This month we caught up with club member James Catlin who is a familiar face poolside to many of our members whether it be coaching, refereeing or playing. He is currently over in Belgrade, Serbia playing Water Polo. Hear from James and what he has been up to over the past 6 months...

I left New Zealand in September 2023 to Belgrade, Serbia, in order to play for the Tasmajdan Water Polo Club. Just one week into the season, I was struck with an injury that left me in the hospital for two weeks, and out of the pool for a further six. This was a challenging time, watching my team work hard in training and games while being unable to participate. Thankfully, my teammates and coach, Nikola Raden, stood by my side and helped me in my recovery. Since getting back into the swing of things, I have played in two rounds of the Adriatic League, made my Serbian Super League debut, and spent countless hours in the gym and pool with teammates. 

These months of training, games and team bonding have given me a new perspective on the sport and on a culture, language and people very different from back home. Living in Serbia and getting to compete at a high level in the sport I love has been an incredibly rewarding experience, and I can’t wait to bring all the lessons I’ve learned back to North Harbour.

We have less than two months left in the season with one goal as a team - stay in the Super League. For this to happen, we need to win a few more Super League games, which will be very tough, but I am confident in the team and our coaches. I am missing all the regular faces back home and I can’t wait to see you all again!

Article added: Tuesday 19 March 2024