Why It’s Called Waterpolo University (Not Just an Online Water Polo School)

People ask me this all the time:

“Why did you call it Waterpolo University? Why not just an academy, or online water polo school, or drills platform?”

It’s a fair question.

At first glance, “University” might sound too serious, or maybe like it’s for older players. But there’s a very intentional reason behind that word—and it has everything to do with how players actually learn, improve, and stay in the sport long-term.

To explain it, I want you to imagine something completely outside of water polo: studying finance at a university.

University vs. Real Life: The Finance Example

Let’s say you go to university and study finance.

Over a few years, you’ll learn things like:

• How to read a balance sheet and income statement

• What EBITDA means (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization)

• How cash flow works

• How companies are valued and analyzed

You graduate with a degree in finance.

Are you suddenly a world-class investment banker or CFO on day one?

Of course not.

But are you way more prepared to learn on the job, understand what’s going on, and not feel completely lost? Absolutely.

That’s what a university really gives you:

• A structured path

• The core knowledge you need to function

• The ability to understand what’s happening when real work starts

• The foundation to keep improving for years

The real learning still happens:

• When you go to your job

• When you make mistakes

• When you apply the theory in real situations

The university didn’t magically turn you into a superstar. It gave you a strong base so your time in the real world isn’t wasted.

Waterpolo University Works the Same Way

This is exactly how I think about Waterpolo University.

I didn’t want to build just a collection of random “cool drills” for social media. I wanted to build a true learning environment where a young player (or a new coach, or a new country) can get:

• A clear understanding of what they need to know

• A step-by-step breakdown of how to do it

• The confidence to go to practice and actually apply it

So instead of just posting drills like “Do this leg exercise” or “Try this fun shooting drill,” the goal with Waterpolo University is:

Teach you the fundamentals of the game as if you’re getting a “degree” in water polo basics.

That’s why it’s called University.

What You Need to Know vs. What You Need to Do

Just like in finance, there are two main parts:

1. What you need to know

2. How to do it in the real world

In water polo, that looks like this:

1. What You Need to Know

For a youth player (especially ages 10–15 or beginners), there is a clear list of non-negotiable fundamentals:

• Body position: hips up, chest up, stable in contact

• Eggbeater: strong, efficient legs that can keep you high in the water

• Passing & catching: clean, consistent, not sideways, not behind the head

• Shooting mechanics: proper elbow position, body rotation, wrist snap, balance

• Over-hips defense & shot-blocking: how to stay in front, high and balanced

• Swimming with the ball: not dragging your legs, seeing the pool while moving

• Basic game understanding: spacing, timing, when to drive, when to hold

If you don’t know what good technique looks like, you’re guessing.

2. How to Do It

Then there’s the practical side:

• What does a good eggbeater actually look like, step by step?

• How should your elbow be positioned when you shoot?

• How do you release or drive when your defender plays high press?

• How do you move your hips in defense so you stop getting turned?

This is where video is powerful.

In Waterpolo University, each course is designed to show:

• Clear explanations

• Slow breakdowns

• Common mistakes

• Simple drills you can repeat

So you’re not just hearing “get your hips up” or “don’t shoot like that” – you actually understand what that means and how to fix it.

The Third Step: You Still Have to Go Do It

Here’s the part a lot of people forget:

Even with the best online courses in the world, you still have to:

• Go to practice

• Get in the water

• Try it

• Fail a bit

• Adjust

• Repeat

Just like in finance, the “university” doesn’t replace your job—it prepares you for it.

Waterpolo University doesn’t replace your coach or your club. It makes all the time you spend there much more valuable because you already know:

• What you’re trying to do

• Why you’re trying to do it

• What good technique looks like

So when the coach shouts:

• “Hips up!”

• “Don’t drop your elbow!”

• “Stop turning and stay over their hips!”

…you actually understand what they mean.

Why Not Just Call It an Academy or Drills Page?

There are a lot of “drills pages” out there.

You scroll, you see a cool drill, maybe you save it, maybe you try it once. But there’s no journey, no structure, no sense that you’re building towards something.

I didn’t want Waterpolo University to be:

• Random drills with no progression

• Clips that look good on Instagram but don’t fit into a plan

• One-off ideas that don’t help a player or a coach over months and years

Instead, I wanted:

• Courses with a clear start and finish

• Fundamentals first, not tricks

• A place where a player can go from

  “I don’t even know what I’m doing”
  to
  “I actually understand my body position, my legs, my shot, my role.”

“University” sends a message:

“You’re not just here to survive practice or copy drills. You’re here to learn, understand, and grow with a long-term mindset.”

A Degree in Fundamentals (Why This Matters So Much)

In my own career, I was never the biggest talent.

I’m from Montenegro, I worked hard, I became European Junior Champion and later played NCAA Division 1 in the USA—but I didn’t get there by being “naturally gifted.” I got there because I was obsessed with fundamentals and discipline.

I’ve seen the same pattern over and over as a coach:

• Talented kids without fundamentals → shine early, struggle later

• Less “talented” kids with strong fundamentals → slow start, big payoff later

That’s why I see Waterpolo University as a place to get a degree in fundamentals.

If you:

• Learn how to hold a strong body position

• Build real eggbeater legs

• Fix your passing and catching

• Develop a controlled, repeatable shot

• Understand basic defense and drives

You now have the foundation to:

• Fit into almost any system

• Play in different countries or clubs

• Keep improving year after year

Just like a finance degree doesn’t guarantee a job but opens many doors, a strong fundamentals base doesn’t guarantee you’ll be an Olympian—but it gives you every chance to grow as far as you’re willing to work.

How Waterpolo University Is Structured (Like a Real School)

To keep the “university” idea real, not just a name, I’m building WPU around a few key pillars:

1. Fundamentals Courses

These are the core:

• Body Position

• Eggbeater & Hips Up

• Passing & Catching

• Shooting Mechanics

• Over-Hips Defense & Shotblock

• Swimming With the Ball

• And more as the platform grows

Each course focuses on one part of the game and walks you from basic to more advanced.

2. Age- and Position-Specific Dryland

For 12U and 14U players (and their parents/coaches), there are dryland programs that:

• Keep it safe for young athletes

• Build the right muscle groups for water polo

• Can be done at home with simple equipment like bands

This is especially important for players and countries with limited pool time.

3. Personalized Plan – “Tell Us About Yourself”

This is where the “university advisor” feeling comes in.

On the homepage, you can click something like:

“Start Here – Get Your Personalized Plan”

You tell me:

• Your age

• Your level and experience

• How often you train

• What you struggle with

From there, I can send you a recommended course path—just like a study plan.

4. Premium Feedback Option

In the Premium membership, players can:

• Send me videos of them doing the drills

• Get direct feedback from me

This is like going to office hours with a professor or getting a mini private lesson online. It keeps the “university” feeling where you’re not just alone with videos—you are supported and guided.

For Coaches and New Programs: A Curriculum in a Box

There’s another big reason I chose “University” instead of “Drills”:

I want Waterpolo University to be a resource for entire clubs and even new water polo countries.

For a coach or federation in a developing water polo area, WPU can function as:

• A ready-made curriculum for basics

• A way to standardize fundamentals across teams

• An easy answer to “What should we teach our kids first?”

With a Club License, coaches can say:

• Month 1: Body Position + Eggbeater

• Month 2: Passing + Catching

• Month 3: Shooting basics

• Month 4: Defense & over-hips

This is exactly what a university does:

It organizes knowledge into a path so you don’t need to reinvent the wheel.

“If You Want to Work in Finance… Study Finance”

Let’s go back to the finance example.

If you want to work in the financial industry, you go to university and study finance. You don’t just learn random spreadsheet tricks from social media and hope it all comes together.

In the same way:

If you want to play water polo seriously, you can—and should—learn the game in a structured, smart way.

That’s why I say:

If you want to work in finance, go study finance.
If you want to play water polo, get your fundamentals degree at Waterpolo University.

How to Start Your “Degree” at Waterpolo University

If this philosophy makes sense to you, here’s how you or your athlete can start.

🔹 Individual Memberships

For players and families who want full access to the online school:

• Access to all fundamentals courses

• Age-appropriate dryland programs

• Mindset and game understanding content

• Option for Premium: send me videos and get feedback

👉 Start your membership here:
https://www.waterpolouniversity.com/8d727d04-d59f-44f4-919b-2f6e88f08cbf

🔹 Club & Team Licenses

For coaches, clubs, and new programs:

A Club License lets you:

• Give all your athletes and staff access to Waterpolo University

• Use it as your official fundamentals curriculum

• Assign specific courses as “homework” so pool time is used more efficiently

This is especially powerful in places:

• With new or developing water polo programs

• With limited coaching experience

• With limited pool time but high motivation

👉 Learn more about club licenses here:
https://www.waterpolouniversity.com/dcefd6da-89bc-4bb1-b026-2f297d4e4ad3

Final Thoughts: It’s More Than Just a Name

In the end, “Waterpolo University” is not just a branding choice.

It’s a commitment.

A commitment to:

• Treating youth players with respect—as learners who can understand, not just copy

• Building structure instead of chaos

• Focusing on fundamentals that last a lifetime

• Giving coaches, parents, and new programs a clear way to help their players

You don’t need to be a superstar to deserve real education in your sport.

You just need:

• The willingness to learn

• The discipline to apply what you learn in practice

• The desire to keep growing, step by step

If that sounds like you—or your child or your team—then welcome.
Now you know why it’s called Waterpolo University