Brand new Ukraine Rugby League Team Manager Bozhena Kuzmych gives an insight into how she got involved with Ukraine Rugby League and her experience at the recent European Rugby League U19s Championships. The article originally appears in FORTY20 MAGAZINE Issue 158 – and is reproduced with kind permission.

I’m back in Lviv now, tired and exhausted but full of emotions and charged! 

My name is Bozhena, I was born here in Ukraine. Thanks to my lovely parents I had a lot of opportunities to discover myself and my personality. 

As a part of that I found a love of sport, became a rhythmic gymnast, enjoy dancing, horse riding, painting, singing in a church choir, riding a bike, badminton, and one of my greatest hobbies is paragliding. 

Here, I have organised one of the most popular cross country paragliding competitions for more than 10 years. I like to enjoy my life and I’m trying to use all the possibilities I’m given. 

So, sport is definitely not something new for me. I respect all sports people because I know how much work needs to be done and difficult it is, and beautiful at the same time! 

But if someone had asked me if I was expecting to be the manager of the Ukraine U19s rugby league side at the European Championships in Belgrade, I wouldn’t have thought it possible.

I had a very abstract understanding of rugby except they use a “strange” ball, but friend of mine who rides the same make of motorbike as me, is one of the players and asked me about the possibility of helping with the preparation of the team travel to Serbia.

Artur Martyrosian, the president of Ukraine Rugby League Federation, contacted me by telephone and we had a number of successful chats. 

A little while later, Artur came to Lviv for a rugby competition, and he invited me to come and see the games. 

As I prepared to meet him, I decided to prepare a small present just to show my respect and when we finally met, I was surprised, because he also prepared a surprise for me.

Amazingly, they were both in the same bags so, in the same moment, we decided it was an incredible sign of fate - and that is how I become the team manager. 

Artur told me he is involved in the military along with a lot of senior players trying to protect the country as soldiers and so he could not go on tour.

After that explanation, I couldn’t say no. He explained that the role entailed accompanying a lot of strong and fearless boys and to smile (this is 50 per cent), look after their requests and smile (that is the next 20 per cent) and all organise the logistics around the trip and competition - and smile (the remining 30 per cent).

The organization part was easy for me because I have great experience with my private business companies, which I’ve established since 2008. 

It was a long way on the bus to Belgrade, taking two days, crossing the border, and making a lot of communications and plans.  

All our team, players and coaches, were talking about the tight schedule, strategy, and the understanding of my mission made me become very concentrated. 

Starting from the accommodation to the first game, I realised that the tournament organisers had done a great job and all we needed to do was just follow the rules. 

I felt great support and then all amazing things started to happen…new friends, acquaintances, friendly talks, new agreements, official meetings, great training, full service, tasty food, a lot of interaction, this is all what I like the most! 

The games were streamed so all the Ukrainian fans could follow and support our players. Also, I was very much shocked and wondered how the boys were playing so hard, doing everything they could to get victory for their country, and after the game were hugging with the other team despite how strong the game was. 

When I saw everyone congratulating afterwards, it totally changed my understanding.

During this Championship I got to see six games and I had a chance to realise how great, powerful, breathtaking, strong, fast, pained, fearless and hardy the brave boys were.

I fell in love with this game and became a fan of it forever, although I feel very sorry for all of the injures the boys received. 

We achieved a decent result, of course we know our pros and cons, opportunities and mistakes. We had a great experience in a very friendly atmosphere and this is what I like and respect the most. 

Ten days of the competition passed so quickly. I’m so happy to become a part of this amazing family of rugby even for such a short period of time, I was not expecting to meet such a friendly and open people from all over the world.

I can’t wait for the next opportunity!