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Patrick Tehan/The RegisterCapistrano Valley water polo coach Don Cholodenko celebrates after his team scores in a recent game.WATER POLO: A new look to the seasoneFROM 1had a lot of input as to who the new coach would be.”Indeed. After Sprague gave notice at season’s end last December, he gave school administrators advice on his successor. Yet, a four-month pursuit of the school’s top candidate failed, which brought Nighswonger into the picture.Sprague knew Nighswonger from USC. Sprague, who had spent three summers volunteering at USC, met Nighswonger in 1988 when the Montebello coach was doing the same thing. Nighswonger readily accepted Sunny Hills’ offer.Like Sprague, Milich had some input into picking his successor. Bowman had been an assistant under Milich the past three years. Milich didn’t actually choose Bowman, but his assistant was the man he wanted to see get the job, he said.Villa Park’s Ehrlich said he thinks coaches like himself, Barnett at Newport Harbor and Don Cholodenko at Capistrano Valley probably will stay where they are, not necessarily because they love coaching in high schools so much, but because moving on is not always moving up.“Sometimes you have to take a pay cut when you go to a four-year school,” he said.“The JCs are a better spot. If I got a chance at a Saddleback or Rancho Santiago College, then I would definitely get my resume in. Otherwise, I’m happy where I am.”Milich bears out what Ehrlich said.“I didn’t really take a pay cut,” he said. “The benefits are about the same and I may end, up losing a little bit of money, but that’s not what’s really important to me.”Milich and Sprague were fortunate to have good opportunities in moving on, but with what Ehrlich and Milich said about future prospects, water polo in Orange County should remain status quo.Just call himMr. WaterBarnett has no intention of leaving areaBy Chris MonahanThe RegisterIn Orange County, he is as synonymous with water polo as Speedos or water itself and why not? He has been an integral part of the game from more than two decades. In this county, Newport Harbor coach Bill Barnett is water polo.He has coached at the school for 22 years. His teams have won nine CIF titles and have been to the finals seven other times. He also coached the United States to the silver medal last year at the Seoul Olympics.Well into his 23rd year, Barnett this week will guide the Sailors through the South Coast Tournament, for which the school is host and he is director. He will also put the US national team through workouts tonight.Despite all he has done and all he does, he apparently hasn’t done it all, because he said he doesn’t have any intention of going anywhere else or doing anything else — probably as long as he lives.“The best thing about it is that I enjoy working with young people,” Barnett said. “I have no timetable for getting out. I’ll keep doing it as long as I enjoy it.“I’ve had a lot of success because I’ve had good talent. A coach is only as good as his talent.”With the exception of a couple'•*%•• • ‘mitBill BarnettEnjoys working with young peopleof rules changes in the past 10 years, Barnett said the game hasn’t changed much.“It used to be a more physical game before we went to international rules, because the officials didn’t call as much,” he said. “They were afraid of influencing the game too much.“But the kids haven’t changed much. Unlike other sports, they really haven’t gotten any bigger. My first team at Newport was one of my biggest.” Strategy has not varied much, Barnett said.“Different coaches have very different ways of doing things,” Barnett said. “If they’re happy with it and it works, well, then, that’s OK.”
Newspaper Details
Santa Ana Orange County Register
Santa Ana, California, US
Wed, Sep 27, 1989
Page 79
Full Page
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Anonymous
USA 21 Feb 2019
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