Born and raised in a sports family, I was immersed in the world of high-level sport from an early age. My father, Željko Poljak, was a national team basketball player for the former Yugoslavia, and his dedication to sport left a lasting impression on me. I discovered my passion for volleyball at the age of 12, and thanks to a deep love for the game, strong ambition, and relentless discipline, I quickly started progressing. By the age of 15, I was competing in Croatia’s First Division, and just a year later, I debuted for the senior national team.
In my final year of high school, I received several offers to continue my career abroad, ultimately choosing to move to Vicenza, Italy at the age of 17. In my very first season, we won the club’s first-ever European Cu, a milestone that solidified my commitment to pursuing an international volleyball career at the highest level.
Over a professional career spanning more than 17 years, I played for top clubs in Vicenza, Bergamo, Ankara, Istanbul, and Moscow, winning numerous national championships and domestic cups. I’m proud to have been a four-time CEV Champions League winner with three different clubs, a FIVB Club World Champion, and a multiple-time recipient of individual awards—twice named the World’s Best Middle Blocker and three times Europe’s Best Middle Blocker. I was also honored to be selected to the CEV Team of the Decade and served as the captain of the Croatian national team for over a decade, with a highlight being the silver medal at the 1999 European Championship.
Alongside my playing career, I earned a degree from the Faculty of Economics & Business in Zagreb, demonstrating my belief in the importance of dual careers for athletes.
In 2017, I retired from professional volleyball due to injury and transitioned into sport administration, joining the European Volleyball Confederation (CEV). I began as Top Events Coordinator and soon became the first woman to hold the title of Head of Events. During my time at CEV, I led the delivery of four multi-country European Volleyball Championships, several Champions League Finals, and Beach Volleyball European Championships, while introducing numerous innovations to elevate the standard of European volleyball events.
After 22 years of living and working abroad, I returned to Croatia in 2022. I currently serve within the Croatian Olympic Committee, where I follow international cooperation initiatives and coordinate EU-funded projects. In 2023, I also completed the Executive Master in Sport Organisation Management (MEMOS), further equipping me to support the growth and governance of sport at all levels.
