experienced member in the team, I will try to motivate my young teammates as much as possible with my performance and encourage them to do their best.”
The first three games have shown that this is likely to be her year - in addition to shining against Albatros she did the same in the first two rounds, when she scored 24 and 23 points, respectively. In the second round, she was the best scorer across the entire league. It was very similar last year, when she topped the charts in most rounds of the competition. That is why it is not surprising that her performances resulted in an invitation to join the senior national team. “I think that every player wants to be part of their national team. I was a member of the youth and junior teams before. My greatest honour was that this year I played in the senior national team with our most experienced Volleyball players,” she recounts.
Born in Pljevlja, Dušanka has moved to the city of Bar in order to pursue her career in the sport. “Ever since I was little, the ball has been my favourite toy. Before going to school, I loved watching Volleyball games, but I still did not know much about the rules of the game. As the years went by, the world of Volleyball became clearer to me. At the age of 10, I started my first trainings at AOK Rudar. Sure, every start is hard, but the will to do something always wins. I played for AOK Rudar for five years, playing many matches, and the successes just kept coming. The first medal I won was the extra ‘wind in the back’. As the success continued, the ambitions rose accordingly. After finishing the third grade of high school, I moved to play for Luka BAR. Thanks to the conditions offered by the club, I continue my career here. The cooperation with coaches and staff – they support me in everything – has made it sure that I have never felt like being away from home.”
Both Pljevlja and Bar have a special place in her heart.
“Pljevlja is the city where I was born and raised. My family lives there, my friends live there, and as I have already said, my beginnings were there. Pljevlja will always have a special place in my heart. Bar is my ‘second home’ and I have always liked the city. Honestly, I imagined myself spending a part of my life here. Although I was very young when I came, I have made many friends who are always there for me.”
She is not planning for the long term, but she has a clear goal. “As we all know, the current epidemiological situation has changed everything, so my plans for the future are unclear. My biggest dream is to play abroad and I will do everything to make that dream come true.”
She enjoys Volleyball - both while playing and watching it:
“I have always followed international Volleyball and I watch the Turkish and Italian leagues with great joy, because they are among the best ones in the world. I think that a big challenge for me would be to play in one of those leagues,” she concludes.
Next to her Volleyball accomplishments, Dušanka shows that Volleyball and education can go hand in hand, and she even can find time for the people she cares about: “Along the way, I am finishing college while playing Volleyball. At first, it was hard for me to do both, but with good organisation, I have managed it. Moreover, I like to spend my free time with family or friends, drinking coffee and just spending time together.”