{"id":360397,"date":"2019-03-25T11:15:46","date_gmt":"2019-03-25T18:15:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=360397"},"modified":"2019-03-25T12:34:58","modified_gmt":"2019-03-25T19:34:58","slug":"rise-and-scandalous-fall-of-uscs-jovan-vavic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/rise-and-scandalous-fall-of-uscs-jovan-vavic\/","title":{"rendered":"Commentary: The Rise and Scandalous Fall Of USC Water Polo Coach Jovan Vavic"},"content":{"rendered":"

Editor\u2019s Note: Jovan Vavic, former USC head men\u2019s and women\u2019s water polo coach, will be arraigned today in federal court in Boston, MA on criminal racketeering charges, in connection with the massive Varsity Blues scandal that has rocked America\u2019s higher education system. Vavic remains the biggest casualty in an investigation whose full scope has yet to be determined.<\/em><\/p>\n

Since 2012, Michael Randazzo<\/strong> has covered NCAA varsity water polo. In that time he has had a number of encounters with Vavic. Highlights from their interactions are included below.<\/em><\/p>\n

The dramatic demise of Jovan Vavic\u2019s<\/strong> unparalleled career at Southern Cal has stunned the world of American water polo. The accomplishments his men\u2019s and women\u2019s teams have recorded over a quarter-century are historic: ten men\u2019s and six women\u2019s NCAA titles and an overall record of 1,156-238. Those 16 titles represent 15% of the Trojans\u2019 haul of 107 won in a century of play in all sports, and are more than any other coach in USC history.<\/p>\n

\"vavic-outspread-mar19\"

Photo Courtesy: Catharyn Hayne<\/p><\/div>\n

But the luster of that record is cheapened and diminished by the nationwide Varsity Blues<\/a> admissions scandal in which Vavic has been caught up. Arrested by the FBI almost two weeks ago on a criminal racketeering charge, he faces far more than the dishonor brought on by alleged corrupt activities at USC. If fully enforced, the criminal RICO statute\u2014first used<\/a> to convict members of the Mafia three decades ago\u2014carries a prison term of up to 20 years and severe financial penalties, including as much as $250,000 in fines.<\/p>\n

[After a Quarter Century in Troy, Jovan Vavic Fired as USC Men\u2019s & Women\u2019s Head Water Polo Coach]<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

Later today, with his career in shambles, Vavic will plead for his life and reputation\u2014guilty or not guilty. To the water polo community, this is an unimaginable development, and I personally find it hard to reconcile the circumstances with the person I\u2019ve covered for the past six years.<\/p>\n

In considering this reversal of fortune\u2014from the most successful coach in American polo history to a disgraced felon possibly headed for as many as 20 years in prison\u2014I choose to look back at select interactions with the man whom I, and others<\/a>, have compared favorably to UCLA\u2019s John Wooden<\/strong><\/a>, the one-time Wizard of Westwood, identified as the greatest coach in NCAA history.<\/p>\n

My first encounter with Vavic, in December 2012 at USC, was from a distance. I had followed<\/a> a mercurial St. Francis College men\u2019s team from its basement pool in Brooklyn Heights to its second NCAA Final Four in three years, and was unprepared for the scene at what was then the McDonald’s Swim Stadium. Having never seen outdoor polo before, it was a little overwhelming to take in the nation\u2019s two best teams\u2014USC and UCLA\u2014playing for a national championship in a such a scenic venue.<\/p>\n

The Trojans won 11-10<\/a>, holding off their fiercest rivals in the final seconds to cap an undefeated season and fifth-straight NCAA title. I remember none of it; my only recollection was a bizarre victory ritual: everyone possible\u2014players, coaches, fully dressed spectators\u2014leapt into the pool.<\/p>\n

\"vavics-ncaa-dec18\"

Vavic with son Marko after winning the 2018 NCAA title. Photo Courtesy: Catharyn Hayne<\/p><\/div>\n

In that moment, Coach Vavic and his players, surrounded by adoring fans, were as joyful as any group of competitors in the world, carefree and sopping wet.<\/p>\n

Catching on that this was a phenomenal coach enjoying success unseen in Los Angeles since Wooden dominated NCAA basketball with ten titles in 12 years, I finally tracked Vavic down in October 2013 for my first interview with him. Over the phone I referenced the UCLA great; Vavic acknowledged how much Wooden\u2019s methods had permeated his thinking.<\/p>\n

Jovan Vavic:<\/strong> I have many of John Wooden\u2019s books. Just to even be mentioned in the same sentence with him is not fair. <\/em><\/p>\n

He\u2019s just so way above all of us. But I thank you. He was a great educator and a great basketball mind. But he was also a very strong disciplinarian without having to use strong language, and that\u2019s not really easy. I am very impressed with this side of his coaching\u2014that he was able to control and manage his players without having to be overly disciplinarian, using aggressive language or being a strong personality. He was able to get the most out of his players just by creating the atmosphere of competition.<\/em><\/p>\n

I got to speak with Vavic, again by phone, while overlooking the most magnificent setting imaginable, in Malibu for the 2015 SoCal men\u2019s tournament, an annual competition of the best California teams prior to the beginning of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) season schedule.<\/p>\n

Discussing goalie McQuin Baron<\/strong>, who at that point was vying for a berth on the U.S. roster for the 2016 Olympic games, Vavic was tellingly frank about the curse of potential.<\/p>\n

Vavic:<\/strong> He could be the best goalie in the world someday. He\u2019s that talented. But the word potential\u2014I can give you a nice sentence about potential. This world is full of unsuccessful people with a lot of potential. He has a lot of potential and he\u2019s gonna be awesome, but he\u2019s not there yet. Physically he is fully capable. But he has to improve his mental game.<\/em><\/p>\n

As it happens, Baron did make the U.S. roster in 2016, and until recently was considered the Americans\u2019 top goalie. Having missed the last two national team competitions, his status is unknown for this summer\u2019s Pan American Games, when Team USA will seek to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.<\/p>\n

\"Runnels

Runnels Memorial Pool at Pepperdine. Photo Courtesy: Pepperdine Athletics<\/p><\/div>\n

Vavic and I next spoke in April of 2017. I was in Los Angeles for the MPSF women\u2019s water polo tournament, with grand plans to interview the country\u2019s top four women\u2019s team coaches\u2014Vavic, John Tanner<\/strong> of Stanford, Brandon Brooks<\/strong> of UCLA and Coralie Simmons<\/strong> of Cal. Catching up with the USC coach was challenging; we landed at LAX, and I immediately raced to set up for a telephone interview in the only place there that had reliable cellphone reception. Somehow, I was able to get the full interview<\/a> in, and we touched on the topic of foreign players coming to the U.S. for collegiate competition.<\/p>\n

Vavic: <\/strong>I went to college in Yugoslavia in the 1980s and we didn\u2019t have a set-up where your practices and classes were all in one place. Countries like Serbia and Croatia discourage you from going to university so that you can become a professional water polo player.<\/em>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Here, it\u2019s the best of both worlds. [You can] focus on your studies and play water polo at the highest level. In a state like California where there\u2019s so much opportunity, it is the best of everything.<\/em><\/p>\n

I can understand why so many young people want to experience this\u2014and if somebody pays for your education, I\u2019d wonder why wouldn\u2019t you do it.<\/em><\/p>\n

My most memorable Vavic moment occurred during the third period of the semifinals of the 2017 NCAA men\u2019s tournament, and it represents how savvy he was at controlling a game\u2019s tempo. Lachlan Edwards<\/strong>, his All-American set, had just gotten rolled for brutality by punching Cal\u2019s Luca Cupido<\/strong>. The Trojans were already down a goal when the five-meter penalty conversion and a subsequent power play upped the visitor\u2019s advantage to three. Then, Vavic literally made time stand still. Protesting the call against his player, he took the slowest possible walk<\/a> around the Uytengsu Pool deck before finally arriving at the table of Bob Corb<\/strong>, NCAA National Coordinator of Officials.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m sure Vavic knew that there was no hope in appealing the foul; it was a stalling tactic to give his Trojans a moment to regroup, which they did, overtaking the Golden Bears 12-11 in one of the most gripping sporting events I\u2019ve witnessed.<\/p>\n

The next day, following a deflating loss<\/a> to UCLA in the NCAA title match, when queried in the press room about how his senior captain could commit so egregious a foul, Vavic was non-committal.<\/p>\n

Vavic: <\/em><\/strong>It really hurt us that we didn\u2019t have our primary center, and it also hurt us that in the first quarter our primary defender and second center picked up two ejections.<\/em><\/p>\n

You could feel the tension as the disciplinarian coach sidestepped accountability for a loss due to his captain\u2019s poor\u2014though all-too human\u2014decision-making, one that cost his team a national championship.<\/p>\n

The last time I saw Jovan Vavic was at the 2018 NCAA women\u2019s final, after his Trojans gutted out a 5-4 win against a Stanford squad that had beaten them in the semifinals of the 2017 tournament\u2014a match that saw USC set Brigitta Games<\/strong> sustain two fractured ribs. This information, confirmed by Vavic after the 2018 win, added fire<\/a> to an already intense rivalry between the Trojans and the Cardinal, and was a factor in what was as physical<\/a> a women\u2019s match as I think I\u2019ll ever see.<\/p>\n

\"May

Vavic’s not in this photo, but his fingerprints are ALL over this 2018 NCAA title celebration. Photo Courtesy: Catharyn Hayne<\/p><\/div>\n

In the press conference afterwards, Vavic was almost giddy, his joy infecting his Trojans. The bond that he and his players shared, and his elation at their success, was palpable. You could see how much the USC athletes loved playing for their coach.<\/p>\n

Vavic:<\/em><\/strong> I\u2019ve had some good players before and some really tough girls, but with girls you don’t always get competitiveness\u2014you have to find those kind of girls. This might be the most competitive group I ever had.<\/em><\/p>\n

In trying to piece together how anyone with so much impact on his players, and such deep-seated conviction in his ability to lead, could have thrown it all away, I am at a loss\u2014no matter what he pleads today.<\/p>\n

-Opinions expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the views of Swimming World Magazine nor its staff.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Editor\u2019s Note: Jovan Vavic, former USC head men\u2019s and women\u2019s water polo coach, will be arraigned today in federal court in Boston, MA on criminal racketeering charges, in connection with<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4875,"featured_media":360406,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"dois","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3,12],"tags":[65028,4368,61130,2110,1317,10498,2763,64898,42084,565,42639,60192,2857,60272,63503],"class_list":["post-360397","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-water-polo","tag-bob-corb","tag-brandon-brooks","tag-brigitta-games","tag-coralie-simmons","tag-john-tanner","tag-john-wooden","tag-jovan-vavic","tag-lachlan-edwards","tag-luca-cupido","tag-mcdonalds-swim-stadium","tag-mcquin-baron","tag-michael-randazzo","tag-st-francis-college","tag-stanford-water-polo","tag-usc-water-polo"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"yoast_head":"\r\nCommentary: The Rise and Scandalous Fall Of USC Water Polo Coach Jovan Vavic - 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