“It is essential for us that players play in Europe” – Dejan Udovičić on development pathways & Olympics (Part 2)

In the second part of his in-depth conversation on the Waterpolo
Expert Talk, legendary coach Dejan Udovičić explains one of the
most decisive strategic choices he made as head coach of the United
States men’s national team: sending his top players to Europe to
accelerate their development. Udovičić openly describes the
structural limitations of the American system. Despite the enormous
participation numbers created by high school, college and youth
programs, the United States cannot offer a professional domestic
league comparable to Europe. Conflicts between the NCAA season and
national team preparation, limited international exposure and
calendar overlaps made it impossible to develop elite players
exclusively at home. Faced with these realities, Udovičić made a
bold decision: export the national team. Instead of waiting for
structural changes in the US, he actively encouraged players to
move abroad. What started with a handful of athletes quickly became
a cornerstone of the program. Before COVID-19, seven or eight
American players competed in Europe. During and after the pandemic,
that number rose to nearly twenty. Udovičić explains why this step
was non-negotiable. Playing in Europe exposes athletes to daily
competition against world-class opponents, tactical complexity,
physical intensity and pressure situations that simply cannot be
replicated elsewhere. Step by step, American players integrated
into top leagues in Italy, Greece, Spain, France and Croatia,
learning how to survive and succeed at the highest level. He
highlights examples such as Ben Hallock, Champions League winner
and national team captain, Alex Bowen, World Championship top
scorer, and a new generation of younger players who are now
establishing themselves across Europe. Over time, the culture
shifted: players no longer needed convincing. Those already abroad
became the strongest advocates, motivating the next generation to
follow. Udovičić also addresses the challenges this approach
creates for a national coach. With players spread across multiple
countries, training camps become harder to organize and direct
daily supervision is impossible. Still, from his perspective, the
benefits far outweigh the drawbacks. Europe provides something the
US system cannot: continuous elite pressure. Beyond player
development, the conversation expands to broader themes: long-term
planning for Paris 2024 and Los Angeles 2028, the importance of
early calendar clarity from World Aquatics and LEN, financial
realities of international travel, and why federations must fully
support coaches during system rebuilds. Udovičić draws parallels to
the situation in Germany under Petar Porobić, emphasizing that
successful rebuilds require patience, trust and a shared language
between federation, coaches and players. Resetting a system is
painful, but unavoidable if long-term success is the goal. The
episode closes with Udovičić’s trademark realism and optimism:
critical situations always start long before they become visible,
but with courage, structure and belief in the process, medals will
eventually follow. More about the podcast:
https://www.schulzekopp.de