Coach Vassallo

Jesse Vassallo (Assistant Coach) is entering his 2nd year with the Aqua Chiefs. A two-time U.S. Olympian (1980, 1984) and an All-American at the University of Miami, Coach Vassallo returned to South Florida last year. For the 17 years prior, he coached in his native Ponce, Puerto Rico, including five years as president of Puerto Rico's national swimming federation.

Coach Vassallo's family had moved to Miami for a time, and then to California for his high school years so he could train under coach Mark Schubert. His fame came at a young age. At 17, he won world championships in both the 200 and 400 meter individual medleys in Berlin (1978). Jesse set a world record in the 400 again only weeks after breaking it at a meet outside of Houston. Swimming World magazine named him World Swimmer of the Year. At the 1979 Pan American Games in San Juan, Vassallo broke the 200 IM world record. At Miami under coach Bill Diaz, Vassallo added an NCAA title in the 400 IM to go with his 16 USA Swimming national titles from 1976 to 1984.

He earned his BA from UM in advertising and marketing in 1985. Coach Vassallo has been inducted into the UM Sports Hall of Fame (1996), and in 1997 was the first Puerto Rican inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame. He is in demand as a speaker at coaching clinics, and is ASCA Level 3 Internationally Certified. He is now the Head Age Group Coach with Fort Lauderdale Aquatics.