Stevan Nonković coach of Banja Luka Borc
Serbian coach Stevan Nonković was appointed as the head of the professional staff of Banja Luka Borac. Nonković, who gained coaching experience working and winning trophies in Serbia, Macedonia, Turkey, Israel, speaking for the UVTS website about his plans and ambitions of Borca, said:
"As head of the professional staff, I will lead the first team, but also take care of the younger categories. We have started preparations for the season in which our main challenge will be participation in the First B League of Serbia, for which we received the support of the Water Polo Association of Serbia. The fighter participated in this rank two years ago, but was absent last season, because there was a change of generations - older players retired. Now the younger water polo players have matured and the Banja Luka club has again applied for participation in the First B League. The team is still very young, the average age is 17-18 years, and competition with clubs in Serbia will be important for maturing and gaining experience.
Until the beginning of the season, the Banja Luka players will spar in Belgrade with several clubs from the capital, and at the end of September and the beginning of October, Borac will organize an international tournament.
In addition to the B League of Serbia, it is possible that Borac will participate in the Alpe Adrija League with clubs from Slovenia, Austria, Italy and Croatia, a competition similar to the Regional League. But it has not yet been defined how and when the competition will be held this season. Also, decisions regarding the Championship of Bosnia and Herzegovina are expected.
Nonković points out that Borac, a club founded in 2008 and reactivated in 2017, has excellent working conditions.
"We train and play matches at the city pool in Banja Luka. We have support both in the city and in the Republic of Srpska. Borac, with its successful clubs, is the biggest sports brand in Republika Srpska, and the water polo club is also expanding. More and more children are applying to our school. The number increased especially at the beginning of this season,
The third Olympic gold of the Serbian national team additionally influenced the popularity of water polo in Banja Luka and the Republic of Srpska. It would be great if the Serbian national team came to Banja Luka to play a game, it would be a real spectacle.
There is also talk of the younger categories of VK Borac being included in peer competitions in Serbia. Nonković points out that the club has good cooperation with Serbian water polo.
Water polo club Borac has the great support of the head coach of Serbia, Uroš Stevanović, and the president of the Professional Council of the Croatian Academy of Sports, Jugoslav Vasović.
Nonković was already engaged in Bosnia and Herzegovina at the beginning of this year. He led the junior national team of Bosnia and Herzegovina in its first participation in an international competition. In March, at the qualifying tournament for the European Championship for players under the age of 19, the juniors of Bosnia and Herzegovina left a good impression in front of the home fans in Trebinje, but did not advance further. They finished in third place, behind France and the Czech Republic, and ahead of Great Britain and Finland.
"I have remained on good terms with the Water Polo Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina. At the moment, there is a lull in the actions of their representative water polo team, and it is not excluded that I will get involved with the national team again. Now, when I work in Banja Luka, I will have an even better insight into the development of water polo players. A large number of Borac players were members of the selection that took part in the tournament in Trebinje, Nonković reminded.
