Slovenia’s mentor Bonitta satisfied with first stage of EuroVolley preparations
News
The Slovenian women’s national team gathered last week in Kranjska Gora and has started their preparations for CEV EuroVolley 2023 and the Olympic Qualifiers for Paris 2024. The head coach Marco Bonitta can count on all 17 players from his list. The Slovenians have been working at one of their permanent bases in the Gorenjska region and will move to Maribor at the beginning of July to build up their form until the first preparatory matches against Greece.
Italian Volleyball expert Marco Bonitta, who was named head coach at the beginning of last season, is very satisfied with the work done so far and especially with the motivation of the girls which is at an exceptionally high level:
“The first days of the preparation period were very important for us. We wanted to establish the same atmosphere that we had at the end of last season, in which the team played an excellent qualification for the European Championship. In practices, we are working hard on both the physical preparation and on setting up the system of play. We would like to link the different game situations as soon as possible. I am very happy with what my players have been showing so far.”
Sara Najdič, an experienced setter, believes that she and her teammates are on the right track: “The national team has practically not changed since last year. One week of practices is now behind us and we have another month and a half to go before EuroVolley, where our main goal will be to make it to the first round of the knockout phase. We have started to prepare gradually, building up our fitness and strength, and we are also working on our basic technique, which is always welcome. I am confident that we will show what we are capable of at the right time and in the right place.”
The youngest player on the roster, 17-year-old Mija Šiftar, added: “We got a lot more time to rest than last year and we have arrived to Kranjska Gora with a lot of energy and motivation to work hard. Even though the first part of the preparation period is always difficult, we are practicing at a very high level. We are focusing on each technical element individually, we are working gradually, and our goal is to improve our shape from week to week. We all have the same goals, and we know what we are working for.”
In Kranjska Gora, where the national team will stay until the end of the week, Marco Bonitta gathered all 17 players from his list, with Maša Pucelj being the last to join the team this past Monday. One of the best Slovenian players, opposite Iza Mlakar, who returned to Volleyball in the middle of the season, is also back in the Slovenian jersey.
Team Slovenia: Žana Ivana Halužan Sagadin, Sara Najdič, Eva Pogačar, Mirta Velikonja Grbac, Nika Milošič, Saša Planinšec, Naja Boisa, Zala Krašovec, Nika Markovič, Iza Mlakar, Selena Leban, Lorena Lorber Fijok, Mija Šiftar, Eva Zatković, Maša Pucelj, Katja Banko, Anja Mazej. Head coach: Marco Bonitta.