{"id":378090,"date":"2019-07-03T04:00:16","date_gmt":"2019-07-03T11:00:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=378090"},"modified":"2019-07-03T00:14:30","modified_gmt":"2019-07-03T07:14:30","slug":"swimming-world-presents-lessons-with-the-legends-water-polo-coach-ratko-rudic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/swimming-world-presents-lessons-with-the-legends-water-polo-coach-ratko-rudic\/","title":{"rendered":"Swimming World Presents “Lessons with the Legends: Water Polo Coach Ratko Rudic”"},"content":{"rendered":"

Lessons with the Legends:
\nRatko Rudic<\/span><\/h1>\n

By Michael J. Stott<\/span><\/p>\n

\"dolfin<\/a><\/p>\n

Ratko Rudic was born in Yugoslavia in 1948. At age 15, he began a distinguished playing career in which he made 297 international appearances with his country\u2019s national team, winning medals at the World Championships, European Championships, Mediterranean Games and the Olympics. Only then did he embark on a vocational path that has earned him near unanimous support as being the globe\u2019s best water polo coach\u2014ever!<\/p>\n

Rudic has coached five national teams: Yugoslavia (1984-88), Italy (1990-2000), USA (2001-04), Croatia (2005-12) and Brazil (2013-16). During those tenures, he mentored Yugoslavia to Olympic gold in 1984 and 1988; Italy in 1992 (plus bronze in 1996); and Croatia in 2012. In total, his teams have won a staggering 40 medals on the international stage.<\/p>\n

In 2007, he was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame. Currently, at age 71, he directs top-ranked Italian water polo club, Pro Recco.<\/p>\n

WHAT OTHERS SAY<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Bruce Wigo<\/strong> <\/span>
\n(executive director U.S. Water Polo, 1991-2004)<\/span>
\n\u201cLike all great coaches, he is totally dedicated and committed to his sport. His life is water polo, but he is also surprisingly multi-faceted\u2014an artist and very well read.<\/p>\n

Before he met with the U.S. players, he wanted to learn all that he could about American water polo, so he spoke to all the sport leaders from age group through high school and especially the college system. He wanted to know the plans of coaches from previous years. From his meetings, he developed a strategic plan designed to win the gold medal in 2008.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe didn\u2019t bring his system and expect the team to adapt\u2014instead, he modified his approach to fit the American personality and gently molded them to do what he wanted them to do…and they responded positively.”<\/p>\n

Tony Azevedo<\/strong> <\/span>
\n(5x U.S. Olympian; team captain, Stanford; 4x winner, Peter J. Cutino Award)
\n<\/span>\u201cRatko became coach at a critical time in my career. At 18, I had been the youngest U.S. Olympian. He really helped me with the mental aspect of the sport.<\/p>\n

As Americans, we have a lot of strengths, but in water polo, we were a country no one respected. In those four years, he kept telling us that we were faster, worked harder, were just as talented. Believe in yourselves. He helped me get my first contract in Europe. I showed up with the confidence that he believed in me, and from that moment on, my career flourished.”<\/p>\n

To read more about Ratko from the likes of Adam Wright, <\/em><\/strong>Wolf Wigo and more,
\ncheck out the full July 2019 issue of Swimming World Magazine<\/em>, available now!<\/p>\n

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