Velika Gocevska: Flamingo Volej Skopje се проби во елитата

Velika Gocevska, former national team player and now founder, president and coach of Flamingo Volej Skopje, leads a club that this season will play in North Macedonia’s women's elite volleyball league. In a conversation for “Women's Sports Stories” she described how a return from maternity leave in 2018 turned into a project that grew from flyers and training basics into a full club with a youth school and a first‑team rising to the top tier.

From a pause to a plan: building the club from zero

Gocevska says she started the club after stepping away from playing because of motherhood. She recounts founding an association, buying essential equipment and, with a friend named Caci, recruiting children at schools: “После неколку години пауза од одбојкарските терени поради мајчинство, во 2018 година ми се појави голема желба да се вратам во сала и да го правам тоа што ме исполнува, а тоа е одбојката.”

She emphasizes that growth came month by month as more children joined the trainings. The work was modest at first but steadily built a base: coaches devoted time to every child, numbers increased and, after the first year, the project gained momentum.

Today Gocevska still divides multiple duties — founder, president and head coach — but says the role she loves most is working directly with beginners: “Да, или што би се рекло три во едно, а може и повеќе знаејќи колку улоги имам во тимот. Сепак најдрага и сеуште најмногу ме исполнува директната работа со најмалите наши членови, односно тренер на почетниците, на оние кои штотуку се запознаваат со одбојката како спорт.”

Promotion to the First League did not come overnight. Gocevska stresses long hours in the gym, thousands of decisions and the steady contribution of players developed in Flamingo’s own school: “Нашиот успех и раст се должи голем дел на играчите од нашата школа и на тоа сум неизмерно горда.” She also thanked current and former coaches for their part in the club’s rise.

Beyond results, Gocevska places strong emphasis on character development. She says Flamingo’s purpose is to teach discipline, responsibility, teamwork and self‑belief so that the young women who pass through the club will succeed in life even if they do not become professional athletes: “Не мора сите еден ден да бидат професионални одбојкарки, но би сакала сите да излезат од Фламинго посилни, посамостојни и поспремни за предизвиците што ги носи животот.”

Asked what would make her feel the mission is complete, she answered that her priority is stability: creating an organization that can sustain growth year after year and provide good working conditions and a clear path forward. Only when Flamingo becomes a long‑term, stable club will she say: “Еве, тоа е тоа.”

Gocevska also described the balancing act of family, work and club responsibilities, saying she often multitasks and that her family frequently joins her at trainings so they can be together while she fulfills club duties.

Photo: press material from the event