Bob Ctvrtlik
Bob Ctvrtlik is a Graduate of Pepperdine where he was the Most Valuable Player of the NCAA in Men's Volleyball in the year 1985. He also played for California University at Long Beach in 1983-1984, where he earned all-league honors. In 1982-1983, he was a member of the Long Beach City College Vikings Men's Volleyball team where he and long term friend and doubles partner, the Viking's team most valuable player Allan Treffry, won the volleyball championship for the State of California, eventually ranked number one in the USA. Ctvrtlik earned all league honors and was awarded the most valuable player in the state championship tournament.
After a highly successful college volleyball career, Bob Ctvrtlik followed his Pepperdine coach, Marv Dunphy, to the United States Olympics team where Ctvrtlik quickly earned a starting position. In the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, Korea, Ctvrtlik, playing opposite of volleyball legend, Karch Kiraly, earned a gold medal by defeating the Soviet Union in the gold medal match. For several years, Ctvrtlik played professionally in Europe, including winning the well-respected Euro-professional league championship. He returned to the United States Olympic team in preparation for the 1992 Olympics where he was awarded the most valuable player in the world on two separate occasions. He competed in Barcelona in the 1992 games where he was known as one of the colorful "bald eagles" as all of the men's team players shaved their heads in protest of alleged officiating misconduct. Team captain Ctvrtlik and the USA Men's Volleyball team defeated Cuba to take home the bronze medal in 1992.
Again, Ctvrtlik returned to Europe to play in the professional league there, focusing on Italy, the best region throughout Europe. Again, he was extremely successful in Europe, coveted as one of the top foreigners any team could recruit. After a few years in Europe, Ctvrtlik's service to the USA Men's team was not yet over as they called him back for one last call of duty. When he re-joined the USA Men's team, it was ranked 15th in the world. Within 10 months of Ctvrtlik's return, they were ranked 4th. Ctvrtlik was again awarded the Best Player in the World honor in 1995. Although they did not medal in the Atlanta games, the USA Men's team did finish 7th in the men's category.
Throughout his Olympic years, Ctvrtlik also maintained a highly successful beach career, being one of the top stars on the professional 4-man circuit. He also earned the coveted "AAA" beach rating on numerous occasions while playing on the two-man circuit.
Ctvrtlik's volleyball career, although basically over in 1996, was yet to carry him to ever-greater heights. Bob Ctvrtlik became an active member of the United States Olympic Committee which promptly led to a distinguished post on the International Olympic Committee, where he serves to this day. He continues to rise in the Committee's ranks and the promise of a major role either in the International Olympic Committee or in some other political endeavor looms as a promising possibility in Ctvrtlik's future. While maintaining this extraordinary schedule, Ctvrtlik actively pursues a real estate rehabilitation project, as well as import-exports, importing the coveted Iranian caviar into the west via his company, the Ciram Corporation.
Ctvrtlik is the third son of Joseph Ctvrtlik (deceased) and Margaret Ctvrtlik. His brothers Jeffrey and David reside in the Long Beach area. Ctvrtlik and his lovely wife Cosette, along with his three children Joseph, Eric and Matthew, still reside on Balboa Island, Newport Beach, in sunny Southern California. Ctvrtlik is an avid skier, basketball player and tennis player.