Idaho State Athletics

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Idaho State women’s basketball Dora Goles has come to Pocatello from her hometown of Split, Croatia to make a name for herself off and on the court.

Goles grew up in a family with two older brothers.

“One is 32 and one is 28 I believe,” Goles said. “I’m really close to both of them. When I was younger I was kind of bugging them all the time but now that we’re older we have a really good relationship.”

The siblings spent their time enjoying some friendly competition.

“I used to play with my oldest brother and my dad but my middle brother did not show any interest in basketball,” Goles said. “We play board games and that’s when it gets competitive. Video games and board games are where the family really gets riled up.”

Goles took the competitive nature she learned playing board games and applied it to sports.

“I used to swim for four years and I hated it,” said Goles. “Since I can remember I was begging my parents to let me play basketball but they were like ‘no you’re too little, you’re too short.’ And I just didn’t stop.”

Her persistence and passion would pay off sooner than later.

“One day I was shooting at a basket outside my house and some ladies on the women’s basketball team in Croatia, they asked me why I wasn’t playing basketball and I told them my parents won’t let me. So they talked to my dad and he finally bought me shoes and a jersey and finally let me play. So I finally quit swimming and that was the best day of my life.”

Once she picked up basketball, she couldn’t stop.

“I was outside most of the time shooting, Goles said. “My dad would watch me. We lived on the sixth floor of an apartment so he would watch me off of the balcony and record me and he was impressed with how I handled the boys and my parents were really proud of me. When they saw how persistent it was I think it was impossible for them to say no when it came to playing basketball.”

Goles’ father, in fact, has come around to be her greatest supporter.

“I’m really close with my mom and my dad is like my biggest basketball fan,” said Goles. “He watches all of the games even if it’s at like five in the morning over there. He will cut his own highlights and put together his own highlight video for me. He’s just a very big fan of mine.”

Her father also used to play when he was younger.

“He used to play basketball and soccer when he was younger,” Goles said. “But then he got in the military and there was the war back home in Croatia so he had to stop everything he was doing to protect his country.”

Her mom, on the other hand, didn’t play any sports.

“My mom is not an athlete,” Goles laughed. “She likes to say I get my basketball talent from her but that’s not true. Basketball is too stressful for her so she likes to watch after she knows I didn’t get injured and we won because after my three surgeries she’s been really anxious during my games.”

Goles got her inspiration to play from her father’s friendly games.

“I think watching my dad play basketball with his friends,” Goles said. “Whenever he would go play basketball I would be on another hoop shooting with a tennis ball because the basketball was too heavy for me so I used to shoot with a tennis ball and then I started upgrading to a heavier and heavier ball but I think watching my dad play made me want to play.”

Goles joined her first team at 10 years old.

“When I was 10, after a week in practice, I was in the starting lineup for our club team. And that club team has different age categories so like the juniors, the cadets, and then the senior team which plays professionally in the Crotian Premier League. When I was 12 that was the first time I was benched for that team but it was still an honor to play in the first professional division league in Croatia so I learned a lot of experience from the older players and being on the team with women that were 30 years old and they taught me a lot. When I was 14 I started starting for that team and I was a starter until I was 18.”

Despite all of her experience, Goles recalls playing with the boys as one of the most influential aspects of her development.

“Playing with boys was one of the most, I think, things that helped me develop the most,” Goles said. “I played with boys 1v1 and they tried to kick me off the court because I was a girl and I wasn’t allowed to play. I would be on the sidelines dribbling the tennis ball or basketball, trying to improve on my ball handling skills. One day I started shooting and eventually they let me play and they used to mock each other when a girl would beat them so I was pretty proud of that.”

Goles is thankful for the time she played on her club team and how it has helped her today.

“There were some coaches, especially on the national team,” Goles said. “I started playing on the national team when I was 13 I believe until I was 18. So there were a lot of coaches who helped me get to the point where I am in life right now. When we were in the European championship in Portugal that’s where I got noticed by colleges and stuffed which helped me get to this point.”

For Goles, basketball is more than just a sport.

“It’s honestly everything,” said Goles. “It’s offered me my friends, my relationships, school. It offered me everything in life that I have. I don’t know where I would be without it. I’m so grateful for basketball, it’s literally my everything. I love basketball.”

Basketball has even allowed Goles to accomplish her dreams of playing in America.

“Ever since I was 12 that was my dream,’ Goles said. “My classmates would laugh at me like ‘yeah, America. That’s not going to happen.’ But it was something I really wanted to work towards. My parents knew that financially we could never do it so a full scholarship was the only way to get there.”

Ask and you shall receive. A Division II out of Georgia offered Goles a full ride.

“I somehow got recruited by a Division II school but then I tore my ACL so we had to cut that short and they told me to recover back home and that they would give me a scholarship the following year but they kind of changed their mind about me because they weren’t sure how I was going to play after my injury.”

However, that wouldn’t be the end of her story.

“Then I got recruited by a junior college in Wyoming then Coach Sobo saw me play there and he offered me a scholarship. It’s been great. I honestly wouldn’t change anything. I love my team, I love my coaches, I love the community here. I couldn’t have even imagined it would be this good.”

Goles knew that moving to a new country by herself would be a struggle. But it was a price she was willing to pay.

“I think the biggest thing was proving to myself after numerous injuries and trying to show what I can do and fighting myself mentally and trying to get through the injuries,” Goles said. “And missing my family and spending holidays by myself and I think that was one of the hardest parts. Like my first Christmas in America: no Christmas tree, no mom, no meals so it was just hard.”

However, Goles has found happiness here in Pocatello and prepared to take on her dream.

“I watched a lot of TV trying to get my english better. And I was working hard in the gym; I worked out twice a day and the weight room, too, so three practices a day trying to get to the  point where I am now. The best part about coming is meeting new people and traveling. We’ve been to Cancun and Hawaii. Coach Sobo literally takes us everywhere. I’ve liked learning the language even more and making friendships.”

Learning english paid off in the classroom. Goles earned her degree in psychology and is now working towards her masters in athletic administration.

“Now that I’m a graduate student it’s a little bit easier because all of my classes are at night from six to nine so I get the whole day to myself so I can prepare for practice,” Goles said. “It’s easier now that I have my degree in psychology and that’s behind me because that was a little bit harder doing the labs and going to class in the morning then weights, then practice, and then I would be tired at eight and go to sleep at nine so now it’s easier.”

After college, Goles plans to take her degree and work towards her career.

“I think I want to do something in sports marketing,” Goles explained “I’m still exploring what I want to do with my life but I think I want to stay in the United States and try and find a job here and see where that takes me.”

Her inspiration for her career comes from her own research.

“I noticed how men’s sports are the ones that get most of the attention and I want to be the person that brings more attention to women’s sports and non-revenue sports,” said Goles. “I did my research for my research and writing classes throughout my schooling and I realized how much harder it is for women to get equality in these career paths that involve leadership and athletics. So I want to be one of those people that can hopefully make a difference.”

In her free time, Goles enjoys spending time with her dog, Laura, among various activities.

“I like to hang out with my dog,” Goles said. “I like to watch TV and play video games and hang out with my friends and teammates. I think since I got a dog literally every activity involves her.”

Since her freshman year, Goles has seen a positive change in herself.

“I’ve grown a lot” said Goles. “Mostly mentally. I’m very more mature, even cooking wise and cleaning wise I’m a lot better than I was as a freshman. As a player I think I’ve improved a lot on my shooting and decision making and I think everything that you get with the experience.  I think I’m a way better leader than I was. I’m able to motivate other people than just myself now on the court and I think that’s what I’m proud of the most.”