Bailey has CdM on steady course

BRYCE ALDERTON

The waters seem to have finally settled at Corona del Mar High, where

first-year coach Sam Bailey has the boys water polo team in the midst

of its longest winning streak this season. The Sea Kings are, once

again, at the front of not only the Pacific Coast League, but near

the top tier of CIF Southern Section Division I.

It was just a year ago that CdM stuttered to an 8-19 mark, still

claiming the Pacific Coast League crown before falling in the CIF

Southern Section Division I quarterfinals.

But something wasn’t quite right.

CdM was used to consistency, as in consistently winning and

contending for CIF championships.

The Sea Kings won 12 CIF titles, including three in a row from

1999-2001, under John Vargas, now the Stanford men’s water polo

coach. Vargas took the Stanford job after leading CdM to the 2001

crown.

Tim Salvino guided the Sea Kings to the Division I final a year

later in 2002, but resigned after just one season.

In came Mike Evans to lead the Sea Kings in 2003, but that didn’t

last more than a season.

The 27-year-old Bailey became the program’s third coach in three

seasons -- four if you count Vargas’ final season in 2001 -- when he

was officially hired Aug. 18, just five days before team practices

began.

Bailey, who had coached CdM during its summer program, wasted

little time stressing the importance of hard work and discipline,

with fun mixed somewhere in between.

The Sea Kings and Bailey spent a weekend on Catalina Island in

late August. But it didn’t exactly include sitting on the beach or

snorkeling among the colorful fish.

Instead, the primary focus was running and hiking.

The Sea Kings then hit the pool, sprinting.

Bailey’s morning workouts begin before 6 and players return in the

afternoon for two more hours in the pool.

“We swim for two hours straight, sprints mainly,” CdM two-meter

man Thomas Pearson said. “Sam knows how to get us in shape.”

Pearson, a returning first-team all-league honoree, led the Sea

Kings with 52 goals in his first full varsity season last fall.

This fall, Pearson has brought similar prolific play, but has

noticed a change.

“We have more discipline,” Pearson said. “Sam brings discipline to

the pool and he respects us.”

The players apparently have taken a liking to their head coach,

often a primary indicator of a team’s success, or lack of it.

Winning also helps.

The Sea Kings (11-7, 2-0 in league) have won four straight --

their longest such streak of the season -- heading into this week’s

schedule.

“Winning is contagious,” Bailey said. “But in talking to other

coaches, losing is contagious. Fortunately, [losing several straight

games] hasn’t been the case. The kids bring excitement and a sound

work ethic. The kids are having fun. It’s a good season so far.”

*

Coach Jeff Andrews has Sage Hill’s boys water polo team on the

right track and fighting for an at-large berth into the CIF Division

VI playoffs.

The Lightning (10-8) as of Wednesday, are attempting to earn their

first postseason appearance in the program’s fifth season. But they

have already shown substantial progress from a year ago.

Witness Sage’s 5-4 victory over Mater Dei to clinch third place in

the Estancia tournament earlier this month.

Andrews called the win the team’s biggest this season.

“We wouldn’t have even been close playing a larger school last

year,” said Andrews, who played at UC Irvine and is in his second

year with the Lightning. “And even if it was close, we wouldn’t have

won the game.”

Sage has also defeated Estancia, which is battling at the top of

the Golden West League, twice this season, Andrews said.

After Thursday’s battle with Los Amigos, the Lightning, led in

goals by John Neff, close the season against Whitney and Pacifica,

two games Andrews feels confident about.

Then, since Sage does not play in a league and, therefore, can’t

earn a guaranteed playoff spot, it’s up to the CIF playoff committee

to determine the Lightning’s postseason fate.

Andrews also faces a continual hurdle in Sage’s entry into a

league.

He has already tried twice, but will petition the Garden Grove

League once again for Sage to become its seventh member.

Andrews said the Lightning already play nonleague games against

league members (Pacifica and Los Amigos), making it logical that the

schools could play against one another with more meaning attached to

the contests.

That decision will come later.

For now, the Lightning has meaningful games left to play.