Press release

Doha, Qatar, October 13, 2011 – Serbian Zoran Gajic was a successful international volleyball coach reaching the pinnacle of accomplishments by leading Yugoslavia to the 2000 Olympic Games gold medal in Sydney. He remains a successful coach, but through the club system versus the international field of competition.

Gajic, who coached men’s club teams through much of the first decade of this century, has taken on another challenge in 2011 by assuming the position of head coach of Rabita Baku women’s volleyball club that competes in the Azerbaijan Super League, marking his first venture into mentoring a women’s program. He had turned down three previous offers to coach women’s programs, but could not resist the latest offer.

“Rabita Baku gave me a good offer presented by its president Jalil Jafarov,” Gajic said. “He made a big impression on me with his commitment and ambition in making our club the best it can be.”

Gajic noted that SB Community, a management and sports service agency, has made a definite impact on Rabita Baku as it represents not only Gajic, but also all players as well in creating a star-filled roster that will challenge for the CEV Champions League trophy again in 2011-2012.

After seven weeks on the job and training the team that was runner-up in the CEV Champions League earlier this spring, Gajic has transitioned seamlessly into coaching the opposite gender. Despite one week training his full squad, he has led Rabita Baku to two victories at the FIVB Volleyball Women’s Club World Championship being held in Doha, Qatar, and a spot into the semifinals against Dominican Republic’s Mirador Santo Domingo on Thursday.

Gajic stresses there should not be any differences in leading a women’s program versus a men’s club team.

“For this moment, there is not a big difference coaching men or women,” Gajic said. “We are all top professionals, working and training together in the player-coach relationship. In other professions, I do not look differently at a male doctor or female doctor for example. So I treat my players at a professional level and gender is not part of it.”

While Gajic sees no difference between leading a women’s club versus a men’s club, he does believe challenges and difference exist in comparing his early success as a National Federation coach and a club coach.

“There is a very big difference in leading a National Team and a Club Team,” Gajic said. “The National Teams play almost exclusively in a tournament system. Clubs compete in a league system, which is the biggest difference.”

Along with the Serbia men’s national team and previously Yugoslavia, Gajic has held stints as coach of the Russian and Iranian men’s national team. Recently he served as the coach for Iskra Odinsovo in Russia’s Super League.

For additional information on the FIVB Volleyball Men's Club World Championship, click here. For more informaton on the FIVB Volleyball Women's Club World Championship, click here. For Daily Bulletins for the tournament, click here.