“I had to find myself again” – Sergi Cabanas on identity, pressure & personal growth in elite Waterpolo

In this very personal episode of the Waterpolo Expert Talk, Spanish
professional water polo player Sergi Cabanas opens up about his
athletic journey, mental challenges, self-doubt and the phase in
which he felt he had lost himself in elite sport – and how he
managed to find his way again. Sergi talks about growing up in
Barcelona, moving with his family to Sabadell, his early years in
swimming and his first steps in water polo together with his
siblings. His family background played a major role in shaping his
mindset – with his mother being a former national team player and
his sister working as an international referee. A major focus of
this episode is his path through the top Spanish clubs: Sabadell,
Terrassa and Barceloneta – and later his move abroad. Sergi
explains why swimming was a crucial foundation for his career, why
team sports are essential for personal development and why at one
point enjoyment became more important than titles or status. He
speaks openly about: - his early involvement in multiple sports -
the transition from swimming to water polo - pressure, expectations
and self-doubt - the importance of team spirit and locker room
culture - major career decisions at the age of 18 - learning from
world-class players - networking and long-term career development -
mental maturity in high-performance sport This episode shows how
closely personal growth and athletic performance are connected –
and why finding your own path is often more important than external
expectations. More about the podcast: https://www.schulzekopp.de ️
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