We see everyone around us as extended family, our team mates, colleagues, even rivals. We travel together, eat together, work together, it would be hard not to develop this familial bond. However for some, family can be quite literal.
It is certainly the case for Polish referee, Alexandra OSMAN. Working in the Bytom European Judo Hopes Tournament, Alexandra was just like all others in the referee line up, dedicating her time to the development of the young athletes who have travelled from around Europe. Until lunch time, when she joined her family for a quick break before getting right back to it!
Sitting down with sons, Leo and Bruno, and partner, Richard TRAUTMANN, it looked like a normal family lunch, but to manage a family with travelling, working parents in high performance sport is anything but normal. It requires sacrifice, balance and a lot of understanding. Though it can be tough, the benefits greatly outweigh everything else, and as judo proves time and time again, it is always willing to hold out a hand and extend the ‘judo family’.
We met a long time ago now! In 2010 in Poland, it was a Junior European Cup, and now we live in a place in the middle of Warsaw and Krakow. Once a year we try to be in Azerbaijan, the very windy city! But actually we really like it, and I can say that the Azerbaijan team, the athletes are really so good with our kids, they love them. When we come, the boys are part of the family and in general, my youngest son, Leo, is a very open person so it comes easy.
Since Trautmann’s move to Azerbaijan, his team welcomed him as one of their own, along with his sons – Leo pictured with Turan BAYRAMOV above. Osman explains,
When Richard first started to work for Azerbaijan, he organised a training camp in the mountains here, so I took the kids and they met the Azerbaijan athletes for the first time and for them it was something totally natural that Saied Mollaei took them on his shoulders and carried them to training! It was so comfortable for them to be with these big champions and immediately welcome them.
I’m not travelling so much, of course Richard travels a lot more than me! When I need to travel for judo, my kids come with me as you can see this weekend, but when Richard is home he can take care of them, it’s important for him to spend all the time he can with the boys. This weekend it is nice because we can all be together.
It really is a judo family, with both boys having a love and interest in the sport,
My kids are also practicing judo, they are so happy when they can come to the competitions but they are only here for one day, they have a competition of their own to go to! We try to find a nice balance, because we all love judo and all want to enjoy it.
Author: Thea Cowen