The commemorative session in honor of celebrated coach Petar Porobic, who died suddenly on Monday, was held today in Herceg Novi.
Athletes, coaches, officials, colleagues and friends said goodbye to the legend of Montenegrin and world water polo.
Djuro Maric, the President, spoke on behalf of the Water Polo Federation of Montenegro. He thanked Porobic for everything he did for Montenegrin water polo and sports in general and added:
“Many say that Pero was a great expert who reached world water polo heights with a perfect and thought-out strategy. Maybe so, but I know that Pero did everything in his life with heart and emotion, with enormous dedication, and that eludes strategy. Strategy is calculation, and heart and soul are given to those you love, and they recognize it and reciprocate. Pero loved his Primorac and his Jadran, the national teams. He gave himself to them sincerely and boundlessly.”
Boro Mracevic, vice-president of the Montenegrin Olympic Committee, who worked with Peter Porobić for several decades, especially in Jadran Herceg Novi, said:
He prepared every training session and game in detail to enable the young players to progress faster. He created great players and was a grandmaster in it – Gojkovic, Jokic, Zlokovic, Scepanovic, Vukcević… While Jadran started winning national championships in Yugoslavia, Serbia and Montenegro, and Montenegro, new aces were born – Ivovic, Radovic, Prlainovic.”, Mracevic underlined. He added that Porobic was the head coach of the national team of Serbia and Montenegro, which was the world champion in 2005, and that the national team of Montenegro, under Porobic’s leadership, in following two years went a road from a debutant to the European champion.
On behalf of the generation that won the title of European champion in 2008, Vladimir Gojkovic, the current coach of Montenegro, addressed the present at the ceremony.
I listened to your every word as a player, and then you gave me a chance for you to listen to me. And you listened to me like few did.
I remember those days, the late summer of 1997, when you came to Jadran. Thanks to the people who had the idea to bring you to Montenegro and Herceg Novi. It wasn’t easy then, you told me many times, but you believed and fought. I don’t think you could have guessed what you started. Less than 11 years later, you wrote the most beautiful page in the history of Montenegrin sports, and the wheel you started is still rolling today, which is the most important thing. Thank you on behalf of all of us for all that you gave us, and you gave us a lot. Thank you, first of all, for believing in us and for teaching us to believe. I hope that we will continue to implement your work in the future.
Sinisa Kovacevic, the president of Primorac Kotor, where Porobic started his playing and coaching career, said:
After years of sharing his rich knowledge in various clubs and teams, he wanted to return to the club where he started as both a player and a coach. He wanted to end his rich career in Kotor, to help Primorac return to where it belongs. Unfortunately, our mutual wish did not come true, but his superior way of working and the system he created live on. When Primorac is on the European top again, it will be because of Petar Porobic. That is his legacy.
Many condolence telegrams from all over the world arrived. The Chinese Water Polo Association’s message was:
Mr. Porobic’s passion for the Chinese people, his selfless character, his serious approach to training and fighting spirit in which there is no giving up will inspire Chinese water polo players in the future
On behalf of the Porobic family, Peter’s son Igor addressed and thanked all the present at the ceremony.
