March making mark

Christen D’Alessandro

On May 29 it was announced that Corona del Mar High alumnus Michael

March was selected to be a member of the U.S. men’s national water

polo team. The left-handed center defender will be leaving Monday to

compete in the FINA World League.

“I’m definitely excited to go and play in all the different

countries,” March said.

March, 21, competed in his third season at UCLA on an athletic

scholarship and helped his team win the 2004 NCAA championship

against Stanford, as the Bruins finished the season with a 25-3

record.

March competed in water polo and swimming at CdM. He was a

three-year letter winner in both water polo and swimming and helped

his water polo team win two consecutive CIF Southern Section

championships (2000, 2001). March was named 2001 CIF Player of the

Year and was a two-time All-CIF selection.

March was a member of the U.S. junior national team in 2001 and

competed in the FINA junior world championships. However, March was

so young when he played on the national team for the first time -- he

was 17 while traveling and playing with guys in their 20s -- he

didn’t have a good experience and showed no interest in the national

team after that.

“I got a little homesick and I went to a lot of poor countries

[including Croatia and Turkey] so the accommodations weren’t all that

good and I got some things stolen out of my suitcase in the hotel

room and other little things like that,” March said. “It wasn’t a

very fun experience. But now that I’m older, I thought I’d give it a

second chance.”

That second chance came earlier this spring.

“[March] called me up four or five weeks ago because I think he

came to the realization that the national team was something to

pursue,” UCLA Coach Adam Krikorian said.

Now March will be traveling the next couple months to places like

Serbia, Germany, New York and Canada to play water polo with the U.S.

men’s national team in the FINA World League.

March would like to eventually compete in the Olympics.

“Mike can achieve anything he wants when he sets his mind to it so

I wouldn’t be surprised if he played in the Olympics,” Krikorian

said. “He is a very determined man.”

Not only is March a standout athlete but he also carries a 3.0

grade-point average. He is a political science major with hopes of

starting his own business.

“He’s very driven academically and I feel he will be very

successful in anything he does,” Krikorian said.

March also enjoys “anything and everything in the water.” He

practices water polo for about six hours a day but when he’s not

doing that March likes to surf, wake board, spear fish and go to the

beach.

He also ran in the Los Angeles Marathon March 6 and finished with

a time of four hours, 14 minutes.

On top of everything, March also stays strong in his faith.

“I’m a pretty strong Christian,” March said. “That plays a major

role in my life.”

There’s only one way to describe March according to Krikorian:

“He’s a stud.”