Peters takes over at alma mater

Estancia High did not have to look far to fill its girls’ water polo coach opening.

The Eagles have turned to a program alumna, someone who has already been an Estancia swimming assistant coach for the past three years.

Amber Peters has been hired as Estancia’s girls’ water polo coach, girls’ Athletic Director Jessica Perry confirmed.

Peters, who played at set in high school, was a four-year varsity player for the Eagles before graduating in 2009. In her junior and senior years she played under former coach Jennifer Broderick, who resigned in April after six seasons.

Peters, 22, is a Huntington Beach resident. She will be a walk-on coach but could see herself being a teacher at her alma mater one day. She’s on track to graduate from Cal State Fullerton next year with a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology, and after that she said plans to enter the teaching credential program at Cal State Fullerton.

Peters said she is excited at the direction that Estancia is headed. She estimated that 90% of the returning players will be playing off-season water polo this summer.

“I’ve also seen a very strong response from the parents at TeWinkle Middle School,” Peters said. “I’m very enthusiastic about this [upcoming high school] season, knowing that the majority of our girls will be playing water polo this summer.”

Estancia made the CIF Southern Section playoffs twice in Broderick’s tenure, in 2011 and this past season, when the Eagles went 15-13 and tied for third in the Orange Coast League. Estancia loses several starters to graduation, notably the program’s single-season scoring record holder Ilene Umansky, as well as four-year starting goalkeeper Alexis Paul.

The Eagles also have never won the Battle for the Bell game against cross-town rival Costa Mesa. Peters will probably be looking to change that.