Q&A with John Abdou
May 26, 2023 | Features
In October, John Abdou was named the new Associate Athletic Director for Health, Wellness, and Sports Performance at UC Irvine. For Abdou, the hiring was a homecoming. Abdou graduated from UCI in 2001 and was a student-athlete, as a member of the men's water polo team. Since his graduation, Abdou has had a passion for working in the sports world. In 2010, he also received a master's degree in higher education from Bucknell University. Before transitioning to UCI, Abdou served as the Chief High-Performance Officer at USA Water Polo.
Water Polo is a big reason why you're in the position you are today. How did you get started playing the sport?
I started playing the sport in high school. I found it through swimming. It was a natural offset of swimming. In high school, I swam, played water polo, and basketball. Those were my three sports.
What influenced your decision to continue your academic and athletic career at UC Irvine?
Coach Ted Newland. Coach Newland was a legendary coach here, may he rest in peace. I was getting recruited by several DIII and DII level schools but I was wooed by the winningest coach in NCAA history to go to UCI. He convinced me to come here. Although it may not have been the best decision for me athletically in terms of playing time, this campus is where I became a man. The team and the relationships I built here were a big reason for that.
What area did you study as a student here?
I was a Sociology major with a minor in education and a minor in psychology.
Do you have any good stories or memories from your time as a student-athlete at UCI?
When I was here as a student-athlete, we were a part of the student led referendum to bring back baseball. We helped push that and bring it to the forefront. That brought back some scholarship money and a few other things that were good for the athletics department progress.
What was your next step after graduation?
Shortly after I graduated, I became a full-time high school teacher and coach. I started immediately at Burbank High School. I graduated in June of 2001 and started teaching in September of that same year.
What are some of the ways being a student-athlete helped prepare you for your professional career?
Everything. The experience was extremely valuable to me. It taught me self-discipline, teamwork, and prioritizing my time. It really helped me understand what my body can and can not do. It taught me how to learn from failure. These lessons I learned have never left me.
Can you talk a little about how you got started working with USA Water Polo, your position there, and any accomplishments or highlights?
At first, I spent a lot of time coaching in the summer with national teams, through the Olympic Development Program. In late 2013, I made the transition into administration. In the years I spent there full-time, some highlights were winning Gold medals in the 2016 and 2020 Olympics and winning multiple Pan-American championships across the board.
How rewarding is it to see a team you had an influence on win a gold medal?
The medals at the Olympics and world championships are one thing, but that joy or satisfaction doesn't last long. Sometimes the most gratifying teams weren't the medal-winning teams. It's the teams you know you had to put a lot of effort into to get to a certain point. Like a team that should have finished last but ended up fourth. It makes you say, man, we pulled off something amazing. Like any endeavor, achievements and accolades can only take you so far. It's HOW you do things, it's HOW you get there that matters the most.
What made you want to come back to UC Irvine in your current position?
It's something I couldn't turn down. I felt like the job was made for me. What I do now is what I was doing for the USA Water Polo teams. For me to continue on the path of learning and development that I had there for a larger group of people here at a place that means so much to me is very special. It's a fulfilling lifestyle to be back here and be integrated into the campus as a whole.
What are two goals you have for the near future here at UCI?
I'd say my number one goal is to help create an environment where our student-athletes are not only cared for at the highest of levels but also develop the self-efficacy needed to thrive in tough environments. Number two is to make sure our coaches and staff are prepared to steward that environment for our athletes.
How important is having good mental health for athletes?
I think it's vital. What we have learned over the last several years is that mental health has a stigma around it while physical health does not. Your mental health is just as, if not more important than your physical health. As important as getting workouts in are, taking care of your mind and yourself is key to athletic performance.
How do you take care of your mental health?
What's important for me is to do things with intentionality. Feeling good about myself doesn't happen by accident. I need to eat right, exercise and spend time being mindful. I need to connect deeply with the people I love and care about. I also need to connect with people from all backgrounds daily and make sure I get outside and get movement in my life whenever I can.
What would be one piece of advice you would give to current student-athletes regarding mental health?
Mental health is not a bad word, as a society we're just now moving towards understanding its importance. Taking care of your mental skills and sharpening them while studying at one of the most prestigious public universities in the country is not something you should take lightly. It will have significant payoffs in your current athletic performance and long-term life goals.
Water Polo is a big reason why you're in the position you are today. How did you get started playing the sport?
I started playing the sport in high school. I found it through swimming. It was a natural offset of swimming. In high school, I swam, played water polo, and basketball. Those were my three sports.
What influenced your decision to continue your academic and athletic career at UC Irvine?
Coach Ted Newland. Coach Newland was a legendary coach here, may he rest in peace. I was getting recruited by several DIII and DII level schools but I was wooed by the winningest coach in NCAA history to go to UCI. He convinced me to come here. Although it may not have been the best decision for me athletically in terms of playing time, this campus is where I became a man. The team and the relationships I built here were a big reason for that.
What area did you study as a student here?
I was a Sociology major with a minor in education and a minor in psychology.
Do you have any good stories or memories from your time as a student-athlete at UCI?
When I was here as a student-athlete, we were a part of the student led referendum to bring back baseball. We helped push that and bring it to the forefront. That brought back some scholarship money and a few other things that were good for the athletics department progress.
What was your next step after graduation?
Shortly after I graduated, I became a full-time high school teacher and coach. I started immediately at Burbank High School. I graduated in June of 2001 and started teaching in September of that same year.
What are some of the ways being a student-athlete helped prepare you for your professional career?
Everything. The experience was extremely valuable to me. It taught me self-discipline, teamwork, and prioritizing my time. It really helped me understand what my body can and can not do. It taught me how to learn from failure. These lessons I learned have never left me.
Can you talk a little about how you got started working with USA Water Polo, your position there, and any accomplishments or highlights?
At first, I spent a lot of time coaching in the summer with national teams, through the Olympic Development Program. In late 2013, I made the transition into administration. In the years I spent there full-time, some highlights were winning Gold medals in the 2016 and 2020 Olympics and winning multiple Pan-American championships across the board.
How rewarding is it to see a team you had an influence on win a gold medal?
The medals at the Olympics and world championships are one thing, but that joy or satisfaction doesn't last long. Sometimes the most gratifying teams weren't the medal-winning teams. It's the teams you know you had to put a lot of effort into to get to a certain point. Like a team that should have finished last but ended up fourth. It makes you say, man, we pulled off something amazing. Like any endeavor, achievements and accolades can only take you so far. It's HOW you do things, it's HOW you get there that matters the most.
What made you want to come back to UC Irvine in your current position?
It's something I couldn't turn down. I felt like the job was made for me. What I do now is what I was doing for the USA Water Polo teams. For me to continue on the path of learning and development that I had there for a larger group of people here at a place that means so much to me is very special. It's a fulfilling lifestyle to be back here and be integrated into the campus as a whole.
What are two goals you have for the near future here at UCI?
I'd say my number one goal is to help create an environment where our student-athletes are not only cared for at the highest of levels but also develop the self-efficacy needed to thrive in tough environments. Number two is to make sure our coaches and staff are prepared to steward that environment for our athletes.
How important is having good mental health for athletes?
I think it's vital. What we have learned over the last several years is that mental health has a stigma around it while physical health does not. Your mental health is just as, if not more important than your physical health. As important as getting workouts in are, taking care of your mind and yourself is key to athletic performance.
How do you take care of your mental health?
What's important for me is to do things with intentionality. Feeling good about myself doesn't happen by accident. I need to eat right, exercise and spend time being mindful. I need to connect deeply with the people I love and care about. I also need to connect with people from all backgrounds daily and make sure I get outside and get movement in my life whenever I can.
What would be one piece of advice you would give to current student-athletes regarding mental health?
Mental health is not a bad word, as a society we're just now moving towards understanding its importance. Taking care of your mental skills and sharpening them while studying at one of the most prestigious public universities in the country is not something you should take lightly. It will have significant payoffs in your current athletic performance and long-term life goals.
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