CdM seeking direction

Bryce Alderton

For the second time in two years, the Corona del Mar High boys water

polo team enters August without an official head coach with the start

of the season just six weeks away.

CdM, one of the most esteemed water polo programs in Southern

California and arguably the country, entered the mandatory “dead

period” of no practices for the next three weeks at midnight tonight,

still seeking its third coach in three years.

CdM boys Athletic Director Jerry Jelnick confirmed Sunday that

Mike Evans, who guided the Sea Kings for one season last fall, was

fired before school ended in June. No replacement has yet been named.

Jelnick said CdM Principal Sharon Fry told him of Evans’ dismissal

three weeks before school let out in June, but offered no further

details.

A call to Fry’s home Sunday was not returned.

News of Evans’ firing surprised Jelnick.

“I thought everything was running smoothly,” said Jelnick, who

vowed today to speak with Newport-Mesa School District administrators

about the status of the job opening.

As of Sunday night, the position was not posted on the district

website.

Calls placed to Evans for the past week were not returned.

Sam Bailey, who played two-meter defense at San Clemente and for

national championship teams at UCLA, stepped in as the Sea Kings’

interim coach for the summer league schedule after learning of the

coaching vacancy a week before the school year ended.

Bailey assisted Aaron Chaney with the CdM girls water polo team

the last two seasons, which both resulted in CIF Southern Section

Division II championships.

Jelnick said he and Bailey met three weeks ago to speak about the

job.

“This is the premier place to coach high school water polo in the

nation,” Bailey said.

The Sea Kings won seven CIF Southern Section titles and were

runners-up four times during John Vargas’ 19-year tenure that ended

with a third straight Division II crown in 2001.

Vargas moved on to coach the Stanford men’s team and Tim Salvino

took over as head coach in 2002, leading the Sea Kings to the CIF

Division I final and a 20-8 mark.

Salvino, though, resigned early in August 2003 and Evans didn’t

officially come on board until later that month. The Sea Kings were a

relatively young team that struggled last fall, going 8-19 and

reaching the CIF Division II quarterfinals.

The Sea Kings resume practices Aug. 23.