VK Šabac

VK Šabac
Official logo
SportWater polo
Founded1990; 34 years ago (1990)
LeagueSerbian League
Regional League A1
Based inŠabac, Serbia
StadiumŠabac City Swimming Pool
Colors   
Managing directorNenad Živanović
Head coachEmil Nikolić
Websitevksabac.com

VK Šabac (Serbian Cyrillic: ВК Шабац) is a professional water polo club based in Šabac, Serbia. As of 2023–24 season, the club competes in the Serbian League and Regional League A1.

History

1990–2015: The beginnings and turbulent period

The club was established in 1990. In 2001–02 season, VK Šabac promoted to the top-tier National Championship of FR Yugoslavia where it played for four consecutive seasons. In 2004–05 season, the club participated in continental LEN Euro Cup. In 2005, the city-governed Swimming Pool in Šabac was closed due to poor conditions and the club was forced to merge with Belgrade-based "Sever" water polo club.

2015–present: Rise to prominence

Game between VK Šabac and VK Partizan at SC Banjica, October 2019

In June 2015, the city of Šabac finally opened renovated indoor Swimming Pool, thus way creating conditions for VK Šabac to return to hometown.[1] The city government entrusted the club's management to manage the Swimming Pool.[1] The club has also managed to gain promotion to the Serbian Water Polo League A for 2015–16 season.

In 2016–17 season, VK Šabac participated in second-tier Regional Water Polo League A2, finishing in third place behind VK Primorac Kotor and POŠK.

In December 2017, VK Šabac was runner-up of the 2017–18 Serbian Water Polo Cup, after losing to VK Partizan with 6–5 in the final game.[2] In March 2018, VK Šabac gained promotion to top-tier Regional Water Polo League A1, after securing second place in Regional Water Polo League A2 and defeating VK Budva in playoffs.[3] In Serbian Water Polo League A, VK Šabac finished the season in third place.

On October 19, 2018, VK Šabac won its first match in Regional Water Polo League A1, after defeating VK Partizan with 12–10.[4][5] In December 2018, VK Šabac won the 2018–19 Serbian Water Polo Cup, after defeating VK Radnički Kragujevac with 10–9 in the final game.[6] In 2018–19 season, VK Šabac finished the season of Regional Water Polo League A1 in sixth place, with 7–0–11 record. VK Šabac finished the historic club's season by winning its first national championship, defeating VK Crvena zvezda with 2–1 in the final series of the Serbian Water Polo League A.[7]

The club started the 2019–20 season with matches in 2019–20 LEN Champions League Qualification round I as tournament host, winning the second place in a group and advancing to Qualification round II,[8] where it lost in all three matches of group C thus way failing to advance to the final Qualification round.[9] In December 2019, VK Šabac lost in the final game of the Serbian Water Polo Cup to Radnički Kragujevac with 10–8, failing to defend the title.[10]

Season by season

Season Tier League Regional League Domestic cup European competitions
2023–24 1 3rd place 10th place QF 2 LEN Euro Cup GS
2022–23 1 4th place 7th place QF 2 LEN Euro Cup QF
2021–22 1 SF 11th place QF 2 LEN Euro Cup Q2
2020–21 1 SF 7th place QF -
2019–20 1 CX 7th place Runners-up -
2018–19 1 Champions 5th place Champions -
2017–18 1 3rd place 2nd place (tier 2) Runners-up -
2016–17 1 4th place 3rd place (tier 2) QF -

In European competition

Current squad

VK Šabac squad as of 2020–21 season:

Νο Player Position
1 Serbia Radoslav Filipović GK
2 Serbia Aleksandar Eraković W
3 Montenegro Nikola Marković W
4 Serbia Mihajlo Repanović W
5 Slovakia Marek Tkač W
6 Serbia Stefan Ilić W
7 Serbia Đorđe Vučinić W
8 Montenegro Filip Gardašević W
9 Serbia Marko Janković W
10 Serbia Mateja Tonković W
11 Serbia Ognjen Stojanović W
12 Serbia Petar Velkić C
13 Serbia Andrej Vukadinović GK
14 Montenegro Savo Ćetković C
15 Serbia Milan Marić W
16 Serbia Stefan Milinković GK
17 Serbia Veljko Savković W
Head coach: Croatia Emil Nikolić
Ass. coach: Serbia Nemanja Ličanin
Physio: Serbia Nikola Đokić

Honours

References

  1. ^ a b "Šabac dobio otvoreni bazen". b92.net (in Serbian). 18 June 2015. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  2. ^ "NOVI TROFEJ ZA INSTITUCIJU: Partizanu Kup Srbije!". zurnal.rs (in Serbian). 17 December 2017. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  3. ^ O., B. (31 March 2018). "Tri naša tima u Regionalnoj ligi: Veliki uspeh vaterpolista Šapca". blic.rs (in Serbian). Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  4. ^ Krstović, S. (24 December 2018). "KRUNA ZA TRI GODINE: Vaterpolisti Šapca ostvarili istorijski uspeh osvajanjem trofeja Kupa Srbije". novosti.rs (in Serbian). Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  5. ^ Zarić, Milan (19 October 2018). "PRVI TRIJUMF U REGIONALNOJ LIGI Vaterpolisti Šapca u spektakularnoj atmosferi potopili Partizan". blic.rs (in Serbian). Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  6. ^ "Istorija – Šabac osvojio Kup Srbije". b92.net. 23 December 2018. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  7. ^ "Tuča na tribini, drama u bazenu – Šabac potopio Zvezdu za istorijsku titulu!". b92.net (in Serbian). 5 June 2019. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  8. ^ "CRVENA ZVEZDA, CN BARCELONA TOP WP CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUALIFICATION GROUPS". swimswam.com. 1 September 2019. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  9. ^ "OVO SE ODAVNO NIJE DOGODILO! Crni dani: Srbija BEZ IJEDNOG KLUBA na međunarodnoj sceni!". blic.rs (in Serbian). 15 September 2019. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  10. ^ Todić, Maja (1 December 2019). "Radnički bolji od Šapca za titulu u Kupu Srbije". sportklub.rs (in Serbian). Retrieved 13 December 2019.