Daily Pilot Athlete of the Week: Bobby Messenger

Barry Faulkner

Though he contributed to back-to-back CIF Southern Section Division

II boys water polo championships, the second as a starting driver at

Corona del Mar High, Bobby Messenger, admittedly, wasn’t quite with the

program.

Concerned more with social pursuits, some of which, he confesses, led

him in the direction of trouble, he endured his time in the pool as a

necessary distraction.

Then Messenger got the message.

“I was going down the wrong path and Coach (John) Vargas really had an

influence on my change of behavior,” Messenger said of the lack of

offseason concentration he experienced heading into his senior year. “We

had several meetings and I realized I wanted to get back on (Vargas’)

good side. I used to come out to the pool, play, then go hang out with

other friends. Water polo is my main focus now.”

That focus, which Vargas particularly notices when Messenger sees a

scoring opportunity this fall, has helped Messenger take a leadership

role among a group of standouts some have predicted won’t lose a game

this season.

The Sea Kings (6-0 through Wednesday) are ranked No. 1 in Orange

County, a distinction they backed up by winning the prestigious South

Coast Tournament, completed Saturday.

Messenger scored three goals in the 8-6 title-game triumph over The

Bishop’s, from La Jolla, and was among three Sea Kings to score six goals

in three tournament games. For his efforts, he has earned Daily Pilot

Athlete of the Week recognition.

“I just like his attitude,” said Vargas, who is pleased by his

three-year veteran’s transformation. “It has improved tremendously. He

was pretty squirrelly as a freshman and sophomore, but he has really

matured. I talked with him about some things and he has really responded,

more so than your average senior. He is more focused on his work ethic

and he really enjoys the game. It really shows in the approach he takes,

even in practice.”

A better-than-average swimmer, whose development was enhanced by

watching older brother Billy, a former CdM goalie five years his elder,

Messenger is a dangerous outside shooter. He also scores frequently on

the Sea Kings’ counterattack.

“I think my strengths are my shooting and my passing,” said Bobby

Messenger, who credits his older brother with shaping some of his

insights into the game.

“The goalie has to be the best passer on the team, so I learned some

things from him about passing,” Messenger said. “And, we also talked

about what a goalie looks for from a shooter. The main thing is, you

have to try all kinds of shots: shooting off different kinds of fakes,

using a skip and a lob. If you shoot the same shot, all goalies are going

to catch on. I’ve tried to take some of the the things Billy has told me

and make them part of my game.”

Messenger’s game, Vargas said, is best played with the ball in his

hand. “He’s a very good outside shooter,” Vargas said. “He has great arm

action and can really throw it hard, especially for somebody his size

(5-foot-10, 150 pounds). “His intensity in front of the goal is the best

on our team. When he’s focused on a shot, nothing gets in his way.”

Messenger credits an emphasis on weight training for his shooting

velocity, but directs the credit for his focus to Vargas, who coached the

U.S. men’s Olympic team in Sydney and was recently named men’s coach at

Stanford.

“He taught me to really keep my composure and not get carried away

with all the stuff that goes on under the water,” Messenger said. “The

biggest thing for me was to get back on his good side. For me, it was

important to gain his respect. I think he’s really happy with the way

I’ve been playing and with my attitude.”