The players of the ETO University Handball Team began their preparations for the long-awaited NBI season in mid-July. Compared to last year, the team's roster has changed, so we are introducing our new players in a series. In the third part, Borisz Dörnyei introduces himself.
The young winger began his career in Veszprém and then returned to Hungary, specifically to Győr, after a two-year stint in Serbia. You can read the interview conducted with him now.
I will start with perhaps the most obvious question. How and why did you choose handball as your sport?
Actually, I tried many sports with my brother. We went everywhere, and if I remember correctly, I was in third grade when handball started for our age group. I went to a training session then, and I liked it.
What is it that captivated you about handball?
By the way, I also played soccer alongside it, but not at a serious level; I was taken to gym class at school. Actually, it was handball practice that I was really looking forward to. I can’t really express what captivated me about it. Perhaps it was the environment, the fact that I was really with friends or made friends there. And maybe it was my first coach; he had a big impact on me.
From the very first moment, was the wing position your role, or did you try yourself in other positions as well?
I went to my first training session wanting to be a goalkeeper. The funny part of the story is that I didn’t bring long pants with me. During the practice, they said that since I’m left-handed, I would be more useful in the field, but due to my physique, I wouldn’t be able to succeed as a shooter, so I ended up on the wing.
Every position has its challenges and advantages. What were they for you?
Vulnerability is perhaps the hardest part. The wing is quite a position where we depend a lot on our teammates. But otherwise, I wouldn’t want to trade places with anyone. I definitely wouldn’t want to be a shooter, not just because of my physique. I enjoy fast breaks and running with the ball as well. Don’t get me wrong – I also get nervous, as do my fellow players, when we’re running and the ball doesn’t come. However, as I mentioned before, I really love it when I get to start a fast break.
We've reached the point where you can tell us a bit about the journey you've taken in your career..
I was born in Veszprém, where I started playing handball. I practically worked my way up the ranks there. After that, fate led me to transfer to Serbia for two years. After spending time there, I wanted to make a change, and that’s when this opportunity in Győr came up. The decision wasn’t hard, as I wanted to switch, and I liked the vision outlined here. This is an opportunity for me that can be a good stepping stone, but the main thing is that a very good roster has formed here.
The team has been preparing together here in Győr for several weeks now, and you have already played some practice matches. What are your experiences? How is the preparation going?
The preparation is tough as always; that can't be avoided. I believe everyone is quite tired by now, but the atmosphere within the team is very good. Team cohesion is starting to develop as well. Of course, there’s still a lot of work to be done, but I think everything will come together by the beginning of the season or after a few matches. We have already played some practice matches, which we won. These games provided good experiences. We can build on them, and we can analyze the matches based on the videos, filter out the mistakes, and continue to work on improving them. I think this was a good start, and hopefully, we will continue like this.
The team's objective for the upcoming season is to achieve stable retention in the league. What are your personal goals for the season?
For me, it's definitely important that ETO stays in the top division, and I also want to be a stable player here. I would like to have a good season behind me. I also trust that we can achieve stability in the first half of the season, so we won’t have to worry about retention at the end.
Over the years, have you developed any habits or rituals for matches or training sessions?
I have some superstitious habits with even and odd numbers. For example, I usually do things in odd numbers, regardless of what they say, or I do one less or one more. It's interesting because I tend to do one more, as I don't like to cheat on the tasks. I also always start everything with my right side, like getting dressed, putting on my socks or my shoes. These habits didn’t just develop on the handball court; they also extend to life, such as setting the volume in the car or on the TV to an odd number. That's why wearing the number 48 was interesting for me, but I don't mind it there.
We've talked about hard work and superstitions. However, I'm also interested in what you do to recharge when you're not playing handball?
Overall, what really helps me unwind is spending time with my family or friends. Whether it’s having coffee, lunch, or going to the movies, the important thing is the time spent together. But I also enjoy just being at home, turning on a good movie or series, and ordering some delicious food.
Handball has a great tradition in Győr. Many have been waiting for the opportunity to support the men's team in the top division. What message do you have for them?
Due to my age, unfortunately, I don't have any memories of what men's handball was like in Győr. However, as you mentioned, I've heard from several sources that there was a huge team here. Our goal is clear; we want to put the club back on the handball map. I believe it will be a very likable team that fights to the end, and the fans will have the chance to see that. We really want as many people as possible to come to our matches because we will need them.
