Essential Irrelevance

Coach Mode

I usually thank my followers..for well…following me but dianosaurusrexx  1. you dont have an “Ask” button on your page. 2. I feel this topic regrading water polo scholarships would be beneficial for other people as well. So I might as well make it a proper post and I say all this from my knowledge as a coach at a high school.

Regarding water polo scholarships: Well first off, water Polo doesn’t have very much funding for scholarships because its not a very popular sport in comparison to basketball or football. Its rather seldom that they award full scholarships in water polo. So what a lot of schools do is they split their scholarships funding up. So  I’ll use a hypothetical university as an example and their hypothetical budget  is 10,000 just for water polo. Schooling is expensive and depending on the university you decide attend 10,000 would still leave you in a pretty large debt. And its very unlikely they’ll give the full 10 thousand to one student because what they do is  split the funding to cover both male and female teams …and then split it even more to reach a wider range of students to keep them interested in playing at their university…Yes this may be a lil discouraging to know that scholarships in water polo are competitive but here is a tip and something to consider. 1. try to make captain it’ll show you can be a leader and this also helps you land other types of scholarships. 2. dedication speaks for itself and 3.  Apply to east coast schools. Why?  Well water polo is most popular here in California and a lot of the best teams are also here…and slowly its getting more popular on the east coast…so to even get on a team here in SoCal would be to the death! But if you were to consider an East Coast school , your chances of a scholarship are greater because they see players from California as a hot commodity ….Keep you options open and again thanks for the follow.

Btw that picture of the baby with the goalie cap on your page is adorable…but I cant decide whats cuter , the baby….or that miniature water polo ball …and where did they find that tiny goalie cap…so adorable.

Red Card

A red card is issued to a coach and/or player(s) on the bench for a second incident of misconduct after receiving a yellow card..or immediately in cases of severe misconduct…

Well It was another day at the pool and we had a game. Our varsity team  won 10-5 and  JV started the game strong tied up at 4-4. It was the third quarter and I just called time out. I instructed my girls to set up  man up so we could gain the lead and  then referee threw the ball to my goalie to start the play. At the angle I was sitting I couldn’t really see what was going on within the corner of the goal but I heard the crowd gasp. My goalie was hit on the front of the head by the ball. I went closer to make sure she was ok but she wasnt moving. I proceeded to jump into the water fully clothed but then the referee yells to me saying she was alright and threatening to give me a red card. its aginst the rules for a coach to jump into the water…but I looked back to her and she was now floating face down. Everything after that point was a bit vague I just remember jumping in the water and tugging my goalie to the edge and having 3 other people help me to lug her onto the deck…I sat by her side , until paramedics arrived and she was taken to the hospital. The head varsity coach called me later that she  was ok. Ive only been coaching for a couple of years and I have never experienced anything like this and so I was a lil shaken.  I stayed at the pool and ended  the game and cleaned up…and  to call someone to bring me an extra set of clothes…when everyone was finally clearing out a few people came up to me and asked what was running through my head when I jumped..all I could think about was “This is the moment youve been trained for”…and “screw that red card”

The irony of all of this is the referee was trying to hit on me at the start of the game. He said he was planning on giving me a “valentines day card” and it was red. I told him that Im one of the best behaved coaches in socal, I never yell..but he really did give me a red card….talk about one hell of a game…never a dull moment in water polo.

That Son Of a Flake….

Well aside from my coaching gig at the HS I also privately train aspiring Special Forces who aren’t proficient in swimming…..which is a lot of them. Survey has shown that most of the people who actually even make it in SF are either water polo players or hockey players…both are gruesome sports..in a good way. Ive played water polo since my freshman year of high school , so its about 6 years now and have been coaching a JV team for 2 years…I enjoy water polo it allows me to be aggressive.  Be aggressive BE BE AGGRESSIVE. 

These aspiring special forces : PJ, SERE, or CCT are referred to me by their recruiters then they set up a days and times they want to practice swimming…well this new kid I got is a total flake. The first day he says that something was wrong with his car…it was raining this day..and prior to telling me his car alibi he had asked if i would cancel because of the rain…Like hello? you’re swimming you’re gonna get wet anyway!…The 2nd day he flakes because he says he woke up late…..so I was like w.e start Monday…But on Monday he scheduled for 8 am and flakes! I don’t get mad often but I hate flakes….have me wake up early for NOTHING. That son of a flake…So today is his official first day of practice …I’m gonna push him so hard that he’s gonna be practically drowning…and I may be lifeguard certified but I dont save people…haha he just got here

First Game of the Season

The junior varsity girls water polo team I coach had their first game yesterday. I had three alternates while other team had ten….. Only three of my players had ever played water polo before while the rest were first timers. Two of my girls got cramps and my rookie goalie hit someone in the head. Like I mean you could hear the thud, and the look on my goalie’s face was priceless :O. The school we were at was down in Orange County a very very….Privileged school. Their pool was drop dead beautiful and huge as fuck.

Well swimming and water polo are both what we call rich sports…because children that are privileged often take swim lessons at a young age and join water polo clubs. Orange County is one of the rich areas and these girls were very familiar with the game .where as my team well….

When first attending most of the girls had never heard of water polo and only but two could swim. Everything that was taught to these girls was recent and none have ever taken a swim class or been on a team. Most of them couldnt even put their faces in the water let alone dribble a ball ( not the same as dribbling in basketball)

Before the game I often give a few reminders like :

* always enter feet first

* dont talk or make eye contact with the referee

* Communicate and stick to your person ( defense)

* stay calm and have fun

* be good sports and dont worry about the score

Well by the 1st quarter we were up by 5-1

and I had to remind my kids to regain their composure and not get so cocky…

Though I admit at one time I yelled “Ingrid SIC her”

Despite everything that was against us. Though they came in saying ” I’m so scared coach” , ” dont yell at me ok” , and ” we’re gonna suck”

They WON  9-2  and KICKED ASS….

Cant Play Nice? Play water Polo

Today is the alumni vs varsity water polo game and well I’m at odds. Play with my fellow alumni or lead my varsity girls to victory…..So anyways lets talk about water polo.

There are 6 field players and 1 goalie for each side in water polo.

Though its a pool, we still call them field players

Our players play multiple positions , so it gets confusing.

Basic facts about water polo

- 4 quarters ( time varies on level 5-7 minutes)

- 30 sec stop clock ( make a shot in 30 sec or turn over)

- 3 ejections ( out the game)

- only one hand on ball at all time (unless goalie)

Start of game

The six field players start on wall on their side. The whistle is blown and sprinters must sprint for the ball is that being dropped in the middle of the right side. Depending on who gets the ball, they pass it to their trailer, who is next to them.

The offense then sets up the opposing sides goal and try to make a shot. There are several ways to go about this. There 2 wings , 2 drivers , point and set. The wings and drivers alternate depending on their positioning. After the trailer gets the ball they will all swim down to set up on the goal post. They will past the ball around and when the ball is called for by the set, the drivers will siwm across to take a closer shot.

There are many other plays in water polo but this is the one they always teach rookies first. Water polo is a very rough sport and should only be played under supervision , there are many rules to it and if interested you should watch a video on youtube.