Bolles promotes Jon Sakovich to Head Coach and Aquatics Director to replace departed Lopez

The Bolles School Sharks, one of the nation’s most well-known high school and club swimming programs, has officially named its new Head Coach and Aquatics Director, promoting assistant coach Jon Sakovich.

Sakovich has worked with the Jacksonville, Florida-based Bolles program since 2000, and was named Acting Head Coach of the program after longtime coach Sergio Lopez stepped down to accept a position at Singapore’s National Training Center.

“Jon was the most compelling candidate in an extensive international search,” said Bolles Interim Head of School Brad Johnson in an e-mail to parents and alumni announcing the decision. “His leadership skills, extraordinary record of success and vision, make him uniquely suited to continue, and advance, the Bolles’ swim program’s success.”

Sakovich has a lengthy coaching and swimming history in Florida. Prior to his nearly 15 years at Bolles, Sakovich coached with Florida Aquatics and was the head age group coach for Clearwater Aquatics.

Sakovich also swam for the Florida Gators in college, where he was a national champion. He competed for Guam at the 1988 Olympics, and then went on to represent the United States at the Pan American Games in 1995 and the Pan Pacific Championships in 1996.

Sakvich takes over what is arguably the nation’s premier high school program as well as one of its more notable clubs. Over the past few years, Bolles has produced numerous college, national and international stars, including Ryan Murphy, Caeleb Dressel and Joseph Schooling.

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Kristen Galloway
9 years ago

Well played Bolles! Congratulations Coach Jon!!

Christian bahr
9 years ago

Very happy for Jon and very happy for Bolles.

PsychoDad
9 years ago

I am interested in origin of his last name. Is it pronounced Sakovich or Shakovich, does anyone know? Is it Polish, Russian, or Serbian?

dude
Reply to  PsychoDad
9 years ago

Sakovich

Sergio Lopez Miro
9 years ago

I could not be happier for Jon, his family and the Bolles Community. I have watched Jon for almost eight years learning, evolving and developing to become an amazing coach and most important an amazing mentor and an even better friend. Personally I will forever be thankful for his unconditional help as a person and as a coworker. I know that he has prepared himself to take Bolles Swimming to another level and I can wait to see him empower everyone in the Bolles Family to be the best they can be. CONGRATS Jon!!!! #OnceABollesSharkAlwaysABollesShark #Believe #BollesSwimming

Reid Yamamoto
9 years ago

Congrats Jon from the 808 State!!!!

Mark Cianciolo
9 years ago

Stand up man, stand up organization, they got it right.

Bolles parents
9 years ago

This is the best hire Bolles could have made. Coach Jon has a great rapport with the kids and the vision to lead this program forward. He’s a classy, motivated, dedicated coach. We couldn’t be happier 🙂

CoachT
9 years ago

Congrats Jon!
Go Bolles!
-Coach T

About Jared Anderson

Jared Anderson

Jared Anderson swam for nearly twenty years. Then, Jared Anderson stopped swimming and started writing about swimming. He's not sick of swimming yet. Swimming might be sick of him, though. Jared was a YMCA and high school swimmer in northern Minnesota, and spent his college years swimming breaststroke and occasionally pretending …

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