BAC Blog!

BAC Girls Water Polo - Junior Olympic Tournament

A group of BAC girls recently travelled to Orange County for the last weekend of summer water polo competition - the Junior Olympic Water Polo National Championships, held in Irvine, CA. The top 48 teams of the country in each age bracket met there to play an average of ten games each and the results were four solid days of great water polo.

Because of the structure of the schedules, the 16U and 18U girls games often overlapped. I headed the 16U girls team while Coach Scott from Nordic, the club that we linked up with for the competition, was at the helm of the 18U group.

The 16U team opened the first day with bracket play against SoCal and LAWPC ‘B’ (Los Angeles Water Polo Club). We lost the opener to SoCal and then tied our game against LAWPC. The SoCal game was a good wake-up call to the level of the tournament, as the SoCal team ultimately placed 5th out of all 48 teams. The LAWPC game was a better match-up for us and we played great, getting off to a good start and battling back and forth with them throughout the entire match.

Following the first two games we were rebracketed for our second day with two teams from Northern California - Stanford ‘B’ and American River ‘B’. We won both of those games and finished the day off with a strong victory against local club Golden State. We were somewhat frustrated to play three teams from Northern California, since a big element of the tournament is the chance to play strong clubs from other areas, but we were pleased that we won those three games to continue advancing to the top of our bracket.

The third day we played our morning game against COLA (city of Los Angeles) and ended up losing after playing a strong three quarters. In the end we made a few too many bad passes and tried to force things too much, and we paid for it at the other end. Our 2nd game of the day was against the Stanford ‘A’ team, a game that the team was very excited for. The girls were all very eager to show that we can compete with any team from our zone and played their best water polo of the tournament. Going into the 4th quarter we were up one goal, but Stanford put away two solid outside shots and we weren’t quite able to hold on. In spite of the loss we had a lot of fun and were pleased that we could eliminate some of the Stanford mystique and realize that all teams are vulnerable and beatable. Our final game of the third day was against SBWPC ‘B’ (Santa Barbara). This game was very physical and hard fought all the way. In the end we prevailed with a one goal margin after battling it out for four strong quarters. The girls showed a lot of poise in this game by staying focused in spite of the physicality; it was fun to see the team remaining calm and not getting caught up in all the side antics that so often take away from the beauty of the sport.

For our final day we played our morning game against Marin, beating them by a margin of two goals. We then went on to play Elite for 5th place in the second bracket of 24. We won that game 6-5 and ultimately placed 29th in the entire country. Our final record for the 16U team was 6-3-1, with only one loss (by one goal) to a Northern California team.

Moving up places from 42nd to 29th was a huge step for the team and all the athletes involved. What was also so impressive was the mental toughness that the girls showed throughout such a long and competitive tournament. Playing ten games in a span of four days is inevitably an immense test of focus and perseverence. The girls supported each other throughout the tournament and we always seemed to have someone stepping up at the crucial moments. No doubt the trip was exhausting, but it was a good kind of exhaustion. I feel confident that everyone who participated left their final game knowing that they gave it everything that they had, and that is a major part of why we were so successful.

16 and Under Clovis Trip

This past weekend the 16 and under boys water polo team traveled to Clovis for a weekend tournament. After training against some of the 16 and 18 and under girls who voluntarily attended our practices to pose as the competition, we were prepared for most any situation we might find ourselves in - thanks ladies!

Our first game was Saturday morning, and we came out ready to play. Our solid defense and stellar counter attack put us in the lead right away. Through balanced score, and great teamwork we put the game away with a final score of: 10-4. Unfortunately, the team who we were supposed to play in our second game did not show - I guess they were scared. Although we had already won this game by forfeit, the host team played us so that we could get another game in and we beat them as well: 14-12

Our last game of the day was a thriller. After a back and forth battle from the two teams, which included two 5 meter blocks by our goalie Bailey Girard, the fourth quarter ended in a tie at 10 each. The game went straight to sudden death. Our first few possessions left us with two opportunities to score which we couldn’t put away. However, after a great defensive stop, we were able to get the ball up to Casey Sullivan on the counter attack, and he put away the shot to win the game 11-10.

That win put the team in the semi-finals of a 16 team tournament. The next day we had two games to decide the final standings. Although we lost both games that day, the team showed tremendous strength near the end of our last game as we battled back to score 3 goals in the final quarter.

I consider the trip a complete success! Based on our record, we finished fourth, something we should all be proud of. But more importantly the team showed a lot of growth. We started playing as a unit, and executing aspects of the game we had been working on all season. Team trips always provide opportunities for the athletes to get to know one another better, and this trip was no different. Congratulations to al our athletes who attended!

MANY thanks to Noreen and Katie for being our chaperones! This trip wouldn’t have been possible without you.

Weekend Tournament in San Ramon

The past weekend the 16U and 18U girls water polo teams played three games each in San Ramon. The 18U team won all three games and the 16U team won two out of three. Congratulations to all the athletes who participated.

A big theme of the weekend was consistency: learning to play with the same intensity no matter what the game is and who is playing. We have talked a lot this summer about being mentally prepared for the “big” tournaments and the tough games against opponents that we know are very skilled. The same applies for all games, even if we are in a tournament where we are not playing to qualify for a championship or if we are playing a team that we have seen and believe to be less experienced than we are. We want to always offer our best effort, not get sloppy or lazy, and practice excellence with every opportunity.

Both the 16’s and 18’s started off their first games just going through the motions, but soon turned things around. Even in winning, we began as teams playing below our level of skill. As the days went on and we played our second and third games, we came together more to collectively focus on our team goals and make sure that we were finishing plays, making precision passes, and keeping our intensity up on both sides of the pool. The weekend was a good lesson in committing to high level play at all times, regardless of the stakes. If we can do that every game and every practice we will be well on the road to achieving our goals and becoming one of the best groups of players in the bay area….. all it takes is dedication.

Blast Off To Beijing

At yesterday’s Blast off to Beijing, the USA Women’s Olympic Water Polo Team defeated the Australian team 7-5, wrapping up the teams’ exhibition games in the US. The game also marked the largest crowd on American soil for a women’s water polo game ever - 2,963 (if my memory serves me correctly)! So thanks to all of you who helped make history! And an even bigger thanks to those of you who did it wearing your BAC shirt! 

 Those 2,963 fans did not leave disappointed. With three ties, and a final goal difference of two points the game kept everyone on the edge of their seats. For those of you who were not fortunate enough to see it, the game will be aired this Sunday on MSNBC at 9am. They even had an under water camera to give everyone a better idea of what goes on during the game. Don’t miss it! 

 Congratulations to the US team, and GOOD LUCK IN BEIJING!!!

Olympic Trials update!

A BAC swimmer is currently at Omaha watching the Olympic Trials. She is texting me the most recent update of the meet! 

July 2 @ 4:50 PM Pacific Time > Katie Hoff beat her American Record in the 200 Free 

July 2 @ 4:40 PM Pacific Time > Jason Lezak took back his American Record in the 100 Free in the Semifinals! 

July 2 @ 9:20 AM Pacific Time > Jason Lezak broke his own American Record, then Garett Weber-Gale broke it in the next heat! All in the prelims! 

July 1 @ 5:49 PM Pacific Time > Jessica Hardy & Megan Jendrick made the 100 Breast team 

July 1 @ 5:18 PM Pacific Time > Aaron Piersol broke the World Record in the 100 Back. 52.89!!!

July 1 @ 5:02 PM Pacific time > Natalie Coughlin broke the World Record in the 100 Back. 58.97!!! First woman to break the 59 second barrier.

U.S. Olympic Team Trials, Swimming

Be sure to catch the USA Swimming Olympic Trials! Below is the list of times the Olympic Trials will be televised:

Sunday, June 29th (8 - 9 pm on NBC)

Monday, June 30th (8 - 9 pm on USA)

Tuesday, July 1st (8 - 9 pm on USA)

Wednesday, July 2nd (8 - 9 pm on USA)

Thursday, July 3rd (8 - 9 pm on USA)

Friday, July 4th (8 - 9 pm on NBC)

Saturday, July 5th (8 - 9 pm on NBC)

Sunday, July 6th (8 - 9 pm on NBC)

Using Poor Performance to Inspire Greatness

This past weekend one of our 16U girls’ water polo teams started the tournament with a poor performance that ended in a loss. We lost to a team that we all felt that we were stronger than, and we did it in sloppy, disconnected fashion. What’s more is that the stakes of the game were high, in that if we had won we would have qualified for the national championships. Immediately that loss put us in a position where we had to win our next game or go home without qualifying, our goal for the weekend.

 It’s easy to say “We should have beat them,” or “We’re better than them,” much easier than actually winning all the games that you think you “should” win. We play the games because there really is no “should”, there is only the opportunity to make something happen. If the formula were as easy as who can swim faster, who can throw harder, who knows more moves, there would be no point for the actual competitions. So how do we respond when we feel we missed an opportunity? We take the next one that comes along and meet it dead on.

 The 16U team did just that this past weekend, it took the opportunity at hand. In what was likely one of the biggest wins of any team over the entire tournament, our 16U team beat (and sent home) the team that placed 3rd at the same tournament last summer. The win extended the tournament for us and put us in a good position to claim the final qualifying spot. The game was won by using the frustration stemming from the earlier loss as motivation and energy. Every member of the group made sure to not make the same mistakes they had made in the previous game, using that desire to prove their skills as fuel for the fire. It’s one thing to say “We played poorly,” then quite another to prove just how good you can be. But the team got it done, and in the end we qualified for the national tournament.

 The main thing is to realize that mistakes will be made; as athletes we are all human and may not always do things just how we know we can. But to learn to respond to that and to use the mistakes and the frustration to make adjustments for the next round is crucial. Though it made the weekend more stressful, I’m glad that we lost that first game. Losing that game forced us to pull together more as a group, to really bear down and focus on our goals. Next time we won’t wait until our backs are up against the wall, we’ll take care of things the first time around.

Masters Nationals

BAC water polo had its best ever showing at Masters Nationals.

Playing in the ultra competitive 20+ division BAC was able to advance 2nd out of its bracket and then lost two highly competitive games finally finishing 5th out of 12 teams.  The highest finish by a BAC team in the 20+ division.

The 30+ team entered the tournament seeded 4th and proceeded to advance first out of its bracket with a record of 2-1. In the Semifinals BAC was able to defeat local rival Bay Area Masters from Los Gatos by a score of 5-1 sending it to a championship matchup with the Olympic Club. In the finals, BAC played valiantly and the halftime score was 4-3 but eventually the team ran out of gas and lost 6-3 finishing second in the 30+ division.

Help Keep Water Polo at UC Santa Cruz!

Hello Water Polo Enthusiasts and Supporters…….  In the past 24 hours I have received numerous emails announcing the sudden cut of both the men’s and women’s water polo programs at UC Santa Cruz. UCSC currently has former BAC members in both programs who are devastated by the news and are asking for support. 

The primary reasons cited for the program cuts are financial strain, pool time conflicts, mandatory budget cuts, lack of local Division III competition, and the possibility of UCSC joining a conference in the future that includes other schools without water polo. The players met on Sunday, June 1, 2008, to brainstorm how they can continue this program which is so vitally crucial to each of them. They suggested funding the program through donations, fundraising, and players’ fees, as other sports – women’s rugby, for instance, do – and were told this would not be allowed. The athletic department needed to cut $50,000 from the budget, and by taking away the men’s and women’s water polo teams they got rid of $40,000. If the teams can provide the school with a check for that same amount of money they feel that they could save the programs. They have until Wednesday, June 4, (less then 4 days from when the decision became known) to show proof of pledges totaling $40,000. Anything that you can offer would be greatly appreciated, and your pledge could help buy another year of water polo for young athletes who truly love the sport of water polo.  

Additionally, the players are asking for testimonials, letters, and notes directed to the athletic director, chancellor, and powers that be about why the program should not be cut. It would be a great help if you could email a note to UCSC student-athlete Ian Horn at: ihorn@ucsc.edu showing your support for them to present when the athletes next meet with the AD and chancellor. You can also contact Ian to find out how to offer financial support.

San Diego County Cup

This past weekend was the San Diego County Cup, and we took a team down there. The competition was fierce, but the team never gave up. We chose to focus on four key things during our games. 

 The first was “safe passes,” this was a continuation of what we had been working on in practices and our previous games. To make a safe pass we want to make sure our teammate is looking and knows the ball is coming. To do this we call their name, and then wait until we see their eyes. Then we want to put the pass somewhere where only our teammate can get it. We don’t want to pass a 50/50 ball. By the end of the tournament we were able to withstand the other teams’ hard press and make safe passes to our teammates, ultimately leading to a lot of assists. 

The second was “press.” Our goal here was to make it as hard as possible for the other team to move the ball. Once we started talking in terms of not letting your player get the ball our defense really came together. We often forced our opponents to run out the shot clock which gave us a lot of opportunities on the counter attack. 

 The third was “movement/create.” The movement was particularly important because most of our games were played in a pool much larger than we were used to. During our first game in that pool we were stopping at half a lot, not realizing how much farther we still had to go. However after that game we made a great adjustment and started countering all the way down to the 2M line. This fed into a balanced offense where people could drive and “create” an opportunity to score. 

 The final focus was “head on a swivel.” This means that we want to constantly be looking around instead of focusing on just one person or thing. The idea is to make sure that we can see everything that is going on in the pool whether it is in front of us or behind us. It sounds simply, but it is actually not something that feels very natural. 

The team seemed to have a great time away from the pool as well. As a coach it was very fun to see the kids away from the pool, and get to know them all a little better. The kids also seemed to get to know each other better, enjoying the company of kids form other schools and grades. On Saturday afternoon we were lucky enough to be able to go to the Fearn’s beach house, and the kids were able to play in the ocean for an hour or so and enjoy the lovely weather. 

 All in all, the trip was a great success, and I hope we can go again next year! Thank you to all the athletes for making the trip, and a BIG thank you to Ron Lynch for coming with us! 

Amy