00:00:04: Welcome to this podcast.

00:00:15: Water Polo Expert Talk, get the insights!

00:00:34: So yeah.

00:00:35: so welcome back to The Water Pola Expert Talk podcast.

00:00:40: and yes today we are joined by Jack.

00:00:45: Thanks for taking time with us today.

00:00:47: Absolutely thank you for that.

00:00:48: Yeah, so it's our pleasure to have you such a let say at the moment.

00:00:52: experience coach but also very experienced as player former player playing in Europe or some countries in july.

00:01:00: So we are coming up to this topic as well during next couple of minutes.

00:01:04: um so thanks for taking time.

00:01:06: and yeah At The Moment Or At The Beginning I would like To Hand It Over To You Just To Give You The Chance To Introduce Yourself To The Podcast Audience.

00:01:15: Absolutely, well first of all thank you for doing this.

00:01:17: This is a our water polo world needs this.

00:01:21: it needs more people talking about our sport trying to get out into the world not just in small areas of our countries or Our world are regions and easy to spread us so our sport can grow.

00:01:32: So Thank You For Doing This.

00:01:35: My name is Jack Coker.

00:01:36: I've been part of water polo discuss since i was eight years old, and the pleasure playing at a young age And then went on to play college at Pepperdine.

00:01:45: I ended up being a pepperdine university for nineteen years as an athlete assistant coach in that head coach and Then around the time but two thousand twelve wasn't kindly to the idea, but I was removed from Pepperdine.

00:02:01: But then the doors opened up with U.S.

00:02:03: men's national team.

00:02:04: so since two thousand twelve i had a chance small little season at USC won a national championship with them and usc.

00:02:11: So we got the opportunity it To grow under Yovan Babich in that experience And then moved into the senior team staff.

00:02:23: Thanks to Dayanadovich who has done so much for me and my personal growth, as a coach or mentor.

00:02:30: All the opportunities he's given us is part of Team USA And now... He's giving me the torch To run with it as far I can With trying to develop The youth pipeline programs be somewhat successful at the U-twenty age.

00:02:50: I'm still coaching high school water polo, so i still coach at Oaks Christian High School...I do boys and girls there and God willing!

00:02:57: I've been very supportive by the administration here and have been very successful on both ends of The Boys And The Women.

00:03:05: but I truly am passionate about growing our sport..I'm truly passionate about being an innovator to new ideas ,to grow athletes at a younger age, I think we miss the opportunity to educate our athletes mentally.

00:03:21: We do such a good job physically and preparing them how to do skills but we are missing the boat on many fronts of how can adapt that game inside her IQ water polo.

00:03:34: so allow bodies then function with skill sets.

00:03:38: this is what i'm really doing deep dive using other sports I dissect as much as they can with football, international football.

00:03:47: Doing a lot of deep-diving hockey because it's very relative to our sport basketball.

00:03:53: so i'm still...I'm a big thief!

00:03:55: I steal from other sports in other countries.

00:03:59: One of the main countries that I'm really taking a lot from is Spain right now.

00:04:02: They love their style play, they're very quick explosive small-small...they are owning this small space and do small games.

00:04:11: three v Three two V Two one be one stuff.

00:04:14: so i am trying to adapt it in my own coaching philosophy.

00:04:18: then try to disseminate into here in states of spread the wealth knowledge inside our pipeline program.

00:04:26: That's me in a small nutshell.

00:04:29: It is not so small to be honest, but

00:04:34: again I've been very blessed with people around me that support and my family

00:04:38: which was just very interesting.

00:04:40: by the way when you mentioned maybe it wasn't really the case.

00:04:46: players or athletes are prepared from mentally point of view.

00:04:51: Maybe this something brings maybe also the success at the moment.

00:04:57: So not only to the senior team or senior men's teams, so the women are outstanding over the last couple of years anyway but for young teams as you mentioned under twenty, under eighty and sixty.

00:05:12: Maybe this is a small piece of the success that you mention in your coaching routine?

00:05:23: You know what I feel.

00:05:24: my whole life I've been an underdog in every team i've had, every sport that's played.

00:05:30: Me and myself personally...I'm not the biggest player or strongest player so always have this underdog mentality of a bulldog inside me who wants to just come out and dominate.

00:05:42: And probably from all over high school to college as an athlete and then coaching.

00:05:50: I've never had the superior team, um...I've always had to go and scratch my way into the top.

00:05:57: Um so- And i feel that's where U.S is right now.

00:05:59: Um US since the eighties We kind of we've kind of dropped since the Eighties when were on podiums with two silver medals against Yugoslavian countries and now it's you know.

00:06:13: we're trying to scratch into the top six, top four, top three.

00:06:17: And at every age.

00:06:19: so I have this underdog mentality and i'm trying to get our country to recognize that.

00:06:24: listen we might not have the best but we can have ways and means.

00:06:28: still be on a podium

00:06:29: Yeah, so which is also successful.

00:06:31: So anyway at the end when you are successful for example in Paris with the Olympic Games a little bronze medal... Yes!

00:06:39: ...so that's enough.

00:06:42: let say good vibes or arguments on your side yeah?

00:06:46: For this way.

00:06:47: When you're looking back to early beginnings of your career growing up in Southern California I would imagine it was easier to come in touch with water polo.

00:07:01: In this area, like for example in Germany especially in the north of germany where there is maybe not so nice and quite like in california yeah?

00:07:10: So how was it for you two to come into touch at first time with water Polo?

00:07:15: Yeah I got into Water Polo through a good friend of mine One of my best friends, Jimmy Turing.

00:07:21: It's a well-known name here in the States.

00:07:23: Jimmy unfortunately passed away at the age of nineteen on a USA men's national team trip.

00:07:30: He is father and when we were eight years old I was a baseball player.

00:07:33: iIwas an American football player meani always doing everything else but water polo And every time it rained and I couldn't do those land sports because of the rain.

00:07:42: Mr.. Turing will come by pick me up and take him to the waterfall practice.

00:07:46: So that's kind of how happened.

00:07:48: And not only that, just the availability of water poling in California because our weather is seventy to eighty degrees pretty much all year round with outdoor pools.

00:07:57: It's a very attractive sport Because what do you want?

00:07:59: You don't wanna be inside and outside.

00:08:02: So um...and then also beach communities.

00:08:06: Water poles thrives in Beach Communities where they have water awareness families kids who will grow up Doing junior lifeguards on the beach and they're just watermen.

00:08:17: And that's a good Advocate to have in your community.

00:08:21: then to build a waterfall program or an aquatic program.

00:08:24: So you're right, you know other states don't have that That luxury of playing Waterpole or even water safety for that matter.

00:08:31: You know there's a lot of kids in America.

00:08:33: They aren't even close to being water safe Even at high school age?

00:08:36: The teenagers.

00:08:38: so it is the need I think first of all being water safe and understanding how to survive in the water, but also we would love to get that spread out amongst all the states.

00:08:49: And throughout the countries.

00:08:50: when you look at South America they're really trying to do a good push of emphasizing more water pull up or water pull on there putting a lot effort down there.

00:08:59: I'm really happy to hear that Central American and South America are really trying.

00:09:07: Sixteen new world championships, sixty.

00:09:13: That's never happened before!

00:09:15: So good job by World Aquatics for doing that.

00:09:18: and now we got to work out some things in there.

00:09:24: how do we manage the sixty team tournament?

00:09:27: I think those are being worked-out right now.

00:09:29: Yeah absolutely so many discussions going around.

00:09:33: Yes How to handle it

00:09:37: But it's good that we're having a positive growth.

00:09:41: It always comes with challenges, so...

00:09:43: Absolutely!

00:09:44: You also mentioned at the very beginning you are in your young age doing other sports.

00:09:51: not during coaching career as a thief just to adopt things from other sport but you do several sports too.

00:10:02: Do what?

00:10:03: Really that it's maybe also an advantage for kids playing water polo and being a little bit more successful when you're at the young age are able to play or More sports like?

00:10:16: I don't know.

00:10:17: You mentioned baseball football tennis hockey, whatever.

00:10:20: Yeah So do we think there is?

00:10:23: Without a doubt, there's definitely correlation between the two.

00:10:25: And I think to things that make successful people play water polo right?

00:10:29: Two skill sets.

00:10:30: one is understanding space Adapting in scene and being cognitive aware of your space.

00:10:36: I Think that's one of the most biggest thing.

00:10:38: so you can spot A great player on the water how well he sees Things around him before his opponent or Before The action actually happens.

00:10:47: and then the next Thing That i think Is really key for Water polo athletes is the contact.

00:10:52: you know, understanding leverage.

00:10:54: So if you grew up in martial arts or are doing Jiu-Jitsu and some kind of combat one on one stuff You're going to have a small advantage on everybody Or even a large advantage On most athletes that just come into sport That has zero contact.

00:11:06: Um so those two things Are really important If not only can get them In the water during practices But it's like basketball or football And being comfortable with that going to translate into water polo.

00:11:20: So yes, do I think at you know fourteen and under fifteen under should have another sport that complements Water Polo?

00:11:28: Absolutely!

00:11:28: And i'm a big advocate for athletes who might play two sports.

00:11:34: Play your secondary sport three months out of the year and then play your primary sport nine months out of the year.

00:11:39: And then, you're body can actually healthly... Your body's not worn down in that one motion and wear it on your shoulders or knees or hips or whatever injury could be.

00:11:49: so I'm really having good for that.

00:11:50: now some people think well let go swim for three months.

00:11:54: no thats kind of the same thing right?

00:11:58: Again at what age does this start?

00:12:02: stop is where we all try to figure.

00:12:05: I don't think everybody has a key for that.

00:12:07: Yeah, but basically it really covers also our expectations or experience.

00:12:15: when you see kids coming to test training and test practice You'll see which kids are maybe playing soccer here in Europe Football handball they know too.

00:12:33: Move themselves into the spaces and use this basis around them.

00:12:37: And yeah, in contact so you manage to contact.

00:12:40: it's during these days not normal thing too have a contact.

00:12:46: So let us go so far that we have discussion for example with the parents, is it normal to let my boy or girl get contact or touched and hold it?

00:12:58: And whatever.

00:12:59: So during practice or doing a game I said yes that's part of the game... Yeah there's reason for that!

00:13:08: It's very true because we're dealing without here in The States.

00:13:11: you know We are little sensitive too.

00:13:13: some things Here In The States when You Know A parent will be My kid is drowning.

00:13:19: Well, your kids not drowning He's just in contact and it looks a little bit more threatening to you being outside and uncomfortable.

00:13:24: But really yeah It's not happening.

00:13:27: that's NOT happening.

00:13:28: he might be underwater for at three seconds max.

00:13:32: So we have to also educate them on the awareness of the sport too and make sure that people in our community aren't being over exaggerated to a certain situation.

00:13:42: And during your early days, so there was any moment where you say okay?

00:13:49: That's my spot for the next thirty-forty years.

00:13:52: So it wasn't specific at all No!

00:13:54: It was period...

00:13:56: So I was baseball player have parents who really supported me.

00:14:02: and you know I played baseball my whole life.

00:14:04: Baseball was my nine-month season, and water pool.

00:14:07: it's been three months' season.

00:14:10: And i ended up trying out for the San Diego Padres went to Jack Murphy Stadium got a chance of practice in that facility and end up getting partially drafted one year when they were needing some extra players.

00:14:24: And I decided, no.

00:14:25: You know what?

00:14:25: I'm going to stay with Waterpull in my senior year because i was having more success... ...I think I followed the success versus follow you-know-the money Because we don't get paid like baseball players.

00:14:35: Not really No.

00:14:37: So really Baseball is my first love.

00:14:40: and then waterpull became just something that become natural for me.. ..and ummm I have....you know I think God has given a gift of seeing things inside things.

00:14:51: My connective awareness is very keen to the sport and spatial awareness, like a chess game.

00:14:58: I don't know...I just seem have a knack for it!

00:15:00: And i enjoy it..i love dissecting games.

00:15:05: That's kind of where the wonderful world came from me.

00:15:09: Yeah but at the end totally works out for you.

00:15:12: yes as mentioned there was so much opportunities things to see maybe with baseball.

00:15:20: Yeah, I don't know.

00:15:20: So it's more than popular in the US or in South America Asia.

00:15:27: Yes The market would be a different one then in water polo

00:15:31: absolutely and a lot of money.

00:15:33: like i said before i'm missing out on the money but waterfall aside

00:15:37: yeah.

00:15:37: so We are not maybe such privileged guys here.

00:15:43: with bless with money

00:15:45: I agree.

00:15:45: But, but i think we're going in the right direction not only domestically here in the states but also In The World Trying to bring a bigger audience To us trying to make our sport A little bit more attractable to the eye and Make it a Little More you know?

00:15:58: Like what they're doing with the var like What They're Doing Different Things And Trying to make entertainment during the games.

00:16:03: so i do i Do see We're making progress.

00:16:07: um Hopefully we can continue that and put the Right People in the Right Places to allow them.

00:16:11: Yeah, yeah.

00:16:14: So that's would be great.

00:16:16: so when we go a little bit further yes or you also mentioned at the very beginning um...that you played for national titles and also joined the national team after that in nineteen ninety seven.

00:16:29: was it right?

00:16:30: That your one of the... Yes!

00:16:33: We won at Pepperdine in ninety-seven.

00:16:36: Currently right now Pepperdine has been the only team outside UCLA, USC, Cal and Stanford to ever win a national championship.

00:16:44: And that was in nineteen ninety-seven.

00:16:46: So I was again.

00:16:47: we had a great crew with great coaches.

00:16:49: Terry Schroeder You know Jim McMillan were the coaches of us at that time.

00:16:54: Great athletes came together.

00:16:57: We upset.

00:16:57: we were once again The underdog to beat the powerhouses and it hasn't been repeated since.

00:17:04: Some teams have gotten into third or second place, but not to hold a trophy above their heads.

00:17:10: so I'm very honored be part of that group.

00:17:12: we're coming up pretty soon here on our thirty-year anniversary.

00:17:15: can't believe i've never had calls out long!

00:17:17: And then from winning that national championship...I've had a chance to be part multiple programs than blessed to win championships.

00:17:29: There was also the chance to play in Europe, right?

00:17:31: So it's in Spain and Greece.

00:17:35: Yes!

00:17:35: I got a great story about Spain.

00:17:37: so Spain SDRD is one of my favorite players.

00:17:40: growing up Manuel SRD and Jimmy Torrein who passed away at college we grew up playing from like eight to twelve to fourteen year olds.

00:17:50: We told each other hey if ever get this chance let us go play in Spain and let's go try to play against like an SDRD, right?

00:17:58: Unfortunately Jimmy didn't get a chance do that after college.

00:18:02: And as soon I graduated from College... ...I told myself I'm never gonna have this chance again!

00:18:08: I need to live for Jimmy & I in goal-play in

00:18:12: Spain.".

00:18:13: I had no team.

00:18:14: I showed up with the backpack.

00:18:16: I traveled around Barcelona to Madrid at that area and finally within two weeks Pepe, my coach Pepe from Olivarra.

00:18:27: From Saragossa picked me up and I played a season in Spain.

00:18:32: And the craziest thing that ever happened was very last game.

00:18:38: There is an advertisement for our very last Game of The Year.

00:18:41: My buddy Jimmy Touring's picture Was on the advertisement.

00:18:47: No joke it was like surreal.

00:18:49: I broke down and cried.

00:18:50: I said i can't believe this is happening.

00:18:52: How has Jimmy You know, he has this iconic pitcher.

00:18:55: where is up to his passes?

00:18:56: belly button suit showing you shooting the ball and That club advertised him as pitcher for the game.

00:19:03: So it was a surreal moment for me Really touched me obviously And I had that.

00:19:10: we had a great game.

00:19:11: We won the games.

00:19:12: so nice to see and It was a great experience playing in Spain

00:19:18: Yes When you remember this moment, so to win the game at the end was not really the main thing.

00:19:26: But as we mentioned all of these surroundings and circumstances around a match maybe then the main point.

00:19:36: Not only that.

00:19:37: just how small is the world of water polo?

00:19:39: it you know, your two people one person removed from everybody else.

00:19:43: I love that.

00:19:45: about our sport any moment i can call somebody anywhere around the world and ask for a favor or hey could we do this?

00:19:51: Can we do that in there they're willing to help.

00:19:54: That's what I love most about our sports.

00:19:56: Yeah so it is not such big community.

00:19:59: yeah So its growing at least an impression of how their feeling such a big community like for football, hockey or whatever else.

00:20:12: So it's little bit different and smaller but not less important.

00:20:18: I agree!

00:20:19: So i interrupted you on your way to Greece?

00:20:24: Then i went into coaching with the national team and got a phone call from Panathanaikos who contacted me late October saying we just dropped a player looking at another player.

00:20:36: I just got married and we're like, why not?

00:20:40: Let's go play.

00:20:41: So

00:20:42: yeah so We ended up picking it up And we moved to uh the vula mini and vula at The time and we ended up playing for Panathanaecos this season.

00:20:52: It was a rough Season you know.

00:20:55: obviously panathanaecos is phenomenal right now.

00:20:57: They've got great support doing great.

00:21:00: We have some american players on the team Now Very blessed to see Some of those guys playing there.

00:21:06: It's a great program to play for the very successful in other sports And so I had a great time living there.

00:21:12: and then i think after that i am you know, i was i wasn't fortunate To be an olympian as an athlete.

00:21:19: And i told myself i had surgery.

00:21:22: i broke my wrist In two places snowboarding After my senior year in college and it took a long time to recover from That and they took a lot of hopes out Of me being an olimpian For the two for john under Johnny Vargas's senior team, I was probably one of the last two or three players that were released from that team and it crushed me.

00:21:44: And I told myself you know whatever it takes i'm going to be at the Olympics!

00:21:47: I am gonna participate whether its a player coach...and things turned around not just for the players side but uh..for coaching sides....I've been part of three olympics now four-world, twenty U championships.

00:22:02: So hopefully I can continue to grow in this.

00:22:04: and

00:22:06: you know what?

00:22:06: This is growing yeah!

00:22:08: Yes yes... And so as the people around me have experienced it i've learned so much over the years things that I never want to do again are ashamed of how I did things.

00:22:21: I think i'm a little bit more mature and because of all those experiences, And...I hope someday that I can continue in these footsteps Of carrying the torch for this senior team.

00:22:30: So That's my ambition!