‘It’s an art:’ Pintaric talks season goals

The last two seasons have ended the exact same way for USC men’s water polo — a 13-12 loss to UC Berkeley in the NCAA finals. But the Trojans have evolved quite a bit between this season and the last. For the first time in program history, there will be separate coaches for the men’s and women’s water polo teams. Head Coach Marko Pintaric will take over the men’s team, with Casey Moon taking over the women’s.

Eleven players left the team after last season, and that turnover will be felt especially by new faces getting more opportunity to get their feet wet. With the season less than a month away, we had a chance to ask Pintaric a few questions about the upcoming season.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Daily Trojan: How does this season feel different from past seasons you’ve coached? Anything that you’re continuing to do the same? Anything you’re changing?

Marko Pintaric: We consider ourselves really a high-performance team. With that being said, we keep the same standard for the way we train, the volume we train, [and] the quality of work. Every team, every season, it’s different. Considering that we lost 11 players from last year’s roster, we kind of have a new-old team. A lot of players that really [had to] pay dues are stepping into [a new] role to play for us. The attitude of the players on the team is really great. It’s a pleasure to coach, and I’m really looking forward to this season.

DT: Can you talk a little bit about the process of phasing out of the women’s team and then having [Head] Coach Casey Moon take the reins?

MP: Phasing out of the women’s team, it was kind of heartbreaking for me just because I really care about all of my athletes. We had great success in winning one national championship and playing two finals, and the bonds that I created with our female players I will never forget. But I’m just stepping into a different role where Coach [Moon] now oversees that side of the program, and he’s growing into that position with more responsibility. Technically, I’m not allowed to coach these young ladies, but I’ll be here for them because our job is not only to raise water players, but to [be] a place to raise people.

DT: Looking ahead to the season schedule, the home opener is against Cal, a team you’re very familiar with, with very close losses. What’s the game plan for you to prevent that from happening again?

MP: Look, Cal is a team that didn’t lose that many players; they’re a veteran team. So it’s going to be a very hard matchup. This year’s schedule [in general] is harder and more demanding, but we like that; we’re all competitors. To open a season hosting Cal in our own pool, in front of our own crowd, is just going to be great. I can’t wait for that. That’s why you sign up to play for USC or to coach for USC. So we are getting ready for it, you know, based on the last season. Like I said, we’re kind of a newer team, but we know the makeup of their team. We’re getting ready for them, and we’re looking forward to playing them.

DT: How would you say you’re preparing to be able to outlast the whole season and then make it all the way to the NCAA tournament?

MP: We will play harder games, but I think we will rotate more players in that picture to keep people fresh, and we’ll really fine-tune [everything] to play these high-level games. To make it to the NCAA finals and to make it to the tournament is an art. And the fact that this team has been playing in the NCAA tournament [in each of] the last 19 years, it really speaks the volume. We’re still working with the same intensity, same expectations. When you have a dedicated team like that, you really approach the schedule with a lot of periodization. You’re trying to play the players that are fresh in important matches and organize the team in such a way to put pressure on your opponent. We’ll try to do the exact same thing that we’ve been doing all these years and do our best to make the tournaments and make USC proud. But it’s going to be a very hard task, as it’s always been, but we’re looking forward to it.