Written by Justin Lafleur, of Lehigh's Sports Media Relations team, here's a nice article on Bluevale ('11) graduate Stefan Cvrkalj, currently in his senior season at NCAA Division I Lehigh University:----------
Lehigh men's basketball is a very diverse team. The 16 players on the roster represent 11 different states and four different countries. Student-athletes come to the program from around the world with all different backgrounds.
Senior Stefan Cvrkalj is one of those student-athletes. His story is a compelling one that includes multiple countries and his parents' vision for a better life. Fast forward about 20 years and Cvrkalj is excelling at Lehigh, on and off the court, and has a bright future after graduation.
Without the decision from his parents in the early 1990s, he may not be in the position he is today…
Born in Novi Sad, Serbia, Cvrkalj's parents decided to move to Canada when Stefan was eleven months old.
"The only members of our family to come to Canada before us were my dad's uncle (he came here in 1973) and his brother (my uncle), who moved three years before we did," said Stefan. "We had someone who could sponsor us to come to Canada and help us get our Visas."
The conditions in Serbia were worsening, which ended up being the motivator behind the move.
"I had an idea to move to Canada when I was just about Stefan's age now, as a university student, in the early 80s," said Stefan's father Djuro Cvrkalj, which is translated to George in English. "It went kind of hot and cold in the next ten years, but the situation in early 90s changed when Yugoslavia split and the war escalated, so it was much easier to make the decision."
The Cvrkaljs moved to Kitchener, Ontario, which is located west of Toronto. Hockey is a popular sport in Canada, but Stefan never became interested in the sport. Instead, he played sports like tennis and soccer, eventually playing basketball around the fourth grade.
"Basketball picked up from there," said Stefan. "I stopped playing other sports at that time and played basketball from that point on."
"I was extremely happy about Stefan's decision," said Djuro. "Basketball became very popular through the 1960s, especially the 70s and 80s, in the part of the world where we were from. There was no need for any adjustment. Our national teams played one of the major roles in FIBA basketball over the last 40 years."
Cvrkalj enjoyed success and developed into one of the top prospects in all of Canada. He tried out and made the last cut of the country's Under 18 Junior National Team. It was clear that Stefan could play at a high level, but he needed to decide whether to continue playing in Canada or play Division I basketball in the United States.
"It took me a while to feel confident leaving home and playing in the U.S. because it was better competition," said Cvrkalj. "There's a risk of not playing much, or not feeling comfortable at that level of basketball. Ultimately, I wanted the challenge and I felt like I had worked so many years and worked so hard to achieve that goal. I had the opportunity, so I went for it."
Coupled with his success in the classroom, Cvrkalj received interest from multiple Patriot League schools. Ironically, the decision came down to arch rivals Lehigh or Lafayette. With comparable opportunities, Stefan decided on Lehigh because of its strong business school.
"Not only did Lehigh have a good business school, but their accounting department was also one of the strongest programs in the country," said Cvrkalj.
Stefan used his father's advice when making the final decision.
"Basketball wise, Lehigh and Lafayette are both very good schools, and it's always hard to tell which team is going to be better in the coming years," said Stefan. "Academics were something I could rely on regardless of what happened in basketball. My dad had warned me that you never know what can happen with sports; academics are the constant."
On the floor, Cvrkalj's specialty is sharp-shooting. He can knock down three-pointers with the best of them. At the time, the Mountain Hawks were looking for the skills Stefan brought to the table.
"We saw a player who had good size, a very good shooting touch, was a good passer from the standstill position and complemented some of the current pieces that we had on our team," said Lehigh head coach Brett Reed.
Cvrkalj's freshman season ended in the NCAA Tournament, just one win from the Sweet 16. He played in 30 games during that historic 2011-12 campaign which featured a Patriot League Championship and win over Duke. Cvrkalj averaged 2.3 points per game, including one game when he scored 19 points.
"We almost beat St. John's in the first game and held strong against Michigan State," he said. "Just seeing how we were consistent in practice, consistent in games and everyone wanted to win, I learned a lot from that season."
Even though he saw limited minutes, that year will stick with Stefan forever. It was a veteran, selfless group which was focused on one goal – winning.
"Some people start all four years, but they don't ever win a championship," said Cvrkalj. "I'll always have that ring in my bedroom. Even though I was a freshman and I received spot minutes for most of the season, I still got to be a part of that. I still got to feel the excitement of winning and going to the NCAA Tournament."
Cvrkalj suffered an injury as a sophomore, which ended up lingering through his junior season. From adjusting to the American game as a freshman to dealing with injuries his next two seasons, Stefan has been forced to overcome obstacles.
"Stefan fought through those injuries," said Reed. "He didn't take days off, he continued to work hard and prepare himself and the team as best he could. Unfortunately, when he was ready to take the next step in his junior year, he had an injury which sidelined him for a long period of time."
Although he tried to play early in the season, Stefan was unable to compete at a high level.
"We allowed him to rest and recover completely then he made a pretty significant impact in the second half of the year," said Reed.
Cvrkalj responded with 14 second-half points in key Patriot League victories against both Navy and Bucknell. This season, he's beginning to get hot from behind the three-point arc, knocking down five treys over his last three games… all victories.
Reed has seen tremendous growth in Stefan, especially on the defensive end of the floor.
"It took Stefan a while to learn our concepts and his ability to guard the basketball was at a pretty low level," said Reed. "But through hard work and diligence, he's improved in that area. Even last year, he took on some pretty meaningful defensive assignments and the coaching staff felt very comfortable that he could fulfill certain assignments because of his size and determination."
When Stefan is on the floor, he is a dangerous player, but his contributions to the program have gone far beyond any statistic.
"Stefan's influence and attention in the classroom has set a positive model for his teammates," said Reed. "I believe that his care and concern about building the right type of culture within our program has really laid a solid foundation for us moving forward. He's taken personal accountability to help enhance the future of our program by laying out the proper standards, adhering to those standards and promoting the type of basketball culture that a coach would be proud of."
In the classroom, Cvrkalj sports an impressive 3.81 cumulative GPA as an accounting major. Stefan has developed into a hot commodity in the job market and was recruited by PriceWaterhouseCoopers in New York, but he's looking to work back in Canada. The hope and plan is to work with the company where he's interned. The company doesn't hire as far in advance as most companies.
"This company looks more for immediate employment," said Sefan. "It's more about finding an open position and applying for it when I can actually start working. I have to be patient and see what's open. The good news is that I've made close contact with a lot of people at that company and there are people trying to help me out because they want me at the company once I'm done school. I've worked there for two years, two summers, and they're looking just as actively as I am to try and find me a position once I graduate."
If Stefan's family didn't leave Serbia back in the early 1990s, Stefan likely would have never ended up at Lehigh and would not be in the strong position he is today.
"My mom and dad were both able to find jobs and I was able to go to school in a country where there's more financial security," said Stefan. "My older sister Kristina finished her PhD in my hometown, one of the best science universities in North America."
"I think Stefan and Kristina have gained a unique view to the world, living and growing in Canada, and spending pretty much every summer in Serbia," said Djuro, who still has relatives in Serbia, as does his wife Bojana. "There are similarities, but there are a lot of differences between these two countries. Having that kind of opportunity helps you in communication, it helps you to understand and respect people better and it makes you a better person.
"Bojana and I are very fortunate that we were able to support Stefan and Kristina to travel and establish those connections with relatives and friends," Djuro continued. "We are very proud of them."
Stefan's life has been influenced by two major decisions, his parents' decision to uproot a family and his decision to play college basketball in the United States. Both decisions proved difficult, but led to extremely positive end results.
"I am amazed how focused and positive Stefan stayed, and how much effort he was able to put in to get back and play again after injuries," said Djuro. "There is a saying in Serbian 'U svakom losem ima nesto dobro - In every bad one, there is something good too,' which I kept repeating to him through those though times. I think it's very true, and he did become much stronger and tougher and ready for the challenges in days to come."
"I think ultimately, my parents made the tough decision and the right one for both my sister and I," said Cvrkalj. "I am very grateful."
Retrieved From: http://lehighsports.com/news/2014/12/11/MBB_1211142322.aspx
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