From Basketball Dreams to Volleyball Courts: Erika Drviš Recalls Her Early Career

Erika Drviš, a former Croatian volleyball player, reminisces about her early days in the sport, a path she took somewhat by chance. Initially drawn to basketball by the idolization of Dražen Petrović, Drviš found herself in volleyball due to its availability at her school. She recalls the demanding nature of early training, where a single missed practice could lead to bruises due to the hard, unyielding leather balls used.

“

I remember those actions when I entered the game, I just got rid of the ball, immediately the first over. I will never forget that. In fact, volleyball is ideally played on the third ball.

"I remember those actions when I entered the game, I just got rid of the ball, immediately the first over. I will never forget that. In fact, volleyball is ideally played on the third ball," she said. There were no specialized balls for different age categories then, only one tough leather ball. "If you missed one training session, you would get bruises, so you couldn't miss training sessions," she added.

“

If you missed one training session, you would get bruises, so you couldn't miss training sessions.

Drviš describes her volleyball journey as a gradual growth fueled by training, team spirit, and travel. She was fortunate to join a generation of skilled players, fitting in as the "sixth player they were missing." This team achieved significant success, becoming the cadet champions of the former Yugoslavia in 1991. The dedication was immense, with daily training and long commutes on foot, as cars were not readily available. "Life before, without mobile phones, from the street to the hall, that's where I saw myself. There was everything on the trips, doing hairstyles, telling jokes... The social moment within the club was excellent. Not everyone was in their own world, which is very important for a team sport," she explained.

“

Life before, without mobile phones, from the street to the hall, that's where I saw myself. There was everything on the trips, doing hairstyles, telling jokes... The social moment within the club was excellent. Not everyone was in their own world, which is very important for a team sport.

After Croatia gained independence, Drviš played for junior national teams alongside future stars like Barbara Jelić and Nataša Osmokrović. However, the conditions were far from ideal, with the Croatian volleyball federation lacking substantial funding. "It was a very promising team, but Croatia didn't have much money then, or the volleyball federation," she recounted. Her career took a turn in 1998 when she received a volleyball scholarship to play in America, where she encountered a markedly different environment and attitude towards athletes.

“

It was a very promising team, but Croatia didn't have much money then, or the volleyball federation.