Athlete in uniform
In the IDF, young people who excel in the field of sports get a unique opportunity to combine military service with a sports career. The special track for outstanding athletes allows soldiers to continue training, participate in competitions and exercise their talent, while fulfilling their military duties. With the help of tailored support and special conditions, this track provides soldiers with the The necessary tools to represent Israel in the international arena, and continue to concentrate on sports also within the framework of military service.
I spoke with some of the leaders in sports from the Maccabi Haifa Association who work in various industries, to understand how they manage to combine the challenging sports career with the military service. The athletes shared with me their personal experiences, challenges and advantages offered by this unique route.
Yonatan Gerchov, 18, and Adi Vida, 19, from Haifa They are two outstanding athletes in the field of swimming, each of whom brings with him impressive achievements and big dreams.
Yonatan Garchov
Jonathan started swimming at the age of 11. At first, he just wanted to learn to swim, but very quickly discovered his skills in the field and decided to progress to competitive swimming. After only three years, he won his first medal, an exciting experience for him that motivated him to aspire to reach the Olympics. Since then, Jonathan stood out in international competitions, including the European Championship and the World Youth Championship, and won several Israeli championships.
Adi Vida
On the other hand, Adi Vida started swimming in the pool at the Technion from the age of 6 and over the years he persevered and progressed until he reached the pool of Maccabi Haifa. Already at the age of 10 he participated in his first national championship, at the age of 15 he won his first medal and since then he has continued to star in the top five of his age. His outstanding achievement was the fifth place in the national championship for adults in the 100 meters individual medley.
The criteria required to reach outstanding athlete status
To reach the status of an outstanding athlete in the army, it is necessary to meet strict criteria and achieve impressive achievements in sports competitions. Daniel Baruch, who knew since the beginning of the 730th grade that he wanted to continue playing sports even during his military service, was required to achieve a criterion of 746 points to gain this status. "At the beginning of the XNUMXth grade I did not have this criterion and I was afraid that I would not be able to achieve it" he says Daniel He received a draft order for August, but since the competition in which he could achieve the criterion was at the end of August, he decided to postpone his draft until December. He entered the competition, managed to break his personal record, and scored XNUMX points - which earned him the coveted status of an outstanding athlete in the army.
I asked Daniel and Adi how they manage to combine the high demands of a sports career with their duties as soldiers in the army.
Daniel: "I manage to combine my demands as an athlete and my duties as a soldier thanks to the fact that the commanders allow me flexibility, such as arriving late at the base after morning training or being released early for afternoon training. This way I can combine important training with military service."
jewel: "My position in the army is a payments NCO in the navy. The position requires high availability and interaction with permanent and mandatory personnel. It's challenging, especially when I train twice a day. In addition to training 9 intensive trainings and 5 fitness trainings a week, this is something I am used to. But, with the army it is something that sometimes wears out. Fortunately, my boss supports and helps me with what I need and it makes things much easier.
"It is possible to combine two worlds"
Daniel shares his feelings about the path he is on: "I am currently very satisfied with this path, because it gives me the opportunity to combine two worlds - sports and the military. I definitely recommend young athletes to choose this path, because if they have a dream in the field of sports, they can exercise it while doing military service."
"I would choose the most significant and interesting service available"
Adi proudly reveals that he has a twin brother who is currently in an officer's course in the armor, and his close friends serve in infantry units and special units. The conversations with them about their service, especially in the shadow of the situation and the war, raise questions about what his service would have looked like, and how he would have functioned in other positions If he wasn't on the track of an outstanding athlete, he would have chosen a service as significant and challenging as possible. "Like any athlete who dreams of representing the country at the highest levels, I would defend the country with all my heart," he says Strong self-discipline and stubborn competitiveness, he is sure that he could have passed any training and route he chose, and sees it as a challenge to prove to himself that he is capable of meeting any task he faces.
When I asked Adi if he was satisfied with the route, he answered in the affirmative despite the difficult challenges. According to him, it reminds him of the combination between studies and swimming - a rigid framework, but definitely possible to deal with.
This is what Adi says: "In the end, an athlete who reaches this status does so out of love for what he does."
Daniel also recommends and says "If they have a dream in their sport, this is a great opportunity to realize it and invest everything they have to achieve success." The two emphasize that with the right passion and determination, the sports track can lead to impressive achievements.
Active athlete
It is also important to refer to the track of an active athlete, which is another track designed for athletes who continue to train and compete seriously, but not necessarily at the level of an outstanding athlete. While an outstanding athlete is someone who has achieved extraordinary achievements at the national or international level and receives extremely lenient conditions, the track of an active athlete is designed to allow athletes to maintain their fitness and practice sports during service, but at the same time integrate into normal military roles.
The main difference between an outstanding athlete and an active athlete lies in the extent of the concessions they receive. An outstanding athlete enjoys significant concessions such as many days off for training and competitions, concessions in service hours and sometimes also being assigned to positions that allow greater flexibility. On the other hand, an active athlete receives certain concessions, but they are less comprehensive. He may get days off for training and competitions, but his military service still includes regular and intensive duties, depending on the needs of the military.
I spoke with Yonatan Kurtosh, 20 years old from Haifa, an active athlete, who will tell about his experience on this track.
This is how Yonatan says: "The sport I am involved in is athletics, and especially in the field of sprints for distances of 100 and 200 meters. I started training in athletics at the age of 13, out of a deep desire to compete in short runs, which is something I have always loved to do and put my all into."
How did you get on the track of an active athlete?
"The coaches are well aware of the different routes in the army that allow athletes to continue their training routine while serving in the military. For example, my coach thoroughly prepared me for a whole year before enlistment, so that I could meet the criteria required to receive the status of an athlete in the army. The coaches are involved in this process in a way Significantly, since they have the direct and strongest connection with the association, which is responsible for submitting the applications to the army."
Are you happy with this track, and would you recommend it to young athletes?
"I am very satisfied with the track, as it allows me to continue the training routine and also contribute to the country. If young athletes plan to continue playing sports during or after military service, I highly recommend this track."
Yonatan describes how the army considers athletes, especially in his role as a soldier teacher. The army allows him to combine morning training with competitions in Israel and abroad. According to him, each athlete receives 90 special days in Israel and 30 special days abroad, free days intended for training or competitions, which makes things much easier. "It's something you have to get used to, but like anything, eventually you get used to it," he says. "There are more stressful days and there are less days, but in the end the obstacles are overcome."
How do you manage your time between an athletic career and military service?
Yonatan describes his carefully organized schedule that combines his sports career with his military role as a soldier teacher: "I start the day with morning training, then continue to school, where I teach sports for about four hours as a soldier teacher. After school, I return home to rest a bit, But not too much, because later in the day I have another workout, and I usually come home only late in the evening. It's a busy routine, but with time you get used to it, and I'm happy with the effort I put in every day."
We wish great success to these wonderful athletes and are sure that they will continue to contribute proudly to the country, both through their personal achievements and by being inspiring representatives in future competitions. There is no doubt that they will continue to represent us with respect and bring pride to all of us.