In this month’s What’s Up student column, Franciska Coko, a member of the current EUSA Student Commission, reflects on her personal journey, aspirations, and involvement in sports.

When I look back at my journey, everything I have accomplished so far stems from a deep love of sport and a desire to actively contribute to its organisation and growth.

It all started in 2020, when a friend and I, driven by our passion for basketball, volunteered at the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Split. That experience was unforgettable - it showed me how powerful sport can be in uniting people, and how fulfilling it is to be behind the scenes helping everything run smoothly. Motivated by that, I applied to volunteer at the Unisport Finals, the Croatian national university championships, on the recommendation of one of the volunteer coordinators from the tournament.

At those Finals, my work was noticed by a staff member of AFC Universitas, the university futsal club in Split competing in Croatia's top futsal division. She invited me to help out at their home matches as a volunteer. That opportunity kept growing, and over the years, from being a team manager of the junior and cadet teams, I am now proudly the team manager of the entire club, including the senior squad, for the past two years. I am genuinely grateful for the trust, opportunities, and the chance to develop in a role I deeply love.

Alongside this, I have volunteered at over 10 major competitions in these past five years, ranging from FIBA EuroBasket qualifiers to European University Games in Lodz, Poland, and Debrecen, Hungary. I kept returning to the Unisport Finals, working at two more editions, and even competing as a basketball player for the university team later on. Every single event taught me something new and made me richer in experience, helping me grow, expand my horizons, and contribute more each time - supported by incredible colleagues and by sharing my knowledge with others.

One of the biggest milestones was being contacted by the Secretary General of the Croatian Academic Sports Federation, who encouraged me to apply for the EUSA Student Commission. I did - and was proud to be selected, now serving my second year as a Commission member. In these two years, we have debated, created, and worked hard to advance student sport and help shape its future across Europe. Thanks to that role, I took part in several inspiring congresses, including in Vienna and Munich, with excellent topics on the betterment of sport - experiences that were truly enriching.

My volunteering and event experience continued to grow with roles on Organising Committees such as EUSA Futsal in Split, the 35th European Water Polo Championships in Split, FISU Cheerleading in Split, and the FISU Forum in Zagreb as the student representative of Croatia. I was also part of four international rowing regattas in Split, which brought me even closer to different sports communities and showed me how diverse and inspiring student sport can be.

In 2023/2024, I proudly contributed to Split's successful bid for the European University Games 2028, and in 2024, after a thorough selection process, I was honoured to be chosen as Croatia's Young Ambassador in the European Young Olympic Ambassadors (EYOA) program. This role took me to the European Youth Olympic Winter Festival in Georgia, and it will also take me to the Summer Festival in Skopje in July 2025 - a huge honour and a new chapter.

Looking back, there have been countless competitions, congresses, people, and unforgettable moments - far too many to list in full - and every single one has enriched me, strengthened my skills, and made me even more motivated for the future. Each step, each challenge, each opportunity has been a building block for further progress, proving to me again and again that sport truly is a way of life, and one of the best classrooms you can ever have.

The author of the column is Franciska Coko, 25-year-old student, basketball player, member of the EUSA Student Commission and is about to graduate in IT Management at the University of Split.