It is of great pride for the National Academy of Handball that two former NEKA students, Noémi Pásztor and Petra Vámos will be included in the women's national team at the World Championships starting in Japan on Saturday.

János Hajdu, head of the sports department, said the girls deserved the opportunity, as it could be seen at an early age, both in the academy and in the national teams of their age group, that they could excel and make a difference.

 

Noémi Pásztor, who plays in Ferencváros, graduated from the Academy two years ago, while Petra Vámos left Balatonboglár last year and is attending the trainings and matches of Debrecen since the autumn.

János Hajduand members of the professional staff have worked with the two players for years, and they have been outstanding performers at a young age already.

 

 

“Both girls have outstanding intelligence and have always focused on their tasks in studying and sports as well. Nonó moved from Szombathely to the academy, although the family initially found it difficult to let her go to the shore of Lake Balaton due to their worries about the deterioration of her study performance. Director General Lajos Mocsai has also been active in our efforts to sign her, and after we managed, Noémi wanted to excel in every training session, she had no problem in none of the areas and finally managed to do well in both aspects. The standard has been set high, the girl also had done so for herself, but this proved to be nothing wrong.

Petra Vámos also came to us as an ambitious little girl with a perfect attitude, I remember Szilárd Kiss jr. drew our attention to an energetic, dynamic talent from Ózd, and it was clearly visible in an instant that she had big potential. None of the girls received the opportunity to go to the World Championships as a gift, they worked hard for the successes they have achieved so far”– described János Hajdu the years in Balatonboglár.

The success of the players being selected for national teams of their age groups as well as for the women’s adult team is the result of the excellent professional work at NEKA.

“We start working with youngsters, kids come to us at age thirteen and fourteen, and we have always emphasized that it takes time for the players to mature. I think the 18 junior championship titles, in particular the success of the national teams in their respective age groups over the last two years, and the invitations of the two girls for the women’s national team are clear answers for the sceptics. I must add that also with the boys we have two players – Marcell Gábor and Péter Tóth – who are in the extended squad for the men’s national team, and this also shows something.”

Of course, it is not less important, how the career of the youngsters evolves after their years spent at NEKA.

“It's important to emphasize that everyone at the academy gets the right level of training, but this is a trampoline. If the path we start is to continue, if players go to coaches (such as Gábor Elek, Vilmos Köstner, Gábor Danyi) who courageously give Hungarian youth playing time, and are not afraid to offer opportunities for them to prove their abilities, they can become stable first division team members, and on the long term they can be ready for the national team as well.”

János Hajdu, of course, follows the Hungarian national team's World Championship matches, and not only supports the two former NEKA students.

“I have coached fourteen players out of the 18-person squad in various age group national teams, so I do have a pretty strong emotional attachment, I embrace them with all of my heart. I am not concerned about Petra Vámos and Noémi Pásztor, since they are smart, they do not become too anxious and usually bring their best performance at matches. If they do not get injured or sick, everything will be fine.”