Men’s water polo coach inspires with intense, friendly approach

If it wasn’t for his high school counselor, Jason Falitz may have never raced a lap or gripped a water polo ball.

He also may never have become John Burroughs High School’s all-time career scoring leader, the Los Angeles Times 1999 Player of the Year or the 2006 Western State Conference Player of the Year at Los Angeles Valley College.

He wouldn’t be standing in a UCLA water polo T-shirt, blowing whistles during scrimmages as the Bruins’ new assistant coach.

“I fell in love with it,” Falitz said. “I gave everything else up and dedicated my life to playing water polo.”

Falitz’s freshman year decision to stick with a sport that he was just beginning to understand quickly created a ripple effect of unwavering commitment that has branched to not only his teammates, but the players he later coached.

Coaching dynamic

Falitz retraces his coaching experience back to 2007 at the Rose Bowl Water Polo Club, where he coached the Boys’ 16U and 18U teams. During his time in Pasadena, his players included then-15-year-old Warren Snyder, a current redshirt freshman defender on the Bruin roster.

“I always had a lot of respect for him,” Snyder said. “He really knew what he was doing and I bought into everything he was teaching me. I think it made me a lot better of a player, and it got me to where I am today.”

In his first year as head coach of the 16U team, Falitz helped cultivate a top-five finish at the National Junior Olympics, and in 2013, a top-four finish. Also that year, Falitz’s team nabbed second place in the Ironman League Superfinals.

Falitz served as head coach for Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks from 2012 to 2014, while also assisting at his alma mater – Los Angeles Valley College – for a span of seven years.

It was at both these places that fourth-year philosophy and psychology student Stephen Pililian crossed paths with Falitz.

Not only did Pililian play against Falitz’s Rose Bowl teams during his high school stint with the Los Angeles Water Polo Club, but he eventually played for Falitz as an athlete at Los Angeles Valley College.

“After the first week of practice, I knew that he was not a ordinary coach,” Pililian said. “Out of all the coaches I’ve had in the past, I wish I’d had him when I was in high school. The Notre Dame kids, the Rose Bowl kids, even I was fortunate enough to have him for two years … but two years is not enough.”

Pililian eventually started coaching at his former stomping grounds for the Bishop Alemany High School junior varsity team, and ended up coaching against his former coach. After having success against Notre Dame’s junior varsity team, Pililian received a text from Falitz.

“Good job coaching.”

Throughout his years at LA Valley, Pililian said he never remembered Falitz saying good job to him.

“That (text) really meant a lot to me because he’s not the type of guy to really hand out positive reinforcements,” Pililian said. “He wants you to work for it. I really implemented that into my coaching philosophy … If I wish anything, I wish that I was able to coach under him, because I would just be a sponge and absorb.”

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Though serious and often intimidating to approach on deck, Falitz lights up the moment he steps away from the pool.

“I love to joke around, I like to keep it light-hearted. I love to laugh,” Falitz said. “As soon as I step onto the pool deck, it’s laser focus for me, and thats because I want the most from my players – If I expect that from them, then I expect it from myself.”

Pililian distinctly remembers the stark contrast in Falitz’s personalities at LA Valley. While his poker-faced alter-ego fired out drills and swim sets, a friendly face awaited behind the mask until practice was over.

As UCLA’s fledgling assistant coach, Falitz brought this dual-personality. The Bruins take each practice seriously, utilizing Falitz’s vast knowledge of the game and mimicking the way he humorlessly attacks the day’s agenda.

“When he’s on the pool deck, it’s all business and thats what you really need in a coach,” Snyder said. “I wouldn’t want him to be relaxed and let things go. It’s good that he takes it really seriously.”

Just like their coach, players who have trained under Falitz don’t allow care-free attitudes to jeopardize a productive practice. After practice is over, the shot clocks stored and goals taken out, humorous personalities reemerge all along the pool deck.

“He’s much more approachable. He gives you the best advice and talks to you like a friend, without crossing the fine line of a coach and athlete relationship,” Pililian said. “He’s the type that always made me laugh, always made me feel welcomed. I enjoyed going to practice and knowing that I was going to work my tail off.”

Bruin born, Bruin bred

Taking the assistant coaching job at UCLA was a no-brainer decision for Falitz.

When he came to campus in May to start operating under head coach Adam Wright, it wasn’t the first time he’d been immersed in UCLA’s repertoire.

“I remember growing up watching basketball and football games and coming to UCLA to watch games,” Falitz said. “So when the opportunity presented itself, it was an easy decision for me – not only because of (Wright) and what I think of him as a coach, but the opportunity to learn and grow and be with a program of this stature is special.”

Wright sees Falitz as similar to himself – intense and meticulous. Like Wright, Falitz has been coaching since the day he hung up his suit. He immediately connected to the system Wright has grown at UCLA.

Though alike, Wright and Falitz have been working to balance each other on the sidelines and at practice. So far, their attempts are working – the Bruins 13-0 record is a testament to that.

“I can overanalyze stuff sometimes and he’s there to help me simplify it,” Wright said. “He’s able to share his opinions with me which is helpful, because in this game there are a million different things that can happen. … The biggest thing is his ability to interact with the athletes.”

Largely working with the goalies, Falitz has sharpened the Bruins’ new cage players to fit into demanding roles. To Wright’s advantage, Falitz also came to UCLA with extensive knowledge of two-meter offense after his success at center in college.

“I think he’s doing a good job so far and he’s only been here for a little while,” Snyder said. “I’m sure once he gets more into our system and fully understands it, he’ll do great things for us.”

The ripple effect

“Twenty two-hundreds,” Pililian said, laughing at the thought of the set still haunting him.

An annual lengthy swim set of 20 two-hundred yard swims was the stamp of Falitz’s coaching dynamic at LA Valley. Each two-hundred was a full-effort sprint that zapped the energy from its participants. Pililian and his teammates would have to shout out their times to Falitz, who would walk around the pool deck jotting down numbers.

“When you have a coach that’s really looking over you from the pool deck, it makes you work even harder,” Pililian said. “He was up the entire time and motivating us, and a lot of coaches don’t do that. When it comes to the swim sets out at Alemany, I try to implement his intensity and constantly motivate.”

Influenced by his former coach, Pililian stays out of his chair, off his phone and engages with the high school athletes he now coaches – even during extended swim sets that mimic those taught to him by Falitz. Unique plays he learned under Falitz at LA Valley have also been incorporated into his coaching at Alemany.

“I talked to him about a year ago, and he said that when you really work with the kids and train them hard and train them correctly, they are more appreciative about it in the end,” Pililian said. “Looking back at it, he was absolutely right.”

Snyder, too, has seen the consistency of Falitz’s efforts over his years in Pasadena. No player was able to practice with a less-than-outstanding effort. Now a Bruin, Snyder doesn’t ignore the drive instilled in him during those years.

An “overall mentality of having a good work ethic,” Snyder called it.

Falitz knows that his “no ifs, ands or buts” demeanor on the pool deck is crucial to molding top athletes, but his aspirations are deeper than creating a strong counter-attack, utilizing a goalie’s wingspan or keeping intensity during 6-on-5.

“The biggest thing for me is the commitment aspect,” Falitz said. “Really becoming more than just a good athlete, but a good person and learning what it is to work hard – to work for something bigger than yourself, to always put the team ahead of you.”

Knowledgeable and intimidating are both words players used to describe Falitz during his past coaching endeavors. Combined in a single individual, those qualities have already transformed future generations of water polo players.

“(Falitz) helped me become the man that I am,” Pililian said. “He knows how to set his players up to win … not just when it comes to Xs and Os, but also when they become young men. I learned to never settle for any excuses. I can’t give an excuse for anything because excuses never flew by him.”