Daily Pilot Athlete of the Week, Garrett Bowlus: Fluid transition

Barry Faulkner

When Garrett Bowlus approached Corona del Mar High boys water polo

coach John Vargas two years ago about changing positions, the veteran

head man was anything but sold on the idea.

But after the former goalie scored a game-high four goals to key the Sea

Kings’ 8-6 CIF Southern Section Division II title victory over top-seeded

Servite Nov. 24, it’s safe to say Bowlus has made an irrefutable closing

argument.

“We went to Hungary the summer before my sophomore year and I was playing

goalie every game,” Bowlus, a 6-foot-6 junior, said. “I kind of got

burned out on it and I talked to (Vargas) about playing in the field.

“He wasn’t really upset, but I got the feeling he wasn’t too happy,

either. He had wanted me as a goalie and he’d put in a lot of effort to

train me as a goalie. He said he wasn’t sure, but he’d give me a try.”

Bowlus worked hard to improve his swim speed and spent countless hours

being tutored on the finer points of the two-meter position.

He lowered his time in the 200-yard freestyle by eight seconds last

spring, developed his offensive repertoire, and bided his time, before

finally seizing the spotlight in the prep season’s showcase game.

“I don’t know if I’ve ever scored four goals in one game before,” the

Daily Pilot Athlete of the Week said. “I usually don’t get many chances.”

A favorable matchup, however, helped put Bowlus center stage against

Servite. He wasted little time taking advantage, netting the

second-seeded Sea Kings’ first three goals to put them in command.

“It was great to get those quick goals, because I think it helped our

confidence,” Bowlus said. “We’d played Servite earlier in the year when

we were missing three starters and (the defending Division II champions)

beat us pretty badly.”

Bowlus netted the first goal of the second half to give CdM a 5-3 lead

and help send out his 13 senior teammates with the school’s 10th section

championship, its first since 1989.

“I got some good opportunities, some good passes from my teammates, and I

was able to score,” Bowlus said. “I knew I needed to step up and I was

really pleased with the way I played.”

Bowlus’ sizable frame, long arms and long fingers, combined with a year

of varsity experience, should make him a potent offensive weapon next

season. He also vows to work on his strength, lifting three and four

times a week to supplement his lithe 185-pound physique.

But before he hits the pool for swim season next spring, he will lend his

talents to the varsity basketball team. He played junior varsity last

season, but was called up to the varsity for its run to the Division

III-A section title game.

“I’ve been playing basketball longer than water polo, but water polo has

become my main sport,” Bowlus said. “I enjoy basketball, though. It’s

good cross training.”

Like his shift from goalie to field player, Bowlus said the move from the

pool to the paint is a challenging transition.

“Basketball is hard, because it’s a lot of running,” said Bowlus, who

attended his first basketball practice three days after the title

victory. “The first few days, I would occasionally forgot I wasn’t in

water polo anymore. I’d get a pass and, for some reason, I’d start moving

the ball around in one hand, like you do in water polo. I took some

kidding about that.”