Q&A with Luka Krstic

Luka Krstic is back in Irvine and ready to get his sophomore season started. The 6-foot-7 attacker is looking to build off an impressive freshman campaign where he finished with 21 goals and 17 assists. Krstic will also bring international experience to UC Irvine this year as he made the Australian National Team that competed at the 2023 U20 World Championships in Romania, June 10-17. 

In the latest edition of UCI Athletics' Q&A series, Krstic talks about his experience at the World Championships, growing up in Serbia and Australia, and his goals for the Anteaters' season that starts this weekend at the Triton Invitational.

Can you take us through the process of making the Australian National Team for the U20 World Championships?
It started in U15 when the team was first established, and through that we have a program called NSWIS which is an institute in New South Wales, Australia. So we just started training as a combined team from all the kids who made that team in that state. Some people left in that process that started six or seven years ago but ever since then we trained all together as a team, including a lot of us who were in the same club as well. When it came time for me to come to UCI, I wasn't with them for about a year, but I still stayed in contact with the coach and when I went back to Australia last December, I had a national team camp with them. I did a camp with the Senior National Team as well, which helped a lot in having the coach select and keep me on the team. After that, he told me he was going to take me so I knew since January that I would be going to World Championships.
 
How was your experience at the World Championships?
It was an amazing feeling. Playing against all the best players at my age around the world was just an incredible experience. I learned a lot and being part of a team that stuck together for six to seven years, we were a generation that didn't separate much compared to others, so it was really nice playing with the boys. For me personally, I wish we would have made the top eight at the World Championships, and I think we could have, but it's all a part of the sport.
 
What are some of the things you learned that you could bring back to UCI?
In particular, watching Hungary play and how fluid the game was for them. They were the champions and watching specific players who played my position, I was just learning something new every day. I will try to use that here and every time that I play. I also hope that me learning what (Hungary) did can influence and impact my teammates as well.
 
What did it mean to you to represent Australia on the international stage?
It meant everything. Being selected as one of the 15 kids to be able to represent your country is such a special feeling. It will stay as a memory that I will cherish for the rest of my life, there's no doubt about that.
 
Did you get any down time to do some exploring while you were at the World Championships?
Our first week, we were in Montenegro where we had a week-long camp and we played against the Netherlands and the Montenegrin team. We had two sessions a day so there would be some off time in between and we would go exploring. We were right on the sea so it was an amazing setting. Then we did another week in Belgrade, which is where I'm originally from. I moved to Australia when I was nine, so seeing family during the down time was amazing. I hadn't been back to Serbia for six years so I got to spend time with uncles, aunties, grandparents and got to eat all my food again that I hadn't had in a while. Then we had a week in Romania which was the actual tournament itself. There wasn't much down time until it was finished.

Are there any other interesting places water polo has taken you?
I started playing late when I was 14, so it hasn't taken me anywhere else apart from different states in Australia. One of the biggest places it has taken me is here at UCI. I couldn't believe when that happened; my life changed so quickly.
 
How did you find out about UCI and connect with the men's water polo staff?
It started with one of our family friends who went through the process himself; he was up at Pacific. He told me about how there is a really good balance between academics and sport at a high level. So, I started talking to him and decided I wanted to give it a shot. Then, one of my mom's friends, who was helping with recruiting, sent my resume to different schools and UCI reached out. I started talking a lot to the coaches and as more of that communication went on, I made a verbal agreement to stick with UCI. After six or seven months of all the paperwork, I signed and that's how it all happened.
 
How was the transition for you coming from Australia to Irvine?
Coming from Australia, which also has an English speaking background, that helped me a lot. If I came straight from Serbia, I wouldn't have been able to speak any English. So there wasn't too much of a cultural shock, but adjusting to not seeing my family for the first two to three months, I was a little homesick. But I was lucky, this group of guys is amazing. I fit in right away and had no issues with any of my teammates. I made lots of friends outside of athletics as well, which I was fortunate enough to do, so having that connection of people guided me toward a really nice path through academics and sport.
 
How about any differences or challenges you faced in the pool?
The style of water polo is a lot different in college. It took me awhile to adjust to the pace and different tactics. I feel like there's a lot of more NFL style plays here that you don't see overseas. Learning that and trying to build the chemistry with my new teammates was probably the hardest bit. But as it went on, I could feel the improvement constantly.
 
How did you get started playing water polo?
Mainly through my dad. I started playing water polo late because I was scared of the water as a kid. I was a non-swimmer until I was about 12. I was terrified of water. Then I just decided to give it a go and I started improving really quickly and started to enjoy it. My dad was already involved in coaching at that time because he finished his playing career so he guided me. My main sport had been soccer. I grew up playing soccer my whole life but as I was steadily improving in water polo, I made the decision to stick with it.
 
Was there a specific reason behind your family's move from Serbia to Australia?
My family was just looking for a bit more opportunity. My dad had a friend in Australia; they had played water polo together and he invited him to come see how it was, so my dad went for four months. He was unsure but my mom made the final decision to go and try it out. We all moved and the first two years my dad played for a club there, then he started working as a coach. My mom had originally finished school in Serbia, but not all of it transferred so she did more education in Australia then she got a steady job. I liked it at school as well because we had people who spoke Serbian so I made Serbian friends in my elementary school. From then on, we just really enjoyed the lifestyle. The people were amazing and we stayed there.
 
What are your goals for the 2023 season?
The goal is to win Big West. That's the biggest team goal that has been on my mind since last season ended. Another goal is just to improve every day and never step on the brakes.