Olympics: U.S. Olympic water polo term ends for Vargas

Richard Dunn

CORONA DEL MAR - John Vargas, U.S. Olympic men’s water polo coach

at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, reportedly has decided not to seek a

second nomination to serve as U.S. national team coach and will be

replaced by former Yugoslavian coach Ratko Rudic.

Vargas, the longtime Corona del Mar High boys and girls coach,

withdrew his name from consideration to coach the U.S. national squad for

the next four years. That coach is virtually a lock to coach the U.S.

Olympic team at the 2004 Athens Games.

Vargas, whose U.S. team finished sixth at the 2000 Games in Sydney,

played on the U.S. Olympic team at the 1992 Barcelona Games and served an

assistant coach at the ’96 Atlanta Olympics.

He did not return phone calls Sunday. Vargas, however, reportedly was

part of the seven-member selection committee that picked Rudic to be his

predecessor.

Rudic guided Yugoslavia to Olympic gold medals at the 1984 Los Angeles Games and ’88 Seoul Games. He coached Italy to the gold medal in ’92 and

to the bronze in ’96.

The U.S. hasn’t won an Olympic medal since ‘88, when Bill Barnett

(Newport Harbor) coached to the U.S. team.

Rudic will become the U.S. team’s first international coach.