World League Final is giant step for Mann

John Mann’s immediate goal is to play for the United States men’s water polo team in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China.

Then, he’d like to play for the U.S. in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, England. Then, he’ll have his sights set on the 2016 Summer Olympics, wherever that might be.

You get the point. The former Corona del Mar High star, who was recently invited to play for the U.S. in Athens Greece, in the FINA World League Super Final, today through Sunday, hopes to be a fixture at the Olympics for the next decade or more.

“My goal is to go to as many Olympics as I can go to,” Mann said. “As many times as I can go, I’ll go.”

Mann led the Corona del Mar boys’ team to a CIF Southern Section Division I title game in 2002, when he was named first-team All-CIF and All-American, and scored 109 goals.

He also played on the Sea Kings’ CIF Division II champions in 2001 and 2000. He was first-team All-CIF in 2001.

“Corona del Mar is great for water polo because you are exposed to so many great teams,” Mann said.

He went on to earn first-team All-American and All-Mountain Pacific Sports Federation honors in 2004 and 2005 for the Cal men’s water polo team. Mann, who plays center, led the Golden Bears in scoring as a junior in 2005. He scored 56 goals in 29 games, helping Cal earn the No. 3 national ranking.

“Things are going great at Berkeley,” Mann said. “I can’t say enough about the experience I’m having. I can’t wait to get back with my team for my senior year. When I get back from Athens, I’ll definitely shift back into college mode one last time.”

Mann, a 2003 Corona del Mar graduate, played for the U.S. against France and Australia in the FINA World League semifinals at the Los Alamitos Joint Forces Training Base, which serves as the team’s national training center, July 19-23. He helped the U.S. advance to the super final in Athens.

After tying Australia, 5-5, in regulation of the last round-robin qualifying game for the finals in Athens, the U.S. beat the Aussies, 4-2, in a penalty shootout.

Goalkeeper Merrill Moses of Rancho Palos Verdes made two blocks to secure the victory for the U.S., which won all five semifinal-round games in Los Alamitos.

Australia and France also advanced to the final in Athens, where they will be joined by Greece, Spain and Serbia and Montenegro.

Mann found out July 23 during a team meeting before the U.S.-Australia game that not only would he be playing against Australia, he would be going to Athens with the U.S. team.

“I didn’t have time to react,” Mann said. “Coach [Ricardo Azevedo] told us who was going about an hour and a half before our game. But after the game, I had time to get really excited.”

Mann knows the competition in Athens is going to be daunting. The U.S. men’s team finished seventh in the 2004 Athens Summer Olympics under then-coach Ratko Rudic.

“It’s a great stage on which to prove ourselves,” Mann said.

Mann believes he is thriving under Azevedo.

“I love Ricardo,” said Mann, who has been training with the national team since high school. “He’s a players’ coach. I always feel like he has the best interests of the players in mind. He has created a positive environment.”

Mann said he has also been able to learn from veteran national team players like former UC Irvine stars Ryan Bailey and Jeff Powers, who are both centers like Mann.

“It’s great for a player my age,” Mann said. “A player in my position can learn a lot from guys like that.”

Along with Bailey and Powers, the U.S. men’s water polo team also features former UCI stars Tim Hutten, Genai Kerr and Rick Merlo.

Former Foothill High star J.W. Krumpholz, who had epic battles with Newport Harbor’s Clay Jorth, a U.S. junior national team member, also is on the U.S. men’s roster.

Mann believes the mental aspect of water polo at the national level is where he can make the most strides, playing against the world’s top teams.

“I have a lot of natural ability, I just don’t have the experience,” said Mann, who is 6-foot-5 1/2 , 233 pounds. “All the experience I’m getting now will pay off in the future. Physically I feel I’m there. The mental part is extremely important. Everyone is physically a specimen. The line between a good player and a great player is that mental edge.”

Mann was the tournament MVP and a first-team All-American at the 20-and-under national championships in 2005, leading the Lamorinda water polo club to a gold medal in Davis, Calif.

He scored nine goals as Team USA captured the gold medal at the ASUA Tournament in Mexico City in April 2005.

Is the next step Olympic glory?

“It’s so early, things change so often,” Mann said. “All I can do is keep my head down and grind.”