BAC Blog!

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.