A national champion runs the Department of Sport and Youth in Bucharest
„Playing a sport is a national asset for the society”
Welcome Stefan Sandulache and thank you for agreeing to answer our questions.
When were you first introduced to the sport? What sports did you do?
My debut in sport happened when I was born, as my parents were physical education teachers. My father was a basketball coach, a sport which I started at 5 years old. As a child, I got acquainted with other sports, like martial arts, handball, rugby, track and field, gymnastics (my mother was a former national champion) but I got stuck with basketball at 13, once the junior years began.
What were your highlights in your sport career?
As a sportsman, I won the first, second and third places at the National Championships, both with the School Sport Club 4 and School Sport Club 6 in Bucharest.
In my coaching carer, I won the national championship title with Baschet Club 97 in Bucharest, both the male and female junior teams, as well as the second and third places for other age categories. Likewise, as a junior team coach I was nominated and assigned as the coach of the national male and female junior teams. What was a great recommendation for me was that I gave a number of over 14 players to these teams between 2004 and 2008. More than a half of the national U18 female team that won the gold medal in Timisoara at the European Championship / Division B included my players.
Would you have liked a higher number of these achievements?
Of course, both as a sportsman and a coach, especially in the National Championship /Division A or International. Unfortunately, it has not happened.
Any missteps in sport?
Even though the results were at the national level, I do not see them as missteps in this sport branch. We are talking about a team sport, which cannot be decided by only one person, either player or trainer.
Have you every had any moments of tension?
Yes, I have, like for any sportsman or coach, but my education made me see the full half of the glass and kept me moving further.
Besides basketball, what other sport would have been?
Tennis. I truly believe that this is a spectacular sport, even though individual. And in spite of being costly, it can bring you so much satisfaction if you are correctly trained.
How does sport go hand in hand with the politics?
The politics to play a sport is an asset, at the national level, for the society you live in and a lifestyle that gives you good health. This is where everything starts – the political strategy in terms of sport begins with support, counselling, image. The future must be bright for us.
What are your plans for this institution, what do you think is a priority?
I came here because I want to provide for the sport structures, so as to build emulation among the Bucharesters and have them participate in mass competitions, a perfect starting point for the performance and great performance. We have our eyes on the youth, whom we will support both financially and via conselling, guidance for their individual or joint projects. Those projects that are very good, either formal or non-formal.
What is your opinion about the sport classes in primary and high schools?
I agree with prime minister Victor Viorel Ponta to have more sport classes in schools, since the good health of a child and later of a young person (student) or adult is essential for the economy of a country. At the same time, we cannot deny the fact that the pre- and university education are the platform of the performance sport.
For your personal life, do you have any time left?
This is a good question… When you spend time trying to reach an objective, which is to support the sport structures in their approach to build love for sport and later for performance sport, there is little left for yourself. But I have no complaints, my wife understands me perfectly.
1What do you do in your free time?
I prefer spending it with my family, for typical activities like walking, sport, talking about future, etc.
And what is your favorite holiday spot?
In the mountains. But lately, I have been going wherever my wife and my 4-year old son wish to go.
Have you ever played in a casino?
Once, with a friend. But I have not turned it into a habit. Nevertheless, it was an interesting experience, considering the strategies of the players. It is not at all easy to play at the casino and not cheap, either.
If yes, what is your game of your choice?
I do not have a special one, but I remember playing BlackJack and Texas Hold’em.
What is your take on poker? Can it be looked at as a sport or not?
As long as it happens in a controlled environment, why not?
Do you think they were right when they name Simona Halep as the Sport Personality of the Year 2013?
It is obvious that they have made the best choice. She has worked very hard and never gave up, hence she had wonderful results. Congratulations for her nomination to the readers for their selection, to which I adhere myself.
A few words about the Awards Gala of Casino Life & Business Magazine, which you attended.
We should have more galas like this, where the organizers outdid themselves and built an exquisite environment where the artistic and sport personalities received their well-deserved awards. I also congratulate your partners for their support in the evolution of the Casino magazine and not only.
A final thought for our readers?
To buy the latest issue of the magazine, to keep themselves abreast with the news and do sport in full measure .
