Come home with more than memories. Come home with experience.
This is not a teen tour. Participants learn leadership by doing real, age-appropriate work inside an international youth sports environment.
International airfare to and from Croatia is not included. Application does not guarantee acceptance.
This is a week of responsibility, not sightseeing.
Participants will train, coach, plan, communicate, solve problems and be accountable to a team. Water polo experience is helpful, but strong swimming, a willingness to work hard and the ability to have fun leading younger athletes matter more.
Responsibilities vary by participant, program needs and safety considerations. This is an educational apprenticeship-style experience, not employment.
Arrive as a student. Leave with experience.
ARRIVE
Interested. Curious. Ready to see another part of the world.
LEAVE
I coached. I led. I communicated. I planned. I showed up prepared. I managed my time. I solved problems. I worked with a team. I took responsibility.
Real work, not simulations.
Coach and communicate
Help with youth practices and communicate with younger athletes.
Plan and coordinate
Prepare schedules, run checklists and coordinate equipment.
Operate as a team
Join meetings, write daily summaries and communicate changes.
Solve and own
Help solve logistical problems and take responsibility for assigned projects.
Debrief and improve
Participate in daily leadership debriefs and receive direct feedback.
Practice, develop, experience and learn.
Coaching
Communication
Public speaking
Teamwork
Accountability
Scheduling
Problem solving
Professional writing
Meeting management
Project planning
Google Sheets
Google Calendar
Logistics
Working across cultures
Giving and receiving feedback
Tools may include Codex CLI, JavaScript, Python, Claude CLI, Claude for work and Stripe payment workflows where appropriate. No tool or skill mastery is guaranteed.
Sport is the way in.
Jesse's family has used water polo to enter places, friendships and cultures that are difficult to reach as a visitor. This final Croatia trip is designed around immersion, contribution and the people participants meet along the way.
Sample week: orientation, arrival, training, youth coaching, leadership project work, daily debriefs, cultural time and a final reflection.
Exact dates, lodging, meals, excursions, local transport and arrival windows require owner confirmation. The page deliberately does not promise unconfirmed inclusions.
Something you can talk about years later.
Hands-on youth coaching experience
Defined responsibilities
Individual leadership project
Certificate of completion
Résumé and experience workshop
Help translating work into résumé bullets
Professional reference when earned
Photos documenting the experience
New perspective from another culture
Participation does not promise college admission, employment or any other future outcome.
A coach who has lived the bridge between sport and life.
Jesse Smith's approved biography and credentials will be published here after the site administrator confirms the source record and image rights.
Bio status: TODO before launch. Do not publish Olympic, professional, team, award or organizational-affiliation claims until confirmed in the JSP source material.
Clear value before any payment.
Founding Cohort program tuition
- Leadership program and curriculum
- Coaching and sports activities
- Pre-trip and parent orientation
- Daily supervision and leadership feedback
- Completion certificate
- Résumé/experience workshop
- Program photos
Not included
- International airfare
- Passport and travel insurance
- Personal spending and airline baggage fees
- Transport outside designated windows
- Optional activities not in the confirmed itinerary
Meals, lodging, local transportation, airport transfers and excursions remain TODO until confirmed operationally.
Trust has to be specific.
Safety
Supervision, emergency procedures, conduct expectations and insurance requirements will be published before acceptance and payment.
Consent
Guardian consent and waiver documents will be handled as part of secure onboarding, not hidden in the public lead form.
Travel
Flight routing, airport windows, packing list and arrival instructions will be provided after the itinerary is confirmed.
Questions parents should ask.
What is the Croatia Leadership Experience?
A small-group educational leadership experience in Dubrovnik and Herceg Novi built around youth sports responsibilities.
Who is eligible?
Eligibility and age range are TODO pending owner confirmation. Applicants should swim strongly, be ready to work hard and have an interest in leading younger athletes.
Do participants need to play water polo?
No specific water polo background is promised as a requirement. Strong swimming and readiness to learn are important; final eligibility is TODO.
Is airfare included?
No. International airfare is not included.
What will participants actually do?
They may help plan practices, coach younger athletes, prepare schedules, run checklists, coordinate equipment, write summaries and take part in feedback debriefs. Exact duties vary.
How many participants are accepted?
Maximum five participants.
What are the refund, meal, lodging and flight policies?
TODO before launch. These terms must be confirmed and displayed before any payment is accepted.
When do applications close?
August 14, 2026, unless the owner publishes a different factual deadline.
Apply for the founding cohort.
Tell us who you are, what you want to learn and how you have taken responsibility before. Applications are reviewed before any payment invitation.