KK Bosco

After many years of informal competitions (especially in the Knežija), the BOSCO Basketball Club of Zagreb was founded in 1992, which, through various ages: senior citizens, juniors, cadets, junior cadets, and basketball schools, brings together numerous children and young people competing within the Croatian Basketball Association. The basketball section is joined by volleyball, mini-table, table tennis, and others. All sections are merged into the Sports Association SALOM (Salezian Youth Sports)[3].

The provincial administration adopted the statute of the society on 12th January 2002, the founding assembly was held on 22 April 2002, and the City Office for General Affairs of the City of Zagreb approved the statute on 18 October of the same year. Thus SALOM, as a member of the PGSI International Association, has been involved in the world of sports, social, ecclesiastical, and Salezian life as a sporting institution taking on an active role in the process of socialization, education, and evangelization of children and young people. For example, the prevention program of unacceptable behavior was called the Prevention and Alternative in Primary Schools, in 2003 and 2004. In Zagreb, schools were jointly conducted by the Ministry of the Interior, the City of Zagreb, and SALOM.[4]

In addition to tracking sports teams in the national competition, Salom has so far successfully organized the International Games of the Salezian Athletic Youths three times. The great educator DON BOSCO "Father and Teacher of Youth" is our model, inspiration, and advocate. His "preventive system," once a pedagogical novelty and today widely accepted on all continents, promotes human dignity and helps young people become "honest citizens and good Christians." KK Bosco hall is located at the Matija Gubec Elementary School in Knežija. Club selections have competed in various Croatian leagues. This season, the first senior team will compete in the most elite competition of the Croatian basketball HT Premier League.

The club has much professional basketball and junior league[5] basketball players, recognized university professors, and staff. A few of them are Ivan Velić (head coach of KK Cibona), Bariša Krasić (assistant coach of KK Cibona), Dražen Dizdar (full professor at KIF), Damir Knjaz (full professor at KIF and formerly KIF Dean), Željko Birkić (Chief of the Zadar County Sports Committee), Vinko Batinić (director of HKK Široki), Davor Bernardić (president of SDP), while some still play basketball at the top level, who are Andrija Stipanović, Mladen Primorac, Marin Pehar, Karlo Žganec.

In April 2019, after one season in the HT Premijer liga, the club was relegated to the second tier, Prva muška liga.

• Ivica Burić

• KK Bosco website