Coasters: John Vargas

Richard Dunn

CORONA DEL MAR - In his final moments at home before leaving for

Sydney, Australia to coach the United States men’s water polo team in the

Summer Olympic Games, John Vargas has been so busy, there hasn’t been

time yet to reflect and feel the goose bumps.

“There’s so much stuff going on right now, it’s hard to be nervous,”

Vargas said of his summer leading up to his first Olympic assignment at

the helm of Team USA.

Vargas has been occupied with roster cuts, financial issues and team

preparations, along with a bustling playing schedule this summer and a

new wife to attend to. But Vargas has Sept. 23 circled on his calendar.

That’s when the U.S. opens against Croatia at Sydney.

“As a coach, you need to make sure everything’s covered, and that

you’ve left no stone unturned,” said Vargas, a field player on the 1992

U.S. Olympic team at age 31 and an assistant coach on the ’96 squad.

“It’s different (as the head coach), and I’ve been wearing a lot of

different hats ... as a player, there were different preparations. I was

worried and thinking a lot about my game and my role, in terms of what I

needed to do. As an assistant coach (under Rich Corso), I just did

whatever the head coach needed me to do. Now, it’s a completely different

situation.”

As the man in charge, and ultimately responsible for the team’s

Olympic outcome, Vargas will try to guide the U.S. back to the medal

round.

Vargas, a Corona del Mar resident who has coached water polo at CdM

High since 1983, came off the bench for Coach Bill Barnett’s ’92 Olympic

team that finished the Barcelona Games in fourth place, and played on the

gold-medal winning U.S. team at the 1991 FINA World Cup. The team also

won a silver medal at the Pan Am Games in ’91.

Barnett, also the Newport Harbor High coach and an assistant coach at

the Olympics this year for Vargas, is the Chairman of the Men’s

International Olympic Committee.

Before Corso, both Barnett (eight years) and Monte Nitzkowski (12)

coached the U.S. team in at least two Olympic Games. But the U.S. was a

disappointing seventh at ’96 Atlanta Games and Corso resigned.

Enter Vargas, the program’s hot new coach. “I just think (Vargas) is a

fantastic coach,” Barnett said.

One of Vargas’ former CdM players, Chris Oeding, is a key member of

the 2000 U.S. team.

Since returning home from the team’s European trip Aug. 14, Vargas is

planning last-minute details, while trying to enjoy some of the summer

with his newlywed.

Vargas and his wife, the former Dawn Bandaruk, had to move up the

wedding date and did the hustle on Dec. 18, instead of this summer,

because of this year’s Olympics. She’s a school teacher and both had the

time off before Christmas to get married.

“Originally, (the wedding) was going to be this summer, but there was

just no way before the Olympics,” Vargas said. “It was just too crazy.”

At Sydney, Team USA will face Croatia, Yugoslavia, Hungary, Greece and

Holland in group play. The top three teams in the group advance to the

quarterfinals.

The U.S. hasn’t won an Olympic medal in water polo since the 1988

Seoul Games, when it came home with the silver.

In Vargas’ first year as head coach, the U.S. captured first place at

the 1997 FINA World Championships in Athens, Greece. He also directed

Team USA to a second place at the Newport International Tournament in

‘97.

Vargas, an assistant coach on the U.S. national team from 1993 to ‘96,

will return to his duties as CdM water polo coach when he returns from

the Games.

Since taking over the CdM program, the Sea Kings have appeared in

eight CIF Southern Section championship games and won four titles.

As a player, one of Vargas’ highlights was winning the 1982 NCAA

championship at UCI, which went undefeated that year as Vargas was noted

for his quick outside shot and outstanding passing abilities.

Born in Fullerton on June 17, 1961, Vargas became a standout in high

school and later at UCI, where he was an All-American in 1981 and ‘82,

the Anteaters’ leading scorer both years.

A five-time CIF Coach of the Year for the Sea Kings, Vargas has

coached myriad CdM players who have gone to Division I colleges.

When he’s not poolside, Vargas enjoys playing golf and skiing.