Gazi University national team: It seems like we’ve only moved from Ankara to another part of Turkey 10.07.2010

We had the interview with the managers of the Gazi University team on the bank of the Kazanka river. The Turkish team split in two three players teams. The teams were fighting to the last drop of blood as the losing side was to stand a restaurant dinner.

Part One

- You coach the beach volleyball team that represents one of the largest European Universities. As far as I know there are about 50,000 students there. The more students at the University, the more young athletes you have. What sports achievements can the Gazi University be proud of?
Erdogan Yilmaz: First of all I want to say that our University has a very strong indoor volleyball team. The Gazi University has been holding the student volleyball championship finals for 27 years already (since 1983). I’ve been coaching the team for 24 years and we’ve become champions 12 times. And I have all grounds to say that the credit for that goes to me. On top of that the Gazi indoor players achieved good results at European universities championships: in 2007 we took gold, in 2008-2009 we placed third. Ali and Jeudat (sportsmen who represent the Gazi University at the Kazan European Universities Beach Volleyball Championship – The author’s note) will have a short rest after returning to Turkey – in two weeks they will head to Poland where they will take part in the European Volleyball Championship. In general there are many talented athletes in the University of Gazi but I feel more confident when I talk about indoor volleyball.

- The Turks are a nation of warriors. You cannot argue with history. Can we see the belligerence of your ancestors in the manner of playing of your athletes? What is their usual pre-macth attitude?
Erdogan Yilmaz: That’s an interesting question (smiles). The Turks has always been fearless warriors. So first of all we inherited the thirst for victory from our ancestors. And discipline and attitude for victory as well. There were a lot of matches in the history of my team which we won due to our will to victory.

- Nevertheless the Gazi team was the first to be ousted from the Championship. I believe it’s very disappointing to leave the tournament earlier then the others.
Erdogan Yilmaz: Surely my feelings were hurt. But things are not as bad as they seem as Ali and Jeudat have been playing only for four months together. It’s on the first hand. On the other hand it was their first serious tournament. I mean in beach volleyball. I know that the European Championship that is staged in Kazan is one of the stages of preparation for the Universiade. I can say the same thing about my sportsmen: we have been training them for the 2012 World Championship in Brazil. The boys have been getting conditioned for four months only – they are just at the beginning of their prepartion.

- Is this your first visit to Kazan?
Erdogan Yilmaz: Yes. And I’m very glad to be here (smiles).

- Kazan has four Turkish twin cities. There is a Turkish Consulate in Kazan. Moreover there is a mosque not far from the playing area. Do you feel that you’ve arrived in a friendly city?
Erdogan Yilmaz: In fact my boys and I have a feeling that we are actually in Turkey. It seems that we’ve only moved from Ankara to another part of Anatolia. Kazan feels like home. And plus I had a chance to talk to the Tatars. It’s very important! You know I’m very happy when I hear people speaking Tatar and realize that I can understand most words. I can take the bus or a taxi and speak Turkish with drivers or passengers. I’m sure that people will understand me. There are beautiful people in Kazan: both inside and outside. That’s why it’s very enjoyable to communicate with them. But the most essential thing is that the Tatars and the Turks are historically one nation. It just so happened that the Turks moved to Anatolia and the Tatars – to the Volga river.

- Erzurum will host the Winter Universiade next year and Kazan will host the Summer Universiade in 2013. You’ve seen the preparation for the World Student Games in Turkey and now you’ve seen the preparation process in Kazan. Are there any common things or significant differences?
Erdogan Yilmaz: Narurally there are two major differences: Turkey hosts the Winter Universiade and Kazan – the Summer Universiade and they have different programmes respectively. I’m sure that the Erzurum Universiade will be a success. And judging by what we’ve seen in Kazan I can say the same thing about your Universiade. If the Turkic peoples wish for something they will surely get it!

- The month of Ramadan starts on  August 11 (the Holy Month during which the Muslims do not eat and drink from sunrise till sunset). How do sportspeople participate in the competitions during the Holy Month? Do they change their dietary regimen?
Erdogan Yilmaz:It’s hard to restrict oneself from drinking water during training sessions. Naturally we decrease training loads for the sportsmen who observe the fast. Though athletes themselves ask not to decrease their work load. They want to train together with the team.

Part Two

- The Academy of Physical Education, Sports and Tourism will start functioning in September in Kazan. As the dean of Sports Faculty would you like to enter in cooperation with your counterparts in Kazan? Would you like to share your experience or arrive in Kazan to deliver a course of lectures?
Mehmet Guney: Sure, My colleagues and I could arrive in Kazan. But it’s not like I come and say, “Hello, I’m dean of Sports Faculty, your colleague. We would like to work together with you, assist you.” I think it’s wrong. Arrangement between the university rectors or between our governments is a different story. I personally would love to come to Tatarstan once again.

- What do you think of the VII European Universities Beach Volleyball Championship? Not as a sports specialist but as a common guest of the Championship.
Mehmet Guney: I can say a lot of positive things. Or more precisely I can say only positive things.

- What results do you expect from the Turkish national team at the Kazan Universiade?
Mehmet Guney: I think that in 2013 Turkey can count on high performance on volleyball and belt wrestling. If the Kazan Universiade programme included handball and taekwondo we would expect good results in these sports as well. I forgot to mention weightlifting that draws attention both of the University of Gazi and of other Universities in Turkey. By the way Olympic weightlifting champion of Athenes Nurcan Taylan is my student. So we’ll expect gold medals in weightlifting events as well.

- Would you like see Kazan young people among the students of your University? Any volunteers for example?
Mehmet Guney: If there is any student exchange agreement between the Gazi University and a Tatarstan University we’ll gladly receive Kazan students. We’ll offer special conditions for them. For example they will be able to go to Ankara to do postgraduate studies.
After all the Turks and the Tatars are brotherly nations. We need to communicate more. It concerns our students in the first place. There are positive developments in a closer cooperation between our countries: three months ago the rector of our University arrived in Kazan: he met to the Deputy Minister for Youth Affairs, Sports and Tourism and the administration of the Academy of Management “TISBI”. It’s great that we started the ball rolling.

- My last question is just out of curiosity. Do you watch the matches of the Kazan FC Rubin?
Mehmet Guney: Tekke, Karadeniz, Kabze… They used to play in the Turkish national team once. Of course we watch their games and support them in the Champions League matches.

Alexey Sorokin, special correspondent of press-center
VII European Universities Beach Volleyball Championship