BRIDGEPORT, Pa. — USA Water Polo Chief High Performance Officer/former Bucknell University head coach John Abdou recently appeared on Episode 19 of the All Access Water Polo podcast.
Abdou discusses his role at USA Water Polo, the creation of the Division III Championship, the United States’ success in international competition and more topics.
A veteran collegiate and national team coach, Abdou was named High Performance Director of USA Water Polo on November 18, 2013. In February of 2017 he was promoted to Chief High Performance Officer. In this position Abdou oversees the Olympic Development Program in addition to coach education, events and growth. Working in unison with Senior National Team Head Coaches Adam Krikorian and Dejan Udovicic, Abdou oversees them in implementing their technical vision throughout ODP and the USA Water Polo club system. Recently, John is co-chairing the USAWP Task Force on Racial Equity and Reform along with Brenda Villa.
Formerly the Associate Head Coach for men’s water polo at the University of California-Santa Barbara and Director/Boy’s Head Coach of the Santa Barbara Water Polo Club, Abdou began his post with USA Water Polo full-time following the conclusion of the 2013 men’s collegiate season. Prior to his time in Isla Vista, Abdou spent five years at Bucknell University, the last two serving as head cach of both the men’s and women’s programs. Within USA Water Polo, Abdou has remained active in the National Team pipeline in his position as ODP East Region Technical Director since 2008. Since 2010 he has also been a part of the coaching staff of the Men’s Senior National “B” Team.
A former social science teacher at Burbank High School, Abdou competed for the UC-Irvine men’s water polo team earning his undergraduate degree in sociology in 2001. He added a masters degree in higher education from Bucknell in 2009.
