Everyone involved in Montenegrin water polo shares the duty to enhance our competitiveness on the international stage in senior competitions through the development of high-quality players.

This is the view expressed by Miodrag Mirović, the head coach of Montenegro’s U-17 water polo team and the coordinator for all younger categories in our water polo framework.

Mirović acknowledges the potential within his young team but emphasizes that certain “conditions” need to be satisfied.

“The potential is always present in our midst. If we combine our efforts across clubs and the national team to correctly nurture these players, we stand a significant chance of bolstering the senior team’s vigor from this selection. If that happens, I am optimistic. We possess talents in this squad who can greatly benefit Montenegrin water polo,” Mirović told the portal of the Water Polo and Swimming Association of Montenegro.

Furthermore, he mentioned the ongoing efforts to cultivate coaches who are expected to make a meaningful impact in the future of our water polo.

“All of them are included in the professional staff of junior national teams,” Mirović explained.

The generation coached by Mirović is gearing up for the European Championship in Turkey this August.

“European and world championships for junior teams serve as control competitions in the player development process for the senior national team. Our primary focus is not the result, but the individualized training of each player, which would lay the groundwork for fully realizing their potential. This is our aim, and whether it will yield results at this year’s European Championship remains to be seen. Hard work, effort, and sacrifice always pay off eventually,” Mirović remarked.

The young “sharks” have already participated in a controlled match against Hungary in Budva as part of their preparation for the upcoming European Championship.

“We have played six practice matches and one official match, which concluded with a score of 12:9 in Hungary’s favor. Their playing style differs from ours, making each joint preparation beneficial. This generation is currently the European (U15) and world (U16) champions,” Mirović noted.

This generation of Montenegrin water polo players secured fourth place at last year’s World Championship—has there been improvement among the players since then?

“Everyone is working within their potential, so I believe that under the given conditions and circumstances, their progress is optimal. Naturally, there is always room for improvement,” Mirović concluded.

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