By Amy Samin
Mladen Sestan, the legendary Croatian coach of Nikola Vuj?i?, has come to Israel to offer a special training session in the framework of Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv’s youth project, which is run by Vuj?i? and Avi Even. The project includes close supervision in personal training practices, video briefings and more provided to Ben Altit and Arad Harari, who currently hold spots on Maccabi’s roster, as well as Idan Zalmanson and Itay Segev, graduates the club’s youth program who have been loaned out this season to Division 1 teams in the Israeli League (Herzliya and Holon) so that they may gain experience, and Nimrod Levy who has been loaned to Division 2 team Hapoel Kfar Saba.
The youth program was created to help foster the development of the next generation of Israeli basketball players, and Sestan has come to contribute his vast knowledge in aid of the young players. Sestan coached Nikola Vuj?i? from age 14 – 18, and was the coach of the highly successful younger divisions of the Croatian National Team, winning, among other things, the European Championship (Cadets) and a silver medal in the World Championships (Junior National Team).