Jack Kocur, a veteran collegiate coach and former national team athlete, has been named USA Water Polo Men’s Senior National Team Assistant Coach. An interim assistant coach in 2013 for the Senior National Team, Kocur joins Head Coach Dejan Udovicic’s staff on a full-time basis from the University of the Pacific where he served as Director of Operations. He helped the Pacific Men’s Water Polo Team team to a historic season and a second place finish at the 2013 NCAA Championships. Kocur also spent time with the Senior National Team in 2012 assisting as a video scout at the 2012 Olympic Games.
“I’m excited to have Jack join me in a full-time role with the Men’s Senior National Team,” said Udovicic. “This is a coach that has been instrumental in the success of every program in which he’s been involved and I expect nothing less with our National Team. Jack was an important piece of our team and staff in 2013 and I’m thrilled that he will continue with us for the foreseeable future.”
“I am thankful that Coach Udovicic and the USA Water Polo Federation trust in my ability to help this program achieve excellence and am thrilled for the opportunity to continue working under one of the best coaches in the world,” said Kocur. “I am also honored to have this chance to follow my predecessors in representing our country’s finest water polo athletes. I look forward to working with USA Water Polo to support the growth of our sport across the nation.”
Prior to his time at Pacific, Kocur was a volunteer assistant coach with the USC Men’s Water Polo Team, helping the squad to their fifth straight NCAA title in 2012. Formerly the Head Coach of the Pepperdine Men’s Water Polo Team, in 2008 Kocur was named MPSF Co-Coach of the Year as the Waves went 21-7, earning a No. 2 national ranking. Prior to becoming head coach, Kocur was an assistant coach at Pepperdine for four seasons.
As a player, Kocur was a first-team All-American and Co-Captain of Pepperdine’s 1997 national championship team. He also competed in more than 125 international games with the U.S. National Team.
USA Water Polo, Inc. is the national governing body for water polo in America, overseeing our United States Olympic program as well as 20 different championship events annually, such as Junior Olympics and Masters National Championships. With more than 40,000 members, USAWP is also the sanctioning authority for more than 500 Member Clubs and more than 400 tournaments nationwide. USAWP is committed to the development of the sport throughout the US. It fosters grass-roots expansion of the sport, providing a national system of affiliated clubs, certified coaches and officials.
This release was provided to SwimSwam courtesy of USA Water Polo.