Egils Čakars

Egils Čakars
(22.04.1956 – 09.02.2007)

Egils Čakars cradle was in Vecpiebalga, but his life and work were to the greatest extent connected with sports, more precisely, with the organization of sports life in the Gulbene district, later in the county. Many appreciated him as the soul of the sports life of the district. Whatever duties were assigned to him, he was a man who devoted himself fanatically to his work. Gulbene sports school director, Gulbene district council consultant on sports issues, sports work coordinator, Gulbene Olympic club "Buks" manager, board member and managing director of the Northern Vidzeme Olympic Center. Thanks to Egil's determination, perseverance and efforts, the basketball team of Gulbene Sports School turned into a competitive club of the Latvian Basketball League, which surrounded Gulbene's name with a halo of fame and made it well known not only in Latvia, but also on the Baltic scale and in the world.

Egils took over his interest in sports from his father Laimoņas Čakars at an early age. This legacy could be supplemented with good organizational skills and the ability to creatively approach any situation in life. Egils started his schooling at Lizum secondary school, but when his father was appointed chairman of the kolkhoz in Jaungulbene, he moved with his family and received his secondary education at Gulbīša secondary school. He was interested in sports more than anything already in his school years. Probably because of this, after graduating from high school, he started working as a sports teacher at the Tirza elementary school at the end of the summer of 1974. It was only one year, because already in 1975, Egils was invited to work as the chairman of the district sports association "Vārpa". Egils proved himself as an energetic and active specialist. He knew how to gather people around him.

In 1979, Egils goes to Ādaži to become the boss of the famous "Ādaži" motoball team. At that time, the game of football in the saddle of a motorcycle was something new for many. When the team was liquidated, Egils worked for some time as a sports methodologist of the production association "Alfa", then he returned to Gulbene and led the sports life of Dauksti Parish and the then Soviet farm "Stari". He was also elected as a member of the Dauksti village council, and later as a member of the Gulbene City Council. Since 1995, he became the sports work organizer of the district council. At the beginning of his career as a sports organizer, he studied at the Latvian State Institute of Physical Culture, but he obtained his higher education at the Faculty of Economics of Rēzekne University (economist qualification with specialization in commercial services management). At work, Egils was full of enthusiasm and energy, always on the wing of an idea, he did not rest until it was implemented, he spared neither time nor himself. In life - endowed with an excellent sense of humor and ready to help everyone.

Since 1996, the Gulbene basketball club team became the great care and love of his life. "When the sports experts realized that it is possible to create a top league team in Gulbene, Egils created the Gulbene Olympic club "BUKS", which gained official status in 1997, because only the Gulbene team cannot play in the top league. The goal of the club was to develop all prospective athletes as far as possible. It was the first Olympic center in Latvia outside of Riga." Manager Egil's responsibilities were: to complete the team composition, to look for good coaches, to ensure that the team has understanding and responsive sponsors, to arrange relations with bosses at all levels.

"Gulbene basketball club "Bumerangs/ASK" (initially under the name "Buki") won the bronze medals of the Latvian championship competition three times (in 1999, 2001 and 2003) in its history, and in 2005 it ranked second in the second Baltic Basketball League in the division.” Egil's opinion in sports matters began to be reckoned with throughout Latvia. Egils Chakars knew how to find supporters for the team and create conditions in which the "Buku" phenomenon could flourish in all its glory. The Bucs basketball players took him almost as a father, because he was the most passionately happy with every victory and the most painfully experienced every loss. "Boomerangs/ASK" successfully represented Latvia in the world military championships, where they won bronze medals in 2005, and in 2005 and 2006 they triumphed in the basketball tournament of the NATO Sports Games. In all these tournaments and games, the team was supported, stimulated, and as a fan, Gulbene and sports patriot Egils Čakars experienced its successes and failures..."

The patriot of Gulbene, the godfather of basketball, the guardian of athletes, a person with amazing energy and diplomatic abilities - that's how he remained in the memory of athletes and friends of sports, and the fact that his contribution has been appreciated and not forgotten is evidenced by the annual basketball tournament "Egil Chakar Memorial Cup".

Sources:

Apinīte A., Zuša D. "Buki" - the best. Gulbene, "Spark", 2001