Tom Fitzgerald has joined an elite group of UCLA coaches. It
doesn’t include John Wooden, Al Scates, Terry Donahue or
Larry Brown.
Fitzgerald, head coach of the 2002 NCAA Champion UCLA
men’s soccer team, is one of only two UCLA head coaches to
win a championship in his first season at the helm. Adam Krikorian
(coach of both men’s and women’s water polo teams, won
the men’s title in 1999) is the other.
“This job has been more than I’ve asked for,”
Fitzgerald said. “To be associated with a fine school like
UCLA put me in a great situation.”
At the time, it was somewhat of a controversial hire. Steve
Sampson, former coach of the U.S. National Soccer Team and a
southern California native, was thought to be the front-runner and
wanted the job.
“I don’t want to mince words here: I’m very
disappointed with their decision,” Sampson told the Los
Angeles Times afterwards.
But Fitzgerald was the one who inherited the talented UCLA
squad. Most of the starters from a 2001 Sweet-16 team were
returning.
Still, the Bruins, rich in soccer tradition with four national
championships since 1985 and several UCLA alumni appearing in the
World Cup, hadn’t reached a Final Four since 1999, or won a
championship since 1997.
“I always felt we had a team good enough to win it
all,” Fitzgerald said.
Fitzgerald came into UCLA having been the head coach of Major
League Soccer’s Columbus Crew from 1996-2001 and took the
Crew to three consecutive Eastern Conference Finals.
“I’ve coached this team the way I’ve always
been coaching.” Fitzgerald said. “I treat my players
well and I’m honest with them.”
According to his players, it’s the mental aspect of the
game that Fitzgerald knows best.
“He was super-inspiring psychologically,” senior
forward Tim Pierce said. “He prepared us to play, he has us
thinking we were a great team, and he has us playing with
confidence.”
Fitzgerald’s MLS experience may end up helping some of his
players get to the next level. At least four UCLA seniors plan on
entering the MLS draft. Midfielder Jimmy Frazelle, defender Tim
Futagaki, Pierce, and defender Scot Thompson all hope to be drafted
Jan. 17.
“I’d be very surprised if half of these players
don’t get drafted,” Fitzgerald said.
His players look up to him more because of his MLS
experience.
“We respect him more (because) all of us are trying to get
that level,” sophomore defender Aaron Lopez said.
Still, Fitzgerald says that it takes more than a good coach to
make a champion.
“We have two kinds of players: those who love to win, and
those who hate to lose,” Fitzgerald said. “Combine that
with our talent, and it’s the formula for a
champion.”