Working through shift change

After viewing film of last year’s team, knowing he will have several

returners from a CIF Southern Section Division I semifinalist,

first-year Corona del Mar High boys water polo coach Barry O’Dea

doesn’t believe much will change in the pool once the games begin

next month.

But what many of his players must deal with is the adjustment once

again of a coaching change. O’Dea, 32, hired to replace 2004 Division

I Coach of the Year Sam Bailey this summer, will be the program’s

fourth leader in as many years this fall.

O’Dea enters CdM after coaching the last six years at Brea Olinda.

Bailey accepted an offer to assist former CdM head coach John Vargas

at Stanford after leading the Sea Kings to a 20-9 record, which

included a Pacific Coast League title, in his first season last fall.

The Sea Kings won 12 of their final 14 contests.

The Sea Kings feature eight returners, including six seniors, who

saw significant varsity action last season, giving O’Dea hope that

CdM can continue, and improve upon last season.

“I’m not coming in here trying to change a lot; I’m trying to add

to it,” O’Dea, who teaches eighth grade English at CdM, said. “Of

course, everything gets tweaked a bit according to the coach and how

their style is. I’ve seen game film and looked at the stats and just

don’t see a whole lot changing.”

O’Dea said a key for the Sea Kings will be how they respond to a

new face strolling on the pool deck.

“This senior class has had a rough time of it with a different

coach each year,” O’Dea said. “In a way they are trying to deal

through the jadedness and keep the fire burning.” O’Dea equated the

“jadedness” to the constant coaching changes the past four years.

“If they can get through [the transition], they will be

successful. They are excited.”

The returning corps includes seniors Tom Money and Jacob Murphy,

two attackers who earned second- and third-team All-CIF recognition

last season. Money led the team in steals and finished second on the

squad with 34 goals.

Murphy tallied 33 goals a year ago and will be one of several

players who figures to see action at two meters, where Thomas

Pearson, who committed to Cal as a senior last fall, shined in 2004.

Pearson paced the Sea Kings with 57 goals, including a game-high five

in a 12-9 Division I semifinal loss to Foothill.

Seniors Kyle Hersh and Blake Schoenberg, along with junior Trevor

Gladych, all returners, should also see time at two meters, O’Dea

said.

Junior Mike Berry features CdM’s only left-handed arm while

seniors Scott Sanford and Tyler Kent add to the attack.

O’Dea said the team spent the first day of preseason practice

working on counterattacks, along with a heavy dose of defense,

continuing a trend that began during the summer months.

“It’s an aggressive type of defense, which will show different

looks,” O’Dea said.

Seniors Phillip DiGiacomo and Jamie Kline will battle for

goaltending duties, where Gaston Sanford earned first-team All-CIF

accolades as a senior last fall.

Seniors Marshall Tutton and Eric Cox, with juniors Ryan Kent, Ryan

Hultman, Greg Sanford, Nick Jones, Omar Mobarek and Jeff Lee provide

further depth.

O’Dea said versatility, not only depth, will be a strength.

“We have talent to do a lot of different things in the water, it

will just take time to put it all together,” O’Dea said.

The Sea Kings acquainted themselves with O’Dea and vice versa

during the summer, which included a 4-1 finish in the Servite

tournament.

CdM also competed in the Hawaiian Invitational, which featured

teams from Quebec and Great Britain, in Honolulu earlier this month.

CdM opens the season Sept. 14 at home against Harvard-Westlake.

The nonleague slate also features a Sept. 20 matchup at four-time

reigning CIF Division I champion Long Beach Wilson and a Sept. 16

home game against Foothill. The Southern California invitational

tournament is Oct. 7-9. The Sea Kings begin defense of their league

title against visiting Northwood Oct. 13.

O’Dea is well aware of the expectations of leading a program

steeped in tradition -- the Sea Kings claimed three straight Division

II titles from 1999-2001, among the seven section crowns CdM won

during Vargas’ 19-year tenure.

O’Dea also has his own expectations, which he hopes will motivate

instead of induce stress.

“This is a great challenge for me ... and I am up for it,” O’Dea,

who enters his 10th year of coaching, said. “Needless to say I lost

20 pounds this summer worrying every now and then like, ‘I hope I

don’t flop and lay an egg in this first year.’ But that’s what keeps

me motivated. I’m a perfectionist. I want to make sure the team goes

in the right direction.

“I wouldn’t have applied for this job if I didn’t think I was

ready.”