How Water Polo Can Grow Globally – Dragan Jovanović on Coaching, Media & Leadership

In this international episode of the Waterpolo Expert Talk, I speak
with Dragan Jovanović, former Serbian national team goalkeeper,
longtime head coach of the Canadian national team, and current
Executive Director of the World Water Polo Coaches Association.
Dragan shares his unique perspective from Europe, North America and
the international federation level, and explains why every
challenge is an opportunity to do something extraordinary. We talk
about his journey from Partizan Belgrade to the Yugoslav national
teams, and later his move to Canada, where he spent many years
building national programs as a head coach, high-performance
director and federation leader. Dragan explains the key differences
between European water polo culture and the North American sports
system, especially in terms of professionalism, funding, athlete
development and long-term planning. A central focus of the episode
is his current work with the World Water Polo Coaches Association:
– Global coach education – International certification programs –
Digital education platforms – Cooperation with FINA / World
Aquatics – The worldwide impact of COVID-19 on clubs, national
teams and youth development Dragan explains why water polo urgently
needs a second strong global market beyond Europe (North America,
Asia or Australia), why marketing, media visibility and financial
independence are critical for the sport’s survival, and why sports
organizations must learn to think more like modern businesses. We
also discuss: – International rule changes and their impact on the
game – Referee education and game fairness – The evolution toward
faster and more dynamic water polo – Post-pandemic challenges and
opportunities – Global youth development and talent pathways – Why
passion will always be the foundation of success Topics of this
episode: – Dragan Jovanović’s international water polo career –
European vs. North American water polo systems – World Water Polo
Coaches Association – Global coach education & certification –
FINA / World Aquatics & rule development – Marketing &
professionalization of water polo – Financial independence of
federations – COVID-19 and its long-term effects on the sport –
Youth development & emerging global markets – Leadership,
vision & passion in elite sport This episode is a must-listen
for coaches, players, federation officials and water polo fans
worldwide who want to understand how the sport can grow on a truly
global and sustainable level. More about the podcast:
https://www.schulzekopp.de