But an important piece of the puzzle for Stanciuc has also been his inclusion in the “Respect Your Talent” (RYT) programme, due to his fantastic performances at the M18 EHF Championship 2022, where he helped Romania seal third place.
Launched in 2019 by the EHF, RYT promotes the holistic development of talented players both on and off the handball court, addressing topics such as the dual career, anti-doping, mental fitness, media and sports law.
During the past years, a plethora of young players have taken part in the programme, mentored by former stalwarts such as Ivano Balic, Vid Kavticnik, Victor Tomas, Stefan Lövgren and Carlos Prieto after shining in European younger age category competitions.
“It was hugely helpful to be included in this programme, because I learnt a lot of things which make the life of a handball player. Of course, on the court, there are coaches, there are teammates. But outside the court, there are many variables, which, as a young player, one is not necessarily able to control,” says Stanciuc.
“In this programme, both at Craiova and also in the workshop which took place in Vienna, we learnt a lot about other things, like mental fitness, how to deal with media or anti-doping matters, which are hugely helpful and can help a young player, like me, to shape a career and become a better player and a better person.”
Other RYT alumni, such as Portuguese brothers Martim and Francisco Costa, the Faroe Islands’ Elias Ellefsen á Skipagøtu and his cousin Óli Mittún, and Hungary’s Zoran Ilic have already taken the court at the EHF EURO 2024, lighting up the competition.
