This weekend, professional volleyball player Tevin St Jean will line up for his 10th club and begin his first stint in Croatia. The 30-year-old middle blocker from Soufriere will be playing for MOK Marsonia in Slavonski Brod this season.
Competing in the Croatian Super League, the club aims to make the top four and qualify for the European tournament. Marsonia has added St Jean to a group that includes players from Montenegro and France. Three players are in from the Montenegrin national team – Slobodan Bojić, Blažo Milić and Bojan Strugar. At 2.1 metres, 16-year veteran Milić is the tallest in the team.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, captain Belmin Begić said that the expectations from the reinforcements are very high. He noted that St Jean has had a history of playing with big clubs over his nearly 10-year career.
“He has an excellent career behind him in big clubs, said coach Miloš Živanović, speaking on their new Saint Lucian middle. “Iraklis Chalkidas, Panachaiki Patras, MGS AE Komotinis, Elpis Ampelokipon, Filippos Veroias… the list of clubs he has played for is long. He has only been in Slavonski Brod for a few days, so we’ll see how he likes it.”
In his own right, St Jean, commonly known by his middle name, Ferrel, told the press conference that his goal is always to inspire. Last year, he suited up for Neftçi Baku in Azerbaijan. As one of just three pro players ever from Saint Lucia, he has also appeared in Romania, Greece, and Portugal.
“I’ve had to prove myself throughout my sports career because I come from an island country that most people can’t even find on a map,” he said. “That’s why part of my sports journey is to be a motivation for children and young people and an indicator of how anything is possible if you work hard.
Since St Jean joined last weekend, the club has been training twice a day in the Vijuš Sports Hall. They are hopeful that they will be able to deliver “attractive volleyball” to their fans.
