Eagles learning the ropes

Steve Virgen

The Estancia High girls water polo team was an afterthought in the

Pacific Coast League, Eagles Coach Bob Bandaruk is not ashamed to

admit. The PCL had (and still has) some of the best teams in Orange

County, including Corona del Mar, the PCL and CIF Division IV

champion last year, Laguna Beach and University.

However, the Eagles appeared to have taken new life, as they enter

the Golden West League this season.

“This year we don’t have to play in the PCL, which is nice,”

Bandaruk, the second-year coach, said. “We’ll be able to compete in

the Golden West League. It was tough in the PCL. There were junior

varsity girls from those teams that would stop and play left-handed

and they would still beat us. Those teams are polo powerhouses and

we’re just not.”

Instead of possessing a passion for winning championships, the

Estancia girls water polo program concentrates on teaching

fundamentals. Bandaruk wants his girls to be better water polo

players when they leave the program. Most of the girls who play for

Estancia have never competed in water polo.

“We really go over the fundamentals,” Bandaruk said. “We also

condition hard. Our first 45 minutes of practice is just swimming. We

have to also focus on shooting. A lot of our girls just don’t have a

lot of experience.”

Despite the inexperience, Bandaruk is noticing that the Eagles are

improving in each practice and in each game. (They play at Saddleback

Wednesday, Dec. 18).

Senior goalie Laura Morton is the only returning starter, while

seniors Jenny Fais, Jessica Fernandez and Lihini Keenawinna are back

from last year’s team and ready to be key leaders for the Eagles.

“My team is very, very young, which is nice for the future,”

Bandaruk said. “I would like to see us compete well in this league.

If we can finish in the upper part of our league that would be an

extreme accomplishment. I think they can do it. They get better

daily.”