By Marissa Lavezzari, CSUF Olympic News
PARIS – Cal State-Fullerton’s Darren Spiritosanto is set to make a splash at the Paris Olympics, representing the U.S. as a referee in water polo.
Spiritosanto and long-time colleague Jenn McCall are only the fourth pair of American officials to represent USA Water Polo at the Olympics since 1968 and the first coed duo.
“I woke up one morning at the beginning of March to a text from Jenn saying that we had been selected to go to Paris, and after that, it was kind of a domino effect,” Spiritosanto said. “It was a surreal feeling.
“The congratulatory texts started coming in, and we started seeing things posted online. I’m excited to be going and blessed for the opportunity.”
Spiritosanto became the 10th individual to be sent as an American representative since 1968, while McCall is making history as the first woman sent by the U.S. to officiate in the Olympic Games.
“Not everyone gets to do this … a very, very small handful of people get to do this in their lifetime,” McCall said. “So enjoy every minute of it.
"There will be times we’ll need to slow down during our experience and just take it all in. The list is short of who I would want to be sharing it with, and I am just so thankful that it’s Darren.”
Spirtitosanto joined the Cal State-Fullerton athletic department in August 2023 as the Titans' aquatics facility manager after spending 6½ years at UC Davis. The Northern California native got his start in whistling water polo during the fall of 2008 before embarking on a 15-year-and-counting career as a USA Water Polo referee with McCall in 2009.
“I’m very excited to represent Cal State Fullerton," he said. "We have a beautiful facility here that I love, and I work with a very good group of people here every day, so it means a lot more.
"I’m really honored to represent the country, USA Water Polo and the university.”
Spiritosanto is a two-time Mountain Pacific Sports Federation’s Craig Rockhold Referee of the Year (2021, 2023) and was named the USA Water Polo Bret Bernard Award Winner for elite competition in 2019. He has officiated a wide range of medal events at the world championship level as a USA Water Polo FINA referee since 2018, including the 2023 bronze medal men’s game at the Pan American Games and the 2018 gold medal game at the Darko Cukic Cup.
Water Polo debuted as an Olympic sport 124 years ago at the 1900 Paris Olympics. It wasn’t until 2000 that women’s water polo made its debut at the Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia, where the U.S. captured a silver medal.
“There is a lot of excitement and a big high knowing you have finally accomplished a lifelong dream,” Spiritosanto said. “You start thinking about it as it gets closer, but it still doesn’t feel real. Then you get your credential in the mail and it feels very real.”
Spiritosanto and McCall are looking forward to the intense competition on water polo’s biggest stage.
“You look at both the groups of teams on both the women’s and men’s side and realize how competitively stacked they are,” Spiritosanto said. “The competition of every game – whether it's the group stage, knockout round, or medal stage – is going to be intensely played.
"I’m really excited to watch these games and participate as a referee.”
Competitiveness ran through Spiritosanto’s veins his entire life as the youngest of three boys who grew up in an aquatic family. All three brothers strived to outdo the other, be the best and come out on top with whatever they were doing.
Spiritosanto’s brother Ross said that competitive upbringing gave Spiritosanto the fire to succeed and achieve this dream.
“I’m incredibly proud of my brother, Darren,” he said. “Growing up, there was always a competitive fire between him, myself, and our oldest brother, Bryan.
"My hat’s off to him. This solidifies him as one of, if not the best, water polo referees currently in the USA. “He definitely wins this one!”
In Paris, Spiritosantos said his focus will be on remaining consistent and making the most of the opportunity. Instead of focusing on the uncontrollable, he reminds himself of his love for the sport’s history and hopes to continue serving as an ambassador of the sport and USA Water Polo here and beyond.
He knows he will make calls that will be questioned. It’s part of the business.
“No referee is perfect, no coach is perfect and no player is perfect,” he said. “It’s just part of being in sport. It’s the job we decided to sign up for, and so you learn from those mistakes, make the most of the opportunities and just be as consistent as possible.
“I want to officiate as many games as possible, taking it one day at a time. No nerves, just excitement at this point.”
Marissa Lavezzari is assistant director of athletic communications at Cal State Fullerton, covering softball, men’s golf, and women’s volleyball. She is taking part in a CSUF study abroad program covering the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.