EN Already in early childhood, it was clear that Sabina had an exceptional talent for movement. But where she got to today is no accident. In this interview, Radek Košárek openly describes the role of a parent, coach and guide on the journey through top sport. Rozhovory Audio version Listen to article Open audio Tvůj prohlížeč nepodporuje přehrávání audia. You raised a very successful athlete who competes in cycling in several disciplines. When you look back today, was her talent visible right away, or did she have to fight for everything gradually? Looking back, I knew right away. Already at the age of three, I mentioned it to my friends around me. She was rollerblading from a young age, I taught her to ski and snowboard and in fact I led her to all sports where her competitiveness soon showed. Why did you choose cycling and BMX as the primary discipline? Were there other sports involved? Cycling is my field of work, so I was able to help her a lot. I myself raced in BMX from a young age and at the same time was involved in road cycling. The first steps when I led Sabi were in mountain biking and cyclocross, where we already had very good results. At the age of ten, the turning point came, our friend Radek Milníček invited us to BMX races, and it was clear from the first start. She was instantly hooked and knew that BMX was her choice. What helped Sabina to last so long at the wheel? I never had to force Sabi into anything. She literally grew up with the bike, she always wanted to race, improve and overcome new goals. How much did your family life have to adapt to her sport? It was one of the most difficult roles, being a coach and a parent at the same time. Anyone who has been through this knows how time and money consuming it is. Balancing family, work, training and competitions is not easy, but when we see that the child enjoys it and has some results, it makes sense. How do you think the role of an athlete's parent changes when the child moves to higher categories? A turning point often comes around the age of fourteen. The parent should let the child make more decisions, but at the same time, this is the period when he needs the most support. Even if he moves to higher categories, the parent still plays an important role there. Mainly in background and psychological support. What does it mean to you to see her today as an individual competitor? Not much has changed here. We still discuss every race or important training together. The difference is that today she can travel alone and has managed to build the right group of friends around her, with whom she often travels. This is a huge help for us. What are you most proud of your daughter for - beyond the results and medals? What I am most proud of is that she was brought up with humility. He can talk to everyone, not just about cycling. Of course, I am also proud of all the results she has achieved, because behind them is a huge effort, whether it is school, friends, she had to sacrifice everything for it. 8. Why would you recommend cycling as a sport for children to parents? Cycling brings a lot of experiences, the possibility of traveling and is very versatile. If a child stops enjoying BMX, they can switch to road, track or mountain bikes. Those basics will always come in handy. 9. How are you doing with finding sponsors, does Sabina manage it herself or is it your job? From the beginning, when she moved on to bigger races, I mainly took care of it, and in fact it still works that way today. Traveling is very demanding, so any support is greatly appreciated. We try to give back to sponsors not only with results, but also with attitude and representation. 10. What advice would you give today to parents whose children are entering performance sports? To be patient, they gave the child support, but did not pressure him at all costs. It is important that the child enjoys sports and that he is happy. The results will come by themselves when he has a good background and feels confident.