Edward Szostak (English)

Z Historia Wisły

Edward Szostak

Edward Szostak (born September 12, 1911, in Kraków, died October 10, 1990) was a basketball player for Olsza Kraków and Wisła Kraków, a Polish national team member, and an Olympian. He represented Poland 15 times in the national team.

Szostak participated in the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin, where Poland finished in 4th place (out of 21 teams). In the first round, the Polish team lost to Italy 28-44 but received a bye in an additional match, advancing to the next stage. In the second round, Poland was defeated by Japan 31-43 but won an additional game against Latvia 28-23.

After World War II, Szostak became a physical education teacher, passing on his passion for basketball to many of his students, including Ludwik Miętta-Mikołajewicz, who would later become a coach and president of Wisła Kraków.

Press Reports

Echo Krakowa. 1947, No. 342 (December 14) No. 633

Sporting Profiles of Kraków

"I want to work with the youth," says Professor E. Szostak.

We meet the popular educator of Kraków's high school youth, Professor Edward Szostak, Olympian and top basketball player of the T.S. Wisła team, during his work at the Fourth High School. Taking advantage of a short break between classes, we exchange a few words, naturally about basketball.

— What were the beginnings of your sports career, Professor?

— My first steps were with the K.S. Garbarnia team, where I played basketball and handball. After a year, I moved to Kraków's YMCA, where I, along with Kukuła, Stok, Czyński, and Baran, won the Polish indoor championship at the Physical Education Center in Kraków in 1933. I made my international debut for the Polish national team in matches against Estonia and Latvia.

Later came trips and successes at city tournaments in Geneva and Paris, the World University Championships in Budapest, and in 1936, I had the honor of representing Poland at the Olympics in Berlin.

— And what about after the war?

— I played as an active player with T.S. Wisła, the runner-up for the Polish championship. In the summer, I played a lot of handball, but as they say, "old age is not a joy." I'm now more focused on coaching the youth, because the future of T.S. Wisła depends on them.

— What can you say about the youth under your care?

— There are many eager and truly talented individuals, but they need the opportunity to properly develop. Other high schools have their own gymnasiums, where all sports activities are centered. My boys, who used to practice in the Sokół hall, now conduct exercises within the school walls.

His furrowed brow, concerned about the well-being of the youth, brightens as we assure him that this situation won't last long, and completely clears when we offer our warm birthday wishes for his successor.