A Strong Vision, an Even Stronger Drive to Score
www.posiv.cz ǀ 109
WOMAN
Both the football and now hockey
environments were new to me. I see sport
as a pathway to business, and I try to show
our partners why it’s worth investing in it.
Was there anything that was particularly
difficult for you? Any crisis period?
The toughest moment was probably
the move to Prague. Too much happened
at once – a new environment, a new job,
big responsibility, and I lacked a support
network. Projects like the Czech House
during the European Championship
in Germany, the women’s national team
and the women’s league were huge
experiences under heavy pressure.
The national-team environment works
differently from a club, and getting
my bearings quickly wasn’t easy. I’m
a perfectionist, and I knew that with more
time I would have handled some things
better.
At the same time, I was learning that
patience is crucial in sales. Every partner
is different, every negotiation develops
in its own way. I’m the kind of person who
wants results straight away – but thanks
to these experiences, I’ve understood that
everything has its own time.
What would you advice to women who
want to enter the sports business or take
on managerial roles?
Above all – don’t give up. The beginnings
aren’t easy – I went through tears
and doubts myself. People comment when
you’re a woman in a male environment.
I used to take it to heart, but I’ve learned
that if you persevere, the results will come
– and they’ll speak for themselves.
How difficult was it to adapt
to the hockey environment after
your experience in football
and the national team?
Honestly? It wasn’t that big of a change.
The club environment in hockey is very
similar to that in football. I noticed
a much bigger contrast when working
with the national team. There, it’s not
about one team but a whole range
of projects: men’s and women’s football,
the MOL Cup, youth tournaments,
the women’s league, futsal, beach soccer,
or initiatives like Náš fotbal živě and Chci
pískat. It’s more complex and demanding
in terms of coordination.
At the club level, things are more
straightforward – you know who your
partners are, you work with them
long-term, and you build relationships
throughout the season. And here
at HC VÍTKOVICE RIDERA, it really feels
like family. We’re a small team, we know
what everyone’s doing, and we’re close
to each other. That’s exactly what I missed
in the national team.
Do you have any visions – whether
within the club or personally? Where
would you like to go next?
I don’t have a precisely defined goal,
but I want to stay in the field and keep
improving – in both sales and marketing.
I’m tough on myself, so I’m constantly
trying to move forward. I want to expand
my portfolio of partners, build new
contacts, and gain a broader perspective.
As for the ice hockey club
HC VÍTKOVICE RIDERA, I’d like to see
us continue to grow. We want to broaden
our partner network, be more visible
and attract new fans – especially families.
I want going to hockey games to be about
more than the result; I want it to be the
sort of thing where you say, ‘Let’s take
the family to the hockey,’ as naturally
as you might say you’re going to the zoo.
I’d also like to gradually introduce new
marketing elements – for example our
own clothing line, merchandising, similar
to what we did in the past. I believe
we have the potential and the appetite
to take it further.
Thank you for the interview.
Paence is crucial in sales.
Every partner is dierent,
every negoaon develops
in its own way.
Mgr. Aneta Čecháčková