K. Dubults collects an average of eight rebounds in a match this season, being the fifth best creator of second chances in the Latvian-Estonian league. (Photo: Đirts Gertsons)
The guy who holds the combined league record for the most rebounds in one game, didn’t believe that he would grow up to be a professional athlete.
He considers family and education his priority, but enjoys every second of basketball while he has the chance.
– How did you get into basketball?
– It was also the first sport I tried. I am from Saldus, next to it is a small village called Druva, where there was a basketball club. It all started there. I was about seven, eight years old. At that age, everything was not so serious, we walked slowly, we worked.
Later, I trained with Viktor Kulačkovskis at the Saldus Sports School, his son Matís currently plays for “Ogre”.
I didn’t think I would play basketball after high school myself. I wanted to go to the Defense Academy, but I didn’t get there.
I had made up my mind that I didn’t want my parents to pay for school, and I found a budget place at Vidzeme University, studying business management. There was a basketball team at school, I played there, we had a good start in the Latvian 2nd division, we won promotion.
But the biggest gain for me during this period was that I grew up. During university – by about six centimeters. I was a late bloomer. Everything developed organically, I studied, worked, played… and now I have arrived in Liepāja.
– In between there is a stop in Poland…
– Yes, I was in Poland last year. “Valmiera” had a good season, I received an offer from the Polish 2nd league club “Miasto Szkla Krosno”. It was also the first season when clubs were allowed to enter legionnaires in the championship, one at a time.
Very cool I was in the city, so I associated it with Valmiera. Small, tidy, compact, not as big as Liepāja. This city Krosno is located about 50 kilometers from the border of Ukraine and Slovakia.
It was a more stressful time and I didn’t know if it would be safe, but everything turned out well.
I played a full season. I had a contract for one year, but already in the middle of the season I knew that I would not be there next year. I played well, had a good relationship with the coaches, but they understood that if only one legionnaire is allowed, it should be the linebacker.
This year they also found it, rebuilt it and they are also doing much better. Let’s put it this way – the tall man can do very little if he doesn’t have a good linebacker on the field. This decision is natural, there is no bitterness.
– And how did it come about here?
– I was invited by Artūrs Visockis-Rubenis. He is the kind of coach and personality you really can’t say no to.
In general, looking at “Liepāja” last season, I think the team played great basketball.
All very well worked off your role. Seeing how the players have progressed here, I had no other thoughts. If there’s an opportunity to progress as a player, this is where it’s going to happen, so of course I agreed.
– Were there other offers?
– It was, it was.
– Only in Latvia?
– Such specifically only in Latvia. We agreed with “Liepāja” very quickly, so I wasn’t much interested in other options either. It must be said that in financial terms the offers were very similar, but I didn’t have much to think about, I wanted to play here.
– So the primary factor turned out to be the coach’s factor?
– Definitely.
– I understand that you are currently here for at least two seasons?
– Yes. Already during the season, I extended the contract for another year. It wasn’t a difficult decision, because I realized that the system that Artur offers takes some getting used to.
Second, my wife found a job here that she really likes, and we also have a little one… tossing and turning. All the factors coincided.
The family plays the most important role in the life of K. Dubulta. His parents and relatives attend every game in large numbers, sometimes even in Poland. In the picture: Klāvs, his son Teodors and his wife Marta Lāčplēša during the day’s torchlight procession in Liepāja. Photo: from a private archive
I also like how the management works, the whole structure. Okay, maybe I don’t have much to compare with, but I have worked in two organizations, and in terms of organization, “Liepāja” is well ahead of others.
There is no division here, everyone is united and you are a part of it.
– How do you like the city?
– I really like it, but the first impression was strange, a bit of a culture shock (laughs). When I came here for the first time, there was a training camp, and we spent the night in Siļľku Street. I got on the bus, they didn’t give me money back for the ticket, I thought how could it be, but, well, a little thing.
In the bus, when I was young, they pushed me a bit for bothering them with my big bag (laughs).
I got off at Siļķu Street, and what I saw didn’t really match my expectations of Liepāja. But now we live near the Jūrmala park, but here it seems like day and night.
Those were the first impressions, but I really like Liepāja. Here is everything you need to live. It is also beautiful, the only thing is to get used to the weather, autumn in one rain (laughs).
– Along with sports, studies also play a big role in your life. How to connect it?
– Yes, I obtained a master’s degree in “Business Environmental Management” at Vidzeme University. Economics, marketing, psychology, ideologically – head of personnel department. I really liked what I was learning, I hit the first one.
Last year, it was very successful in Poland that remote learning continued due to covid. It helped a lot, I didn’t miss anything, I finished everything. Everything came together successfully, one might say.
– Do you also have any plans in this industry?
– When I was in Valmiera, I worked in real estate in parallel with sports. Now I still help some things with marketing.
My father owns a construction retail business and it’s clear that I will eventually run out of basketball… This is with the idea that I can help him more. I wanted to have a basis for all this.
Education was also a primary thing for me, because, tpu, tpu, tpu, one more injury and no one needs you anymore. Harsh, but this is the reality of an athlete.
At the moment I’m enjoying basketball. If I need to work, I have a good education for the labor market, but what I would like after my career is to help my father in the company.
– How did you get into the team?
– This is a team with no internal groups. I said about unity before, but yes, really. Of course, everyone has to get used to the system, to what the coach gives, but I feel very good at the team level.
– Can you give a little outline of the system to get used to?
– The coach knows how to make you better psychologically, not with humiliation, but with some positive actions, encouraging. He tries to find and bring out the best in you, but also allows other things to progress. They don’t want you to stand still and do only what you can do. I like it very much.
In previous teams, you could feel that the coaching staff wanted everyone to perform their function as well as possible, and that was it. There is more to be done here. Team play is also on another level.
I will not say that the previous coaches were not good at this aspect, but it manifested itself a little differently. Through the tactical side, combinations. Here, basketball is more free, but at the same time there is also a system – everyone must know what to do, how to move. It is quite difficult because you have to understand to read the situation. This is what we learn.
In general, the coach’s signature, I would say, is that everyone touches the ball, that’s it flow.
He wants victories through the team, he cannot really be impressed by individual play. You can play brilliantly individually – it’s great, it’s not about that at all, but you can feel that it’s not what the coach wants. He wants us all to get involved more.
He does not like, for example, 12 passes, he needs 20 and more. You have to involve the whole team, because if you do that, everyone feels the ball more, works more in defense. If you just run around the field all the time, don’t touch the ball, motivation drops. Even if you touch the ball once, be in its movement, be a part of the team – that’s something completely different.
We may not be the tallest, widest, or fastest team, but we can win with our work and team play.
– What does the team still need to work on?
– Definitely playability. There is a lot of energy, everyone wants to fight. At other times we burn out, we also saw that against “VEF”.
We are a young, hot-headed team.
You have to work on inner peace and self-control, trust in certain moments. We have a lot of talent, especially at the small end. If we continue the way we started the season, it will be a good year. The main thing is that no one is injured.
– What are your individual goals?
– I don’t have such specific individual goals. I would like to achieve more together with the team. I would like to be an important part of the team, to help win.
– What needs to happen for you to say after the season – it was good?
– Definitely eighth in the combined league and a medal in the Latvian championship. The main thing is to have stability and no falls. Beat those who must be beaten, fight with those we can fight with, and also get some wins against nominally stronger teams.
– What do you need to work on individually?
– Visa foot (laughs). It would definitely be the outside shot, confidence and patience. Cool mind, ability to read situations. So I have something to do in training (laughs).
– What would you say are your strengths on the field?
– I think one thing I can highlight is the speed between the tall players.
Business card
Klaavs Dubults
Born: October 16, 1996. Education: bachelor’s degree in “Business Management” at Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences, also master’s degree in “Business Environmental Management”. Career: “Valmiera Glass/ViA” (2018-2022), “Miasto Szkla Krosno” (2022-2023), BK “Liepāja” (2023-2025). Marital status: wife Marta, son Teodor. Dream: the small dream of debuting in the Latvian national team. The big one? A big, happy family.
Individual records
Points28″Miasto Szkla Krosno” 83:82 “Decka Pelplin” (February 12, 2023)Rebounds21″Valmiera Glass/ViA” 80:75 “Avis Utlitas Rapla” (March 6, 2022)Assists 5 in five matchesRebounds 4 in Two in matches Blocked shots 4 “Valmiera Glass/ViA” 92:100 “Jūrmala” (December 14, 2019)
The publication was prepared in cooperation with the municipality of Liepāja.
2023-11-27 03:10:35
#Klāvs #Dubults #chance #progress #happen #Liepāja
