Sisak Development: Empowering youth through sport and international experience

Sisak Development is a youth sports initiative focused on strengthening the development of ice hockey in Sisak by creating structured opportunities for young athletes. The project was started by Global Business Management students Borna Savić, a freshman, and Mohamed Elmisurati, a senior, who combined their experience, knowledge, and shared motivation to give back to the community and support the next generation of athletes.

Borna, a former Croatian national team hockey player, explained that the idea grew from his personal background and international sports experience. “I started the project because I wanted to give back to the city I was born in and help build a better future for our young people,” he said. His colleague and co-initiator, Mohamed, joined the project after a conversation with Borna during their first semester at the Zagreb campus. What began as a friendship quickly developed into a shared vision.

Ensuring young athletes have opportunities to grow

“I didn’t hesitate for a second,” Mohamed said. “What made the decision easy was my background. I had worked in government administration for over two years before coming to RIT Croatia, which gave me hands-on experience in operations and management.” He added that the initiative focuses on practical support and access to high-quality training environments: “We bring in top international coaches for specialized camps, offer financial support to talented children, and work hand in hand with the city of Sisak, the Mayor of Sisak, KHL Sisak, and HK Siscia. Our goal is to ensure that motivated young athletes from Sisak have real opportunities to grow.” Mohamed emphasized that the motivation behind the project is deeply personal and connected to opportunity-building. “Talented kids in Sisak had the motivation and discipline, but the opportunities to reach the next level were simply not there yet. We wanted to be the people who open those doors.”

The project became tangible when the first international-level coaching sessions began, and young athletes were able to train in a new environment. Mohamed also noted the international dimension of the initiative, highlighted by the participation of athletes from different countries. For Borna, one of the key challenges was building trust at the beginning. “The biggest challenge was gaining the full trust of parents. We focused on open communication, transparency, and delivering high-quality results from the very first day,” he explained. Mohamed added that transparency was essential in building partnerships from the ground up.

Both students credit their studies for shaping the way they approach the project. Borna highlighted courses such as Business II and Management Accounting, which helped him build structure, understand community needs, and manage operations. Mohamed emphasized Communication and Microeconomics as key to developing strong organizational and interpersonal skills. “The most useful skills have been project management, clear communication, teamwork, and financial organization,” Borna said.

Moving in the right direction

The most meaningful feedback came from the parents. Many told them this is exactly what they need for their children. “That kind of reaction confirmed that we are moving in the right direction for our community.” Looking ahead, Sisak Development is set to continue expanding. Borna and Mohamed plan additional training camps, international collaborations, and long-term development initiatives for youth sports. Borna envisions the project growing beyond hockey, while Mohamed aims to position Sisak Development as a borderless platform for youth development. “We are already preparing more camps and an international tournament in Canada in February 2027,” Mohamed said. “We want Sisak Development to prove that youth development has no borders.”