Instead of being one of the players sat on the floor in front of the handball giants Vid, Luka and Domen in Arena Zlatorog, searching for valuable advice, Domen was on the other side. In the role of the speaker. The motivator. The experienced one. Even though he is only 24. This time he was the one sharing his own experience to those not so much younger than him. What did the players want to know?
“Mostly about how to choose the right club“, Makuc revealed.
“First of all, you have to talk to the head coach to see what plans they have for you. Also, you need a good agent who will take care of many secondary things, because you must focus exclusively on handball. That is the only way you will be able to perform in the best possible way.“
One of Slovenia's finest players of the new generation expressed his delight about the RYT app. It is a newly-launched EHF product which provides valuable assistance to young players about important off-court topics such as getting training in media activities, mental health, nutrition, anti-doping, self-managing a dual career and many more. In other words, it helps them tackle many challenges outside of the handball court, which might in some ways influence their execution in games.
“The app is terrific“, thinks Makuc.
“When I got injured, I used to think I was doing everything in my recovery the right way, but then I realised I could have done a lot more. Mental health is important too. I thought I was mentally strong, but then injury strikes and you are never ready. You must stay strong, think positive and go forward. Furthermore, I started adding supplements to my nutrition, which also helped me improve my performance.“
Former RK Celje Pivovarna Laško player was unquestionably highly talented – and still is, but he became aware very early that talent alone would not be enough for him to reach his goals. Despite the fact he played in the EHF Champions League as a 16-year-old. During that sensitive age there is always danger that a player might get too overwhelmed by the occasion and pressure. This was not the case with Makuc.
“I was never of the impression that it was too soon for me to play in the Champions League. Some thought that it was. I just loved handball so much, I was not thinking if it was too soon or not. I was playing in the best Slovenian club, basically at home. It was special.“
Domen's message to younger players on their way to becoming high-level athletes is rational and sensible.
“Talent means you have something, a different vision than the rest. Speaking from my own experience, I always knew that I was talented, but I also worked hard. That is my main advice to these players. Train hard, but also smart. Recovery is almost equally important as hard training. Everyone in the club, from coaches to physios, must help you develop a long-term plan.“