Cadets diving into busy schedule

The U.S. men’s cadet water polo team (age 15-and-under), which

includes Coach Jason Lynch, the Newport Harbor High head man, as well

as Sailors Bryce McLain and Nathan Castillo, are ready to plunge into

a busy summer schedule that ends with a trip to Serbia and Montenegro

(formerly Yugoslavia) in August.

McLain, who will be a sophomore at Newport Harbor in the fall, is

one of three goalies for the U.S. Cadet team, while Castillo, who

will be a freshman for the Sailors in September, is a left-handed

driver. Both play for the Newport Water Polo Foundation.

The cadet team roster, which was decided last month and features

18 of the nation’s top athletes, is fractured for this week’s

National Age Group championships in Long Beach, but is slated for a

training camp reunion the first week of August.

Lynch felt that selection camp went well and is eager to get

underway with this summer’s international escapades.

“All of the athletes worked very hard and were evaluated on

swimming, weights and leg tests,” said Lynch. “They were also given a

technical evaluation of their skills and game sense.”

The team is divided among club and zone national teams for this

week’s National Age Group championships at the Charter All Digital

Aquatic Centre in Long Beach. It will be the same arrangement during

this summer’s National Junior Olympics, which will be held in Florida

from July 24-27.

From there, the cadets will reassemble with the same caps for an

intense week-long training camp August 2-6. And, then it’s off to

Serbia and Montenegro, where the U.S. will train from August 9-18

with the cadet team there. Serbia and Montenegro is one of the

world’s premier water polo programs from top to bottom.

“The cadet national team is very important to the future success

of USA Water Polo,” said U.S. National team head coach and program

director Ratko Rudic.