Bertrand returned to the company after a year. The employees welcomed him as "one of their own". He comes back to us in a new role, but he is still the same ambitious, smiling, full of interesting passions boy who is worth getting to know. We invite you to our conversation with Jakub Myszka, wood technologist and... football announcer.
Why did you return to Bertrand?
I took a year off to try a different career path. I came back because I value development. And I really liked working in organizing production. I started my adventure at Bertrand in November 2019. I actually started from scratch, because the work was done in the hall. After three months in the roller blinds department, I was offered a promotion - to technologist. I decided I'd like to try it.
So what does this comeback look like?
However, there is a lot more work in the wood department than in the blinds. But that's good, because, as I mentioned, I want to develop. However, I have more technical aspects to learn, but I am slowly getting used to it and I am optimistic. The fact that I know many people who work in this company was important in my decision to return. And even though I wasn't here this year, I was in constant contact with them and was constantly up to date with what was happening at Bertrand. Besides, I left - I think - a good opinion, so it was easier and more willing to return to the company.
What has changed at Bertrand this year?
Certainly, there is professional onboarding. Today, when you come to Bertrand, you immediately receive a lot of information from the company itself, thanks to the fact that onboarding is very professional. This is a big positive change.
What do you value most about our company?
The atmosphere as well as the relationships with people I have established here. They started with work and then moved to private life. We meet, talk, support. I really liked the fact that on the occasion of my return, I heard several times from different people that "our man is back".
You are an announcer at sporting events. Where did this teaser come from?
Among my friends, I am known for being quite a cheerful person who likes to joke around. One day I was riding a bicycle around Bożempol. And during this ride I met the president of our club. So I ask him what's up, Mr. Wojtek, how's it going. And he tells me that they are building a stand here, there will be an announcer's booth here, and we will send you to a course and you will "announce" during the matches. Of course, I didn't take it seriously. Two or three months passed and a friend wrote to me. Listen, I'm writing because the club is asking if you are going to this course. And he's in a week.
And what did you think?
Well, okay, I'll try. At most, I will give them money for this course, because it was not expensive. There was COVID, so the classes were held online, but they were still very interesting. The announcer of the Polish national team, also the announcer of Lechia Gdańsk, Marcin Gałek, took part in them. At the end, there was an exam which I passed, receiving a certificate and thus the right to be an announcer at matches up to the third league level.
How do you rate the course itself?
I must admit that I learned a lot of things that I had no idea about. Because I go to basketball every day, and the announcer is a bit of a conjurer who spices up the atmosphere. However, I did not know that such a person also has responsibilities related to, for example, the security of the meeting.
Do you associate your future with this hobby?
However, I have a plan to develop in this direction, I have even made some steps, which were thwarted by the disease. However, now the topic of cooperation with the football team Arka Gdynia has appeared, so who knows, maybe it will develop nicely?
And how did this contact come about?
I was their announcer in the fourth league, where Arka's reserves play. My friend, also an announcer, who now attends Stolem Gniewino matches, and once at Arka, was to cover this match. But something came up and he was looking for a replacement. He called and asked if I wanted to try it. And since I already had some experience at this level, I didn't have any experience in such a large and beautiful stadium. It was a nice match because the Gdynia team played against Gryf Słupsk. After the meeting, I talked to the club's spokesman, we have each other's contact details, if anything happens.
What is the name of the club whose announcer you are on a daily basis?
This is Sokół Bożepole Wielkie. Gdańsk District. This is my alma matter. But there is also another club for which he is the announcer. These are Angels Gagrzegorze playing in the fourth league. It's often interesting there, because many teams come there that used to play higher than the fourth league. Once a team from Kolbudy came. It was raining like crazy. And most of the fans quickly disappeared, and only two of the most loyal fans remained in the stands, and at one point they lit flares. As an announcer, I should have reacted, but I decided that, firstly, in this rain, the flares would soon go out by themselves, and secondly, there was no one in the stands. And after the match, an older man with a briefcase in his hand came up to me. It was a trade union delegate. He asked if I was the announcer at this meeting. When I said yes, he immediately asked if I even had the qualifications to be an announcer. I said yes, I could show the "paper". He said that I didn't have to do that, then asked about the situation with the flares and whether they had taught me during the course that I had to react when pyrotechnics were fired.
Are there any specific matches where you were an announcer that you remember?
Of course. I will tell you my TOP 3. The first match was Aniels Garczejrze versus Gryf Słupsk. The match was at a really good level, with a lot of emotions. The next one is also Angels, only this time with Pogoń Lębork. Such a small, local derby. Well, number one is the match between Sokół Boże Wielkie and Zenit Łęczyce. This is our eternal rival, so these meetings are always accompanied by a lot of emotions. There were about five hundred people at that match, there was a great atmosphere. There was real sport there, real fight. An additional bonus is that Sokół won 4:1, and it was our first derby victory in seven years.
You said that you go to basketball classes and that the announcer is a bit of a juggler. Do you diversify your announcing?
It depends on the match and the situation on the pitch. Sometimes I call out a player's name and the fans shout his name, especially if it is a club star. Before one of the matches, I agreed with the fans that when I read out the names of subsequent players, before I say their names, they will intone a loud "Sokół" and beat the drums. It turned out great.
I'll tell you one more story. When I was still working in the PVC shop, there was a guy next to me. And one day he asked me that, hey, Mateusz Gil plays in Sokół. I say, sure. And he said he was my good "homie". Well, where is he from, I ask? From Biebrow, this friend replies. I decided to take advantage of it. And when, in one of the matches, Mateusz scored a goal, I intoned: the goal for Sokół was scored by the player with number 9, the "Biebrowski" bombardier, Mateusz Gil!
People liked it very much and the nickname stuck.
It's obvious that this turns you on.
This announcer is really fun, but I'm not too excited that it's going to turn out great. We'll see. I know that for this to happen, I have to take certain steps, obtain a professional license, but at the same time, someone will later have to recommend me somewhere. There aren't many of these announcers, but I also know that it's hard for a new face to make an appearance in this environment, even if they have the predispositions to do so. Although, perhaps immodestly, but truthfully, I must admit that I am praised for my work at the stadium. Many people say that the announcer creates a nice atmosphere at Sokół's matches. Some people don't even know it's me. I remember when I was in the army, one of my colleagues from the Tri-City area said to me: In your place, on this Sokół, this announcer really does his job! And I said to him: I'm the announcer, haha.
You are perceived as a person who has a great sense of humor and self-distance. I heard and even saw that you post various, cheerful videos on your social media in which you play various roles. Where did this idea come from?
This was also an absolute coincidence. It all really started with writing. I often have a lot of thoughts in my head, even now, when we talk, I think about five things at once. And sometimes I feel the need to pour these thoughts out somewhere. Well, once I was sitting in front of the computer and on impulse I wrote a rather long, slightly mocking, maybe a bit philosophical post on one topic. It aroused a lot of interest, people wrote that they liked it very much, and one friend, after some time and several other long posts, told me directly: Kuba, maybe you should start recording your thoughts, because when you write long posts, people often I don't want to read. Because it's too long. So I started doing it. Even before the army, I recorded some such nonsense. My girlfriend sometimes seems ashamed when I tell her: Okay, Malwina, let's record! Because she never knows what's going to come to my mind! I like this kind of antics. Once, for example, I was in Wieżyca at the viewpoint, snow, winter scenery. So I recorded that I was on a ski jump in Oberdsdorf, Germany, and people didn't know if I was actually there or just fooling around.
Do you often do such "actions"?
Or when I was unemployed, my friend and I were on a "farm" trip in Jastarnia. The weather at the seaside was specific, fog, so I took my phone and recorded that I was in Denmark visiting a friend, that this is life when you run a business, and you are probably still working full-time? When my friend saw it, he grabbed his head, what are you talking about, he says, what Denmark? Of course, what I record is slightly mocking and ironic. Generally, people like it, although of course I try not to offend anyone. These are jokes that I just like.
