Jaroslav Kozlík

Dr. Jaroslav Kozlík was born on May 24, 1907, in Bystřice pod Hostýnem in a merchant’s family. His father soon joined the troops on the battlefields of World War I and the son took over the family business. In 1920, Jaroslav Kozlík joined the local Sokol, (Czech equivalent of the Scout – note by the translator), organization and began to practice physical exercises regularly. He became a living legend of Czech Volleyball. He attended the first national championship in 1924 and won three times with his team. He became a tireless promoter of sport. He graduated from the Teaching Institute in Kroměříž and became a teacher. In 1930, he started working as a teacher in the Baťa School in Zlín, where he actively participated in the development of the concept of the Baťa schools and their sports facilities. He introduced a new concept of physical exercises, sports, and language trips into the countryside. He became the personal trainer of Jan Antonín Baťa, who entrusted him with the devising of a new type of school. From 1945 until 1972, he worked at the Research Institute of Education in Prague, which he finally had to leave because of his opposition to the invasion of the Soviet troops on Czechoslovak territory. He became involved in the development of school reforms in the 1990s, despite his visual impairment. Mr. Jaroslav Kozlík died on October 21, 2012.

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