Directly across the street they had soccer training for kids going on every morning. When I inquired about Cole participating, they had him start the next morning, no charge. They had teams from Croatia and Slovenia working out and the skill level was impressive. While most of the kids can speak English here (they start learning in first grade), the coaches give instruction in Croatian. Cole’s nickname was “USA”, which was easy for all to remember. As usual, Cole loved running around with the other kids, but just as he starts to get comfortable with his new buddies, it’s time to move on to the next city.
100 yards down the street is the main soccer facility, Poljud Stadium. It was built in 1979 by the Yugoslavian government as a facility to host the Mediterranean Games. For being almost 30 years old, it’s a pretty impressive facility, even today. The HNK Hajduk Split team that plays there was formed in 1911 and today more than ever is famous not only for their high quality of play, but also for their insane fans. (HNK stands for hrvatski nogometni klub, which translates, to Croatian football club. The Hajduk nickname stems from “romanticized bandits that fought the Turks”. Kind of like the English legend of Robin Hood.) Fans here are beyond loyal and the team has repaid them by turning down lucrative offers to relocate elsewhere on more than one occasion. Furthering our European soccer itinerary, Cole and I took in a game last evening and saw Hajduk beat NK Slaven Belupo 3-1. Just as Cole and I arrived, the visiting fan buses pulled in, escorted by several police vehicles. As they unloaded the buses, the police, all decked out in riot gear, surrounded the area and ushered them into their "cage". It’s certainly safer in that cage though, than next to some of the Split fanatics. In soccer the clock doesn’t stop, and neither do the fans; from singing, jumping around, and lighting fireworks.
Besides soccer, numerous professional athletes call this city of 200,000 home. Amongst them are Toni Kukoc (Chicago Bulls) and several other NBA players, 2001 Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanesevic, and several Olympic gold medalists.
A look down on practice from our balcony.
