Zuloaga: The atmosphere in Bilbao Jai Alai is fantastic
The pelotari from Donostia is twenty years old and one of the promises of the Jai Alai
08/11/2011: Joseba Zuloaga is living a very active phase in his career, as well as he plays quinielas with Bilbao Jai Alai, is immersed in the tournaments of San Juan de Luz, Donibane Garazi and Cambó (Plaza Libre) and is also training in the group of nine pelotaris wich Roberto Lekue has choosen for the preselection for the under 22 World Championship of Mexico. The puntista from Donostia, now recovered from a pelotazo suffered in Donibane Garazi on August 3rd, spoke with bilbaojaialai.es.tl after a training session in Berriatua.
First of all, how are you after the pelotazo received last week?
Fine, it was in the right side of the body, I felt dizzy and I got frightened, but I'm fine.
However, you and Bailo won that match and on August 24th you will be in the final of Garazi.
Yes, we will play against Mauresmo-Ligneau and it will be a hard game, both of us will have chances to get the triumph.
The day after the aforementioned incident, you played and won in San Juan de Luz.
Yea, and compete with two thousand people in the stands is amazing. At the beginning, I was a little nervous, but then, we warm up and got the victory.
You are also immersed in a Plaza Libre tournament.
On Saturday we have the final in Cambó. I play with San Juan de Luz and I will form with the Sanchez brothers against the representatives of Bidart. I play in the centre, the floor is gravel and we tend to get all the time in air.
How about the training sessions with Lekue?
Well, here we are to see who is going to Mexico and we will accept the decision. During the year, Lekue put matches in Berriatua and if each school would have a person like him, they would be a lot of kids playing.
With Bilbao Jai Alai, you have already played some festivals.
Yes, and I've always felt good, because the atmosphere in Bilbao Jai Alai is fantastic.
"El Universo de la Pelota", in Urdax, was an example of this.
Yes, there, even is a contest of tortilla of potatoes and in the last function they used to organize a paellada, there is the trikitrixa… It´s a nice atmosphere.
You have played for the tourists and have taught them to play with the cesta, what do they say when they know this sport?
They are surprised, and they like the speed. When they try with the basket, they see that it is difficult to do it well in a day, ¡I have been ten years and it´s also difficult to me!
What would you say to a person that has not ever take a cesta for trying it?
To encouraged and throw some balls, because having the cesta in your arm is a very nice sensation. In addition, if you train, you can play well and who knows, maybe, one day you can become professional.
You are twenty, but have already spent many years in this world.
I like this specialty since I was a child. Once, when I was seven, I went to the sports-center of the Balda to play football, but I saw that there were pelotaris practicing Jai Alai and the following Saturday I went to try.
Being so young, didn´t you feel this sport was so difficult?
The first two years I didn´t throw the balls to the frontis, I used to be on the wall of the rebound and I trained there, or in the trinkete of the Atano, where we learned something. At that time, there were a nice group, in which also was Jon Zulaika.
So you started in the school of Donostia.
Yes, and I was happy, but some of my playmates left the group and I went to play matches to Berriatua or San Juan de Luz, club in which now I am (Luzaz Gazte) and where I am very happy.
And how about the other school, the studies?
Well, I'm taking them.
With excellent grades?
No, no. I am studying cooking and in this field there will be professional opportunities, maybe I will go to the Philippines and open a restaurant there, je, je.
You have not been in the Philippines has not been, but you have been in the United States.
I was in January and see the Citrus. We walked there with Beñat Flores and Tximela, we made a circuit in yacht with him to see Miami.
Would you like to be professional in América?
I would take the plane right now. It would be ok if the companies there or here would give us a chance, because there is a group of young people who play very well.
What is your best memory in this world?
I would say the friends I have made and what I have learned from all the monitors.
Finally, do you think that this specialty needs more help?
Yes, because it´s the most international sport of Euskadi and I don´t know where the politicians are looking at, because they support sports from other countries and don´t support this one, and this is our.
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Text: Juan Luis Ibarretxe Marcos
Photograph description: Joseba Zuloaga, in the Mendibarren fronton in Berriatua
