Djokovic's Discipline and Drive Paying Off For RedHawks

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Uroš Djokovic is used to training 5,000 miles from his teammates.

The RedHawks' senior swimmer spends his summers in his native Serbia, developing his craft and doing his part to work toward winning another MAC championship.

Length after length, from one end of the pool to the other.

No classmates to encourage him. No Miamians waiting at the end of the pool or swimming in the next lane.

Just Djokovic and his goals.

"In our sport, we stare at a black line, with heads down in the water, and basically swim back and forth with purpose and intention," said Miami coach Hollie Bonewit-Cron.

"For someone to do that by themselves and to be self-disciplined, self-motivated and truly accountable for their own training, I think is truly remarkable.

"It speaks volumes about how ambitious and motivated Uroš is and how prideful he is in doing well…It's for himself, it's for his family, it's for his team, it's for his coaches: He really has the right mindset when it comes to training and competing."

Djokovic, who owns Miami's school record in the 200 freestyle and six of the top 10 marks in program history in that event, is accustomed to pouring time into his sport. As a young boy growing up in Belgrade, he took up swimming at the age of seven and has never looked back. Uros Djokovic

"Where I grew up is a bit farther from all the big pools in the city, so I had to commute in high school for about an hour on the bus each way," Djokovic said. "Just to get to the school, and then the school to the pool – so it was a long way home at night coming back.

"I would leave with my mom when she would go for work at 6:30 a.m., and I would come back home around 7 p.m., so I'd stay in the city most of the day. Pack a lunch, eat there and do everything I had to do…then it was time to recover."

The grueling process has paid dividends for Djokovic, and most recently, for the RedHawk men's swimming and diving team. Although Djokovic wasn't able to visit campus before enrolling at Miami University, he relied on the experience of countryman Nikola Andjelic '20, who had only good things to say about his time with Bonewit-Cron's program, and ultimately decided to make the move to Oxford to continue his career.

The rest is history.

Djokovic is now part of a senior class that has led the Red and White to three consecutive Mid-American Conference team championships, including this past March in Miami's home pool. He placed third in the 500 freestyle, took fourth in the 200 freestyle, and was part of third-place and fourth-place relays as the RedHawks earned 755 team points and claimed the 2023 trophy. Djokovic was named Second-Team All-MAC for his efforts, and is already focused on doing his part to continue Miami's string of conference titles this season.

"Coming here with my class, we said that we are going to win championships four times in a row; we're not going to lose any of them," Djokovic explained. "The championship starts for us the first day we come back…

"The thing I'm proudest of is the connections I made with these people, the promise we made to each other and what we did every single day for four years. We kept each other accountable."

"Uroš has really contributed to this program at a high level, and it's given him and his classmates the success they've had," said Bonewit-Cron.

"They've won three championships in a row now. Do they want the fourth? Yes, they want it more than anything. But we've got to stick to the details and focus on the goals and being in the present; that will help us be able to look toward the future and see what that ends up to be."

Uroš Djokovic

According to Bonewit-Cron, Djokovic's discipline, attention to detail, communication level, authenticity and thoughtfulness are all part of what has helped the middle-distance freestyler excel, and were key reasons why he was selected to serve as a team captain this year.

Away from the pool, Djokovic is just as successful. In many ways, the Finance major and two-time Academic All-MAC selection is the epitome of Miami Athletics' mission of 'Graduating Champions.'

Even though a normal day for Djokovic might begin with 5:30 a.m. weightlifting, include multiple practices and classes, and then find him studying in the library until 9 p.m., he has managed to successfully balance everything required of a RedHawk student-athlete.

"A few classes gave me a hard time," Djokovic smiled. "Especially when you're having a MAC championship, coming back full of excitement, and then your professor is waiting with an exam!"

Through the everyday grind, Djokovic always makes time for a phone call home to connect with his mother, father and younger brother. "They're six hours ahead; I'm not able to talk to them after 4 p.m.," he said. "So I've got to find that time in between classes!"

And although he spends most of the year thousands of miles away from his family, Djokovic has clearly found a home in Oxford.

"I've really appreciated how close people are [here] and how everyone is willing to help. Each time I had any issues, whether with schoolwork, training or anything else: Wherever I went, the door was open," Djokovic said.

"I will remember Miami by all of my friends, coaches, people who helped me and the whole process that shaped me to be who I am [today]…and down the road, maybe we all come back together and talk about what we did over there," he added, pointing to the championship banner hanging at the far end of the Corwin M. Nixon Aquatic Center.

"Records to the side, I think what's really important here is the culture we built…records come and go, but the connections that we made are going to stay for life."

Find more Front Row Features at: MiamiRedHawks.com/FrontRowFeatures

Djokovic and the Miami men's and women's swimming and diving teams are in action this weekend in Oxford for the Miami Invitational (9 a.m./5 p.m. on Nov. 30, Dec. 1 and Dec. 2). Admission is free.

Djokovic's Discipline and Drive Paying Off For RedHawks

Players Mentioned

Uroš Djokovic

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