Wake Forest Magazine September 2003 - Past Issues - Wake Forest ...

Profile/JAY VIDOVICHGLORY DAYSIn nine years as head coach of the men’s soccer team, Jay Vidovichhas never had a losing season. He is the winningest coach in schoolhistory. Will this be the season his team wins it all?Inside every coach or athlete is achild who idolized some sports hero.In some countries, one sport in particularenflames the public’s passions,and its stars are worshipped. InCanada, it’s hockey, and legions ofboys from Newfoundland to the Yukonfantasize about being the next WayneGretzky. In Romania, where gymnasticsis the rage, girls in every villagehope to emulate Olympic championNadia Comanici.In Brazil, as in much of the world,soccer is supreme, and in the sixtiesand seventies, millions of Brazilianyouths adored the legendary Péle.One of those youths was not aBrazilian at all, but an American kidwhose father’s job had relocated himto South America’s largest country. Itwas his immersion in the fanaticismsurrounding soccer and Péle in Brazilthat motivated Jay Vidovich to pursuethe sport back home at a time beforesoccer had taken hold in America. Andit was that pursuit that ultimately landedVidovich at Wake Forest and thehelm of what is today one of the nation’stop men’s college soccer programs.BY DAVID FYTENIn his nine years as head coach ofthe Deacon men,Vidovich, fortythree,has never had a losing season,compiling an overall record of 105-58-17,a winning percentage of .631.Thewinningest coach in school history, heguided the 2002 squad to an undefeatedregular season, its second straightNCAA tournament berth and third infour years, and the program’s firstACC regular-season title and numberone ranking in the national polls. Hewas named ACC Coach of the Yearand his team included two All-Americans, four All-ACC selections,and the ACC Rookie of the Year.Since coming to the University asan assistant in 1986, the low-key andaffable Vidovich has coached eightAll-Americans, twenty-one All-Southselections, and thirty All-ACC choices.Now, with a solid recruiting networkestablished and a squad loadedwith experienced talent,Vidovich ispoised for another powerhouse seasonin 2003 and consistent success in theyears to follow.Born in Detroit,Vidovich movedwith his family to California and thenback to Detroit before spending fouryears, from ages ten through fourteen,in Brazil. In 1970,his first yearthere, the Péle-led Brazilian nationalteam—still regarded as the greatestsoccer team of all time—won theWorld Cup, and the American ladwho had grown up with football andbasketball was swept away by the frenzy.“I had never played soccer, but thepassion down there was incredible,” hesays. “It was a tremendous influence.”After a brief time back in Detroit,the Vidovich family was on the moveagain, first to Rochester, New York,and then to Connecticut. “I was fortunateto go to places where soccer wasplayed at the youth level,”Vidovichrecalls. “Not every school or communityhad soccer programs then. I wasalso fortunate that the level of competitionwhere we lived was prettygood, especially in Connecticut.”A gifted natural athlete,Vidovichsoon developed into a skilled player,and after high school he enrolled atIndiana University, a perennial Big Tenand national men’s soccer power. But,“not doing all that well academically,”and aware that he “wasn’t going toplay that soon,” he transferred after ayear to Division III Ohio WesleyanUniversity, where he became a threeyearstarter. In 1982, his senior season,he was captain, leading OWU tothe NCAA Division III semifinals.36 Wake Forest Magazine