KAP7 Aussie Sharks Head Coach to depart post Tokyo

Water Polo Australia wishes to advise that Australian Men’s Head Coach Elvis Fatovic will be departing post the Tokyo Olympic Games to pursue an opportunity in Europe.

After serving in the role of head coach for the past two Olympic cycles, Elvis has brought a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Australian men’s program, and while he’ll be missed, he has committed to staying part of the Australian system.

Elvis will stay involved in an advisory role, providing a good transition to the incoming Head Coach, as well as serving as an Australian representative in Europe to those players who will be training and playing overseas.

WPA High Performance Director, Charles Turner, said that while he is disappointed that Elvis will be not continuing on as Aussie Sharks Head Coach, he is pleased that Elvis has remained committed to the Australian system.

“Elvis has developed our men’s program over the last nine years and will be leaving our senior men’s structure in a really solid position,” Turner said.

“While we will miss him in the Head Coach role, his commitment to developing the next generation and supporting our senior men’s team both in Australia and Europe will see him continue to be involved with our program.

“Although Elvis will be departing in September, he remains very committed to helping our men’s team achieve success at the Tokyo Olympics. We wish Elvis and the Aussie Sharks all the very best as they continue their preparations for Tokyo,” he said.

KAP7 Aussie Sharks Head Coach Elvis Fatovic said that while it was not an easy decision to make, he is extremely thankful and proud of how far the men’s team have come during his tenure.

“It was a very hard decision – Australia has become a second home for me and I have really enjoyed the lifestyle,” Fatovic said.

“I have formed very close connections with the staff and players, and have a lot of respect for the water polo community in Australia.

“The last four years we have really become competitive and we have beaten all the best teams in the world with the exception of Serbia.

"In particular, I am proud of the medal results we have achieved at the FINA World Cup and FINA World League Super Final," he said.

Fatovic took the helm of the Men's Program after the London 2012 Olympic Games, building strong relationships within the Australian water polo community both in and out of the pool.

"I want to thank everyone that has supported me since my first day and made me feel comfortable. I feel that I will always have a good reason to be back to Australia," he said.

“Coming from the European environment, I have learnt a lot about the sacrifice that players make to pursue their sport in Australia.

With just 55 days to go until the postponed Tokyo Olympic Games, it is full steam ahead for Fatovic and the KAP7 Aussie Sharks.

“The Olympics have been our goal from the very first day, the boys have been training hard and have been really motivated.

“We have a good mix of experience and young players in the squad and I’m looking forward to seeing what we can produce in Tokyo,” he said.

Water Polo Australia will commence the recruitment process for the Australian Men’s Head Coach role in the near future.