Ribnica Jovac

FK Ribnica from Jovac was established way back in 1972. It was named after the nearby river Ribnica. In the competitive season of 1972/73, Ribnica started playing league matches. The field stood out for its peculiarity of having a lamppost and a bus serving as the changing room on the sidelines. Players quickly gained the affection of the villagers, so on Sunday afternoons, the stadium became too small to accommodate everyone who wanted to see and support their favorites. Players who emerged from Ribnica went on to join prominent clubs such as Crvena Zvezda (Red Star Belgrade), including Neno Pavlović and Zoran Janić, while Branko Stojanović ended up in Borac Čačak. The old field became a cherished memory as Beranovac shooting range became Ribnica's new home in 1979. A barrack was built on the western side of the field, serving as a changing room. People from Beranovac and Kovanluk also got involved in the club's activities. Youth development progressed alongside the senior team, with the youth team playing in the West Serbia League. The youth team also reached the semi-finals of the regional cup in Kruševac. The small village of Jovac attracted attention in the sports newspaper "Sport" for its football miracle. Infrastructure development was concurrent with the club's growth, and official premises were built in front of the field. During that time, the team was led by coach Grujica Vukadinović, the club legend after whom the stadium is now named. In the 1990/91 season, Ribnica secured a place in the fifth tier of competition in the former Yugoslavia. The decisive match took place in heavy rain in Bogutovac and ended with a 1-0 victory. A large number of Jovac fans traveled to the match in 96 cars. Coach and players, captivated fans with their performance and behavior on all stadiums. The club was led by a strong management team, which contributing to excellent results. Ribnica survived the wars and inflation of the 1990s. The club continued to grow, and in the District League, in the 2013/14 season, it was the autumn champion with eight points ahead of the second-placed team. Headlines in Ibarske Novine and the prestigious Sportski Žurnal read: "You don't need money to love Jovac." Even today, as they celebrate their 50th anniversary, they face financial difficulties. Thanks to the local government and the club's management, the field has been built and arranged, and floodlights have been installed that could make many Serbian league(3rd tier) clubs envious. In the jubilee year, Ribnica has been a member of the Raška District League(5th tier) for 12 years. It has become one of the most organized clubs in the Raška District, led by a proactive management team and with great support from the local community.