CLUBS'S HISTORY

Karate club Hrvatski dragovoljac was established on the 29th of July 1995 , at the initiative of head coach Ante Cutura. Training mainly took place at the School of Crafts in Savska street in Zagreb untill February 2009. From February 2009 the club moved to its new KARATE CENTER in Zagreb Sports Hall. However, karate school continues its activities in the Savska street.

Since it's inception the club attracted the best athletes of Zagreb and the Zagreb region, and joined many successful competitors from other parts of our country. Because of the concentration of quality in one place, the club that same year won the Croatian team championship, and the following year, won five first places out of possible 7 on the senior national championship and defended the title in the Croatian champion's team matches. That same year the club won fourth place in the European club championship in Romania. A year after the club repeated their domestic success but also won bronze medal at team's World Club Championships in Budapest, while at the same competition, girl's team took places 5-8.

Next year the club won many medals in all age categories at the nationas, strong international tournaments and with it's team members contributed to the Croatian selection for international tournaments and world and European championships.

At various tournaments across Europe, America, Canada and Australia, our competitors are winning a large number of medals, and the club from its foundation is one of the most successful karate clubs in Croatia.

Various attempts to destabilize the club, former members, jealous karate coaches from other clubs and officials, including the open negative attitudes and relationships of Zagreb and the Croatian Karate Union, did not affect the club. Indeed, it strengthened the athletic center and helped to regroup, reorganize and continue its work on sound grounds to a brighter future. In particular, it contributed to building a completely new and fully equipped modern karate center and the expansion of professional staff to the younger members and the start of a large number of new sporting groups.

This year the club celebrates 15 years of existence and can be proud that it created excellent working conditions at the global level, recruited a young coaching staff and a large number of talented kids in front of which the bright future awaits. All this are prerequisites for the further development of this more successful, high quality and large sports center.