Children Should Have the Olympic Dream From the Start – Jug Dubrovnik Coach Vjekoslav on Youth Development & Elite

In this international episode of the Waterpolo Expert Talk, I speak with Vjekoslav Kobeščak, head coach of Jug Dubrovnik and former Croatian Olympic silver medalist, about the Croatian youth development system, Olympic ambition and what it truly takes to produce world-class water polo players. His central message: “Children should have the Olympic dream from the very start.”

Vjekoslav shares his personal journey from player at Mladost Zagreb, to youth coach, sports director, national team coach, and finally to head coach of Jug Dubrovnik. He explains why the most successful Croatian clubs define clear long-term goals for every age group, including individual player development plans and club-wide Olympic objectives.
We talk in depth about daily youth training routines in Croatia, why children train almost every day from the age of 10–12, how discipline, structure and passion shape elite athletes, and why constant youth numbers are more important than senior results during COVID times. Vjekoslav also explains how Dubrovnik even gained new youth players during lockdown, while many other countries lost them.

Another major topic is the Olympic experience: three Olympic participations as a player, one Olympic gold in London 2012 as assistant coach, the emotional impact of the Olympic Village, facing global superstars and why the Olympic Games remain the ultimate goal for every serious athlete.

We also discuss the importance of strong domestic leagues, youth academies, cooperation models in Germany, the development of Waspo Hannover and Spandau, and why Vjekoslav believes that Germany and France have enormous unused water polo potential.

Topics of this episode:
– Croatian youth development system
– Daily training routines for young players
– Creating Olympians from childhood
– Discipline, structure & passion in elite sport
– Youth training during COVID-19
– Olympic Games as the ultimate goal
– Life inside the Olympic Village
– National leagues & player development
– German water polo & unused potential
– Jug Dubrovnik, Champions League & elite preparation

This episode is highly recommended for youth coaches, professional coaches, club officials, parents and ambitious water polo players worldwide who want to understand how Olympic-level athletes are developed from the ground up.