After losing five starters to graduation, it was always going to
be a transition year for the 2011 boys water polo team – but with a
new coach, team personnel isn’t the only change.
Hollister
After losing five starters to graduation, it was always going to be a transition year for the 2011 boys water polo team – but with a new coach, team personnel isn’t the only change.
With new coach Aaron Gautney, the biggest transition will be in the offensive end of the pool for the Balers. Instead of a reactionary offensive of years past, the team will try to become more aggressive with set passes and offensive flow, Gautney said. The new offensive gameplan will put more pressure on opposing defenses.
“We want to set up the offense by running plays,” Gautney said.
And with the team’s young skill, Gautney expects a lot of success from his 13 swimmers – including last year’s captain and senior Tyler Reuther. Overall, the team returns only six players from last year.
“We have a lot of young skill,” Gautney said. “But they don’t have a lot of experience playing together yet.”
Gautney will rely on returning players to continue the success of last year when the team returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2007 and finished third in the Tri-County Athletic League. The Balers will have to replace two first team all-TCAL selections in Nick Angulo and Trevor Agan.
“We have a lot of potential,” Gautney said. “I think we are going to have a very good season and compete in our league.”
Reuther points to the team’s building chemistry as reasons for possible success.
“I really like the chemistry of the team,” he said. “I think we have a lot of really good guys – I think we are going to be a good team.”
Reuther said the team does a good job of picking each other up when their down and talking while playing.
During practice Friday, Reuther was talking his teammates through plays and helping them along.
As a four-year varsity player and senior, Reuther expects to take that leadership role.
“If someone needs support – I’m going to help them,” he said.
For teammate Jarut Barrios, that team unification will only make them better as the season goes along, he said.
“We are a cohesive unit,” he said. “We work together as a unit.”
And that idea will help the young team as they grow with a new coach and league structure.
The league will be slightly different this year after the TCAL combined with the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League for water polo for the upcoming season. The change adds two different schools – Harbor and San Lorenzo Valley – to the Balers’ league schedule.
