SHUHEI MATSUO
Assistant Sports Editor
PAUL CLARK/Photo Editor
The Pepperdine water polo team begins its 2006 campaign Sept. 2 at the Triton Invite in La Jolla, Calif.
The Waves will be led by Jack Kocur, who is serving as interim head coach while Terry Schroeder takes a season off to serve as assistant coach for the U.S. National Team,
Despite this being his first attempt at head coach, Kocur has helped the team as an assistant coach for the past four years.
“Knowing the guys the last four or five years has definitely allowed the pressure not to build up,” Kocur said. “It’s not like I’m showing up on campus not knowing anybody, players, coaches or athletic programs, so I feel like we definitely have a large supporting cast to take away the pressure.”
Although Kocur and many players agreed that they had the most talented team last year, it ended with a disappointing record of 18-11. However, with five starters and five of its six goal scorers from last year returning, the team is expected to do better in this coming season.
“It looks a lot better,” Kocur said. “I think the chemistry this year by far surpasses last year. We are definitely trying to fight together for the team, you know, win or lose together. The concept last year was more of the individual, where now I’m working hard for my team, not just for myself.”
The most experienced player on the team also said this year’s team is better overall than the most recent team.
“We are working harder than ever before with a lot more structure,” senior Doug Mann said. “If we were a type of soda, we would be Crush, as in crush everybody.”
Matt Digges, who started in all 21 games and scored 24 goals last year, also used an analogy to describe this year’s team with one word.
“Sponge,” he said, “soaking it up.”
Digges might not be the one who’s “soaking it up” the most. In fact, the incoming 13 freshmen may be the ones that are quickly absorbing the new level of water polo.
“Change is a good thing,” said freshman Preston Lujan, who has been part of the crew since mid-summer. “I think it’s a positive change. I think we are adopting well. I think we are all ready to play the next level.”
Other than Lujan, Coach Kocur named John Paul MacDonnell, brother of junior Mat MacDonnell, Clayton Snyder, Travis Stachowski and Brett Auer as the freshmen to watch this year.
Maybe this year’s combination of the experienced and the fresh can overcome the most talented team of last year. Dane Benham, a third-year blocking specialist, said one of the reasons why his team didn’t do well is that crew members could not come together as a team. He also said this year’s goals are to push each other to be better, to support each other with a family mentality, and ultimately, to make it to the NCAA playoffs.
However, Kocur’s goals do not include the NCAA play-offs, at least for now.
“Main goal for the season is just to show up every day and be a champion,” Kocur said. “That’s it. Every day. Not in November, not in September, but today.
“We’ve got to get down with our job today for us to achieve (the NCAA playoffs) in the future.”
Kocur and his wife had their first child a few weeks ago. Asked if being a father has changed his attitude toward coaching water polo, his serious look suddenly changed to a smile.
“I think the players probably say it has,” Kocur said. “I’ve been trying to be extremely positive, knowing that I’m here to teach and not here to condemn.
“Having a baby made me realize that there is more to life than just beating down somebody, but try to lift everybody up.”
08-28-2006
