Ludogorets sports psychologist Boryana Razsolkova: My goal is to build an international club authority

She always meets every football player and coach in the corridors of the Ludogorets training base with a smile. She is available for any problem, and for our conversation she came from the hustle of the day, she had just visited the Academy sick talents.

She is sports psychologist Boryana Razsolkova and has been part of the  Razgrad team since July 1, 2023. She was born in Velingrad, but defines herself as a citizen of the world. And rightly so - her life's path takes her to various corners of the world, and her colorful story lingers in the Middle East for 11 years.

She always knew that sport was her destiny. Her father is a swimmer, her brother is a kayaker. Growing up among competitors, surrounded by friends like Stefka Kostadinova, Boryana chooses to take her professional path in a time of challenges. At the beginning of the new millennium, the term "sports psychologist" sounds unfamiliar, unusual and, for sure, penniless. Today, the profession is already extremely necessary, in demand, because, as Boryana points out, "it gives an important practical orientation, especially among the elite".

However, working with adolescent boys has its distinctive differences. First and foremost, they grow. And not only physically, tactically and technically, but above all mentally. All these units are interconnected because quick decisions and concentration are required from future men's soccer players. This is precisely where Boryana intervenes - with help in developing mental qualities, mobilization, determination, game readiness and courage, with overcoming a number of obstacles, such as disturbances from the public and opponents, including with the recovery of players after injuries. She describes herself as a "person in the shadows", but the results of her influence are visible on the field. Last but not least, Boryana helps in harmonizing the interpersonal relationship in the teams. "I've always said that athletes are a different breed of people," the sports psychologist shares her views.

Boryana Razsolkova works with all teams in Ludogorets - from the Elite groups U13 to U17, as well as with the third team, with the doubles team, she also advises coaches and players from the main team. He is already taking his first steps with the Eagles athletes. She conducts group and individual sessions and trainings, role-playing games and activities, consultations with mentors to bring out the best qualities in his graduates.

Boryana is the only Bulgarian woman who taught sports psychology and culture in the most modern sports academy for juniors in the world. It is about Aspire Academy in Doha, the capital of Qatar. She has worked with some of the most successful teams and competitors in the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. She will never forget her meetings with greats such as Diego Maradona, Rafael Nadal, Michael Jordan, Pele, Raul Gonzalez. In Dubai, she was the manager of a sports company. But the highlight today is Ludogorets. Life-wise, ready to transfer her acquired professional experience back to Bulgaria, Boryana discovered a common professional charge precisely in Ludogorets. "I want to apply what I learned in my country, to benefit our children," she recalls the motivation that brought her back to Bulgaria in 2020. The experienced specialist says that she feels closest to her essence in the Razgrad team.

With her typical wide smile, Boryana began to list the disciplines in which she practiced the profession of sports psychologist - field hockey, volleyball, archery, athletics, swimming, basketball, horse riding, skating, rhythmic gymnastics... "Just I've never been to curling," says Razsolkova with satisfaction. Her business card includes over 112 nationalities with whom she has collaborated. And today she continues to enjoy the achievements of former graduates, among them Olympic champions, as well as the best goalkeeper in Asia - Meshaal Barsham. Sports is an international unifying factor, says Boryana, and football is the king!

Since joining Ludogorets, her main goal has been to build a winning mentality at international football level. Her professional credo reads: "Ludogorets should be an academy with a serious and stable international authority!"

She says the loss is not a tragedy, but a signal of a weak link that needs to be improved. "Every day is a challenge for me. No two days are the same, there is no monotony. Every day hides something unique," explains Boryana about her everyday life at the training base. For the past eight months with the Eagles, she reports that each team has become more resilient after overcoming certain vicissitudes. "They took the serious path, I just set the right direction," emphasizes the sports psychologist.

At the beginning of the new year, she received the pleasant invitation to join the Expert Council of the Bulgarian Association of Psychologists. It is also a great honor to be included as a member of the European Federation of Sports Psychologists. She continues to improve through specialized online courses at the Academy in San Francisco, and will soon acquire a certificate in psychosomatics. To be always "in time" with world trends. To always be the best for her boys - the football players and coaches of Ludogorets.