Daily Pilot Athlete of the Week, Kyndra Cox: Affirmative actions

Barry Faulkner

Newport Harbor High senior Kyndra Cox is a two-time All-CIF

Southern Section girls water polo star who led last year’s CIF Division I

champions in scoring.

And while the two-meter standout for the top-ranked team in Orange County

continues to conquer opposing defenses with her seasoned scoring skills,

Sailors Coach Bill Barnett openly laments the untapped potential he

believes is submerged beneath humility only Stuart Smalley could

appreciate.

The neurotic fictional host of “Daily Affirmation,”, Smalley (Al Franken)

entertained television viewers and moviegoers by gazing into a mirror and

reciting the confidence-boosting mantra: “I’m good enough, I’m smart

enough and, doggone it, people like me.”

Barnett, and anyone else who spends time conversing with Cox about her

aquatic athleticism, might suggest a similar pregame ritual for the

decorated veteran.

“When Kyndra starts believing in herself, she’s really going to blossom,”

Barnett said of his demure dominator, who led the Tars to the Villa Park

Tournament title Saturday, then sheepishly accepted the event’s Most

Valuable Player award.

“The credit goes to me because I made the goals, but it’s the whole team

working for it that makes it possible,” Cox said.

Cox had two goals, three steals and an assist in a 4-3 title-game win

over No. 2-ranked Villa Park, after amassing six goals and four steals in

a 10-7 semifinal victory over Carlsbad. She also scored five goals in

three Dec. 10 tournament victories to earn Daily Pilot Athlete of the

Week laurels.

“She has a tremendous amount of potential,” Barnett said of the national

youth B team member, who has helped the Tars win seven straight after a

season-opening setback to Long Beach Wilson. “She’s more confident than

she was last year, but she can still step up to another dimension.”

Cox acknowledges the bundle of nerves, and now lofty expectations, that

school around her like sharks around chum.

But, she says, the lack of denial doesn’t help diminish her self-imposed

burden.

“One would assume I’d be more comfortable since I’ve been through this

before,” she said. “But I still feel the pressure to do well and to be a

good team. Sometimes, I think I’m expected to be something I don’t see

myself as. I have to try to channel that (nervous) energy.”

Cox, a third-team All-CIF performer as a sophomore, scored 73 goals last

season, including 19 in four playoff games. First-team All-CIF

recognition followed, as well as an invitation to try out for the

national team’s feeder program.

“It did feel good to make the (national youth B, the fourth tier of a

five-tier program which includes two national junior teams and three

youth teams),” Cox said. “But it also opened my eyes to how many good

players there are out there. It made me realize I had a lot more to

accomplish to get to that level.”

There are, as her play continually illustrates, few on her level in the

prep pool.

“She’s basically an all-around player,” Barnett said. “She has a good

outside shot and she can play at two meters very, very well. And, she can

play defense.”

Cox’s strong and accurate shot helps her view any well-guarded goal cage

as half-empty, which, conveniently, is an advantageous perspective for

any scorer.

But she claims she still has to reminder herself “not to get psyched

out,” playing against the high-caliber teams which frequent the Sailors’

schedule.

Cox is sure to attract her share of college recruiters, but, predictably,

she is apprehensive about fitting in at the next level of competition.

“I’m kind of nervous about playing in college,” she said. “You have to

prove yourself all over again.”