“I think several factors came together – good work by the coaching staff, and the players bonded quite well. When these two things combine, you get pretty good results. We’re not flying high, we know where we are and we understand who we’re competing against. In any case, we want to participate in this race further, and how it all ends, only the Almighty knows,” said Robertas Vėževičius, sports director of the “Banga” team.
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The Gargždai team cannot match the financial capabilities of Vilnius, Kaunas, or Marijampolė clubs, but they find ways to maintain a competitive and ambitious team.
“Yes, we cannot match these teams in terms of budget, so we have to look for solutions. Before the season, a lot of scouting work is done, players are carefully selected, and conditions are negotiated. The players’ character and how they manage to integrate into the team are very important. Many factors must align,” said R. Vėževičius. “It seems we hit the mark with most of the players this year and are moving forward.”
R. Vėževičius also emphasized the work of the club’s director and board. They provided the club with the opportunity to go to a training camp in Cyprus in winter. Due to the extremely snowy winter, “Banga” had nowhere to train in Gargždai, so they had to travel to Liepāja every day. Such trips took a lot of time, so a decision was made to fly to Cyprus for ten days. This also contributed to good play, as during the camp, the footballers, especially the newcomers, strengthened their mutual ties.
R. Vėževičius, the sports director of “Banga” who himself had a long and quite impressive career, is most impressed by the fact that the Gargždai club constantly thinks not only about the present but also about the future. This summer, “Banga” realized a great ambition – it opened one of the most modern football camp bases in Lithuania.
“Banga Camp” stands out with football infrastructure that has no analogues in Lithuania. In Kulių village, next to the quarries, a complex of three full-size natural pitches and two changing cabins have been installed, as well as 32 four-person cabins for accommodation and a main building.
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“Currently, no ‘Top League’ club has this – ‘Banga’ truly pays great attention not only to the club but also to developing its successor. I can say that the quality of the pitches is ‘Top’ because they are maintained, watered, and fertilized. The newly built cabins provide the most important things – beds, lockers, showers, toilets, and just 30 meters away are the training pitches. In reality, these are ideal conditions for organizing camps. We hope that this campsite will also help our main team to improve,” emphasized R. Vėževičius.
“Banga camp” can accommodate 128 campers and ensure full conditions for the development of young footballers’ skills not only from Klaipėda district but also from all over Lithuania or even other countries. Opportunities to organize regional team matches, football seminars, and youth national team camps were discussed with LFF technical director Deividas Šemberas.
This month, two teams from Ukmergė have already camped at “Banga camp”. It is no doubt that more teams from schools and academies in Lithuanian cities will use the advantages of this camp.
The campsite was established with funds from Gargždai municipality, the European Union, the state, and sponsors.
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