You can help support this podcast by making a donation via PayPal.If you’re a coach, join our slack channel! The conversations are great and we have some webinars as well!Buy Fredric Durand’s book Water Polo Legends: 50 Amazing StoriesThank you to everyone that has taken the time to leave a review, send me an email or send me a tweet. It has truly meant the world to me!Remember you can reach me on twitter @stevecarrera and on instagram @stevecarrera and you can email me stevegcarrera@gmail.com************************************************************************************************************************Follow Dan Leyson on TwitterRatko Rudic’s Bio on WikipediaA conversation with Dan Leyson of UC Davis and Adam Wright of UCLA about their experience with Ratko Rudic. 

Off the Deck

Episode 31 - The Impact Ratko Rudic had on United States Water Polo with Dan Leyson and Adam Wright

You can help support this podcast by making a donation via PayPal.If you’re a coach, join our slack channel! The conversations are great and we have some webinars as well!Buy Fredric Durand’s book Water Polo Legends: 50 Amazing StoriesThank you to everyone that has taken the time to leave a review, send me an email or send me a tweet. It has truly meant the world to me!Remember you can reach me on twitter @stevecarrera and on instagram @stevecarrera and you can email me stevegcarrera@gmail.com************************************************************************************************************************Ethan Damato on Twitter2What is the add 2 drill?Pat Obrien3What’re your thoughts on backstroke’s place in the counter attack? Coaches often say that rolling onto your back for a few strokes could cause you to lose your advantage - do you think that’s true?Stephen Loomis4What are some ways that you teach athletes when to push and take risks finishing the CA and when to pull back and run a patient offensive set?Ian Davidson5Can you give some examples of goalie drills you utilize?Pat Obrien6You have an aside in your practice plan dedicated for goalies (but still has relevance to the objective). How much time are they spending focusing on their warm up/skills/passing before being added with the filed players? How much time would you reccommend having your goalies focus on what they need before coming into the fold?Elyssa Hawkins7How do you teach your athletes to read the differences/cues between reading Advantage Counterattack and Transition counter into half court?Connor Levoff8Do you have a preference about which post fills in first when setting up a 4-2, on a full 6 man counter?Anonymous Attendee9What are you thoughts on how to approach a game against another team that loves to push tempo (assuming youre a tempo pushing team too) - but they do it better (they beat you more / get more goals from counter)? Does this change your strategy in how you CA?Paul Splitt10Do you have strict parameters on the first outlet pass or do you let the players have freedom to make those decisions based on the situation?Carin Crawford11are there drills that you run to specifically focus on counter defense? or is this just taught naturally through the drill?Beth Harberts12Is Off the Deck on Spotify?Elyssa Hawkins 

Episode 30 - Counter Attack Philosophy with Ethan Damato

You can help support this podcast by making a donation via PayPal.If you’re a coach, join our slack channel! The conversations are great and we have some webinars as well!Buy Fredric Durand’s book Water Polo Legends: 50 Amazing StoriesThank you to everyone that has taken the time to leave a review, send me an email or send me a tweet. It has truly meant the world to me!Remember you can reach me on twitter @stevecarrera and on instagram @stevecarrera and you can email me stevegcarrera@gmail.com************************************************************************************************************************Steven Rotsart on Twitter2Understanding the other team and being able to adjust is crucial information. How do you balance calling but not helping based on what you know the teams will be doing or try to do?Ian Davidson3One of the biggest parts of our sport is the difference in this “philosophy” from ref to ref. Do you think this is a good part of our sport, or should we be looking to have a general philosophy that allows for a bit more consistency from ref to reft?Anonymous Attendee4How do we tackle improving the officiating level with so much ego when we all walk into the room?Ian Davidson5How much time do you spend with your partner before a game to discuss philosophy? What are the main topics you go over with your partner?Sergio Macias6When an official has “an idea of how they want the game to go”, are officials subconciuosly predesigning the outcome of the game? ie. team A is a stronger team in every way, team B is leading the game. I am assuming you are referring to the flow etc…. but can this kind of a thing happen?Marc Ruh7…team A is given some leeway to get back into the lead.Marc Ruh8I’m a coach looking to use some of my down time each year (summer) to improve my knowledge of the game (and supplement my income)…Steve C suggested coaches officiating an event a year to ‘see the other side’-PERFECT… I would LOVE to start that process. Steve R, what do you suggest as step 1?Anonymous Attendee9Does the scarcity of officials make referee accountability difficult to accomplish?Breck Weiny10Do you think an expectation of more consistent signaling to explain calls could help minimize the tension between coaches and referees?Breck Weiny11What is your approach to blow out situations? In our sport, even the collegiate level sees a large amount of blow out games. How does a referee approach that game?Breck Weiny12Would you be in favor of having referees work in crews over the course of the season? Meaning the same two referees work together on games for a whole season rather than random pairings over the course of the season.Breck Weiny13I got involved during the Water Polo Academy Era and found that style of correspondance/discussion course to be very helpful in developing both my coaching and officiating philosophies. How do you see the future of referee education and development of philosophy moving forward? How can we better collaborate between Coaches and Officials?Connor Levoff 

Episode 29 - Referee Philosophy with Steven Rotsart, NCAA, FINA and Olympic Referee

You can help support this podcast by making a donation via PayPal.If you’re a coach, join our slack channel! The conversations are great and we have some webinars as well!Buy Fredric Durand’s book Water Polo Legends: 50 Amazing StoriesThank you to everyone that has taken the time to leave a review, send me an email or send me a tweet. It has truly meant the world to me!Remember you can reach me on twitter @stevecarrera and on instagram @stevecarrera and you can email me stevegcarrera@gmail.com************************************************************************************************************************John Abdou on Twitter1What do you feel are the biggest hurdles for growing the sport at the collegiate level nationwide (D1, D2, D3)? What advice would you give college ADs (and other leaders) that would maybe help them consider adding a mens/womens program2How do we break down socio economic barriers to entry for our sport, both for athletes and for coaches3Where do you see the growth of wp in a diversity stand point in term of high level competitiveness?How can we get more competitiveness in more diverse regions?4Given that your position requires you to wear a lot of hats, what does success look like to you? (i.e. is it about more schools adding water polo, is it about having more athletes like Ashleigh Johnson from FL or Max Irving as an athlete of color be a norm vs outlier, etc.)5Do you see more colleges like Sonoma State who have a program or may be considering adding a program dropping water polo in the future due to COVID or any other reasons?6How would you like to see coaches improve themselves with this downtime? What can coaches be doing better? Has USAWP thought about a coach credentialing system, like the Azevedos talk about?7I know you have talked about young coaches venturing out on their own across the country to find college jobs; talk to us about the inner struggle you had to decide to move from CA to the east coast, the struggles you went thru and how you think it made you better as a not just a coach but a human8You’ve seen a lot of teams the last couple months online…What’s the best quarantine home workout you’ve seen? Best virtual team bonding activity? Best shared video practice idea?9What are a few things you wish coaches would take more time to focus on with athletes under the age of 15?10Have you been working with schools in Texas at all to help develop the community more now that they sanctioned water polo as a sport11Do you see any changes in our game given some of the new covid guidelines? What ways can we show that water polo will be successful in the “new normal” (i.e.: social distancing)12Do you think the league should adopt the US Major sports model, closely mimic the European club model, or a hybrid of the two? How do you anticipate involving inter scholastic athletics for developing player?13How important is it to develop homegrown players for professional team or would a draft work best? Or a hybrid of the two similar to MLS14How do you think the our 10/12 Modified Rules help or hinder the development of the mobile athletes you are looking for the clubs to develop?15Any book recommendations? 

Episode 28 - AMA with John Abdou USA Water Polo's Chief High Performance Officer

You can help support this podcast by making a donation via PayPal.If you’re a coach, join our slack channel! The conversations are great and we have some webinars as well! Buy Fredric Durand’s book Water Polo Legends: 50 Amazing StoriesThank you to everyone that has taken the time to leave a review, send me an email or send me a tweet. It has truly meant the world to me!Remember you can reach me on twitter @stevecarrera and on instagram @stevecarrera and you can email me stevegcarrera@gmail.com************************************************************************************************************************Ethan Damato on TwitterFor SETWPC.comEthan Damato began his water polo career at Laguna Beach High School where he was a two time All CIF Player in 1999 & 2000. After graduating Damato played 2 years at Cuesta College where he was a 2 time All Conference Player. Damato became the Head Coach of Laguna Beach High School's Boys & Girls Water Polo Teams in 2008. Since taking over the Breakers have made 6 consecutive CIF Semi Final Appearances, winning CIF Championships in 2008 with the girls and in 2010 & 2011 with the boys team. Damato was named the CIF Coach of the Year in 2008, 2009, 2010 & 2011. He was named OC Register Coach of the Year in 2009 & 2010. Damato joined the SET coaching Staff in 2010, he is currently the head Coach of the 16 U Girls and the Club's Technical Director. Along with coaching at LBHS & SET, Damato is also the 12th Grade U girls ODP Head Coach for the Sopac Zone and the Head coach for the Women’s Youth National Team.

Episode 27 - Interview with Ethan Damato of Laguna Beach, SET WPC and USA Youth Women's Team

You can help support this podcast by making a donation via PayPal.Thank you to everyone that has taken the time to leave a review, send me an email or send me a tweet. It has truly meant the world to me!Remember you can reach me on twitter @stevecarrera and on instagram @stevecarrera and you can email me stevegcarrera@gmail.com************************************************************************************************************************Highlights USA vs. Serbia 2008 Olympic SemiTwitter - @MerrillMosesFrom Pepperdine AthleticsMerrill Moses, a three-time Olympian and former All-American water polo player for the Waves, returned to Pepperdine in 2012 to join the coaching staff. He was promoted to the position of associate head coach prior to the 2017 season, and 2019 will be his eighthon the staff.As the interim co-head coach of the Waves in 2012, Moses helped Pepperdine to an 11-13 overall record. The team achieved a national ranking as high as #3 during the regular season.Upon the return of Dr. Terry Schroeder as head coach, Moses moved into the position of assistant coach in 2013. Moses played for Schroeder both with the Waves and the U.S. National Team.With Moses on staff, the Waves won the inaugural Golden Coast Conference Tournament title in 2016, and he tutored the Waves’ all-time leader in goalie saves, Zack Rhodes.Moses, a goalkeeper who helped lead Pepperdine to the 1997 NCAA championship and the United States to a silver medal at the 2008 Olympics, had been playing both professionally and with the U.S. squad for more than a decade before also turning his attention to coaching.“The most exciting part about this is coming back to my alma mater, and to be a part of trying to bring another national championship to Pepperdine,” said Moses at the time of his hiring. “I get the chance to work with a great staff and to work for years to come with Coach Schroeder.”Said Director of Athletics Dr. Steve Potts at Moses’ hiring: “I’m so thrilled that Merrill Moses is coming back to rejoin the Pepperdine family. His experience as an Olympian, a U.S. National Team member and a national champion will be inspiring to our student-athletes and they will learn so much from him.”Moses had given up water polo in 2004 and was working in the mortgage industry before getting a call to rejoin the U.S. squad in 2006. He went on to become the starting goalkeeper for the United States at both the 2008, 2012 and 2016 Olympics. In 2008, Moses was part of a team ranked ninth in the world, but the Americans got hot at the right time and made it all the way to the gold-medal game.Moses also helped the U.S. to gold medals at the 2007, 2011 and 2015 Pan American Games and he was part of eight top-five finishes in the FINA World League Super Finals, including a second-place result in 2008 and a third-place standing in 2003.He has played professionally in Croatia, Italy and Spain and with the New York Athletic Club (he was named MVP of the 2010 USAWP Men’s National Championships). Moses has worked as a coach at many of Terry Schroeder’s camps and has done private coaching in the past.A native of Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif., who attended Peninsula High School, Moses played four seasons for the Waves between 1995-98. He earned All-American first team honors in 1997 and was on the second team in 1998 and honorable mention in 1996. He was also named All-Mountain Pacific Sports Federation all four years, including the first team in 1997.Moses was named one of three tri-MVPs of the 1997 NCAA Championships after Pepperdine defeated USC, 8-7 in overtime, for the school’s first-ever NCAA title in the sport.Moses graduated from Pepperdine in 1999 with a degree in public relations. He was inducted into the Pepperdine Athletics Hall of Fame in 2013.He and his wife Laura have three children: Adrianna Nicole, Makenna Merrill and Brooklyn Ann.

Episode 26 - Interview with Merrill Moses the Associate Head Coach at Pepperdine

You can help support this podcast by making a donation via PayPal.Thank you to everyone that has taken the time to leave a review, send me an email or send me a tweet. It has truly meant the world to me!Remember you can reach me on twitter @stevecarrera and on instagram @stevecarrera and you can email me stevegcarrera@gmail.com************************************************************************************************************************Follow Levon Dermendjian on twitterFollow James Graham on twitterIn this episode we talk about the advantage rule.

Episode 25 - The Advantage Rule Defined, Explained and Debated with Levon Dermendjian and James Graham

You can help support this podcast by making a donation via PayPal.Thank you to everyone that has taken the time to leave a review, send me an email or send me a tweet. It has truly meant the world to me!Remember you can reach me on twitter @stevecarrera and on instagram @stevecarrera and you can email me stevegcarrera@gmail.com************************************************************************************************************************From the Cal Athletic Web siteProducing three NCAA titles (2006, 2007, 2016), two Mountain Pacific Sports Federation crowns (2002, 2006), 79 All-Americans and numerous academic honorees, Kirk Everist has proven to be the perfect individual to perpetuate the tradition of excellence that defines California water polo. In 18 seasons (383-118, .764) Everist has led the Golden Bears to the pinnacle of the sport on three occasions, most recently a stirring 11-8 overtime win over USC in 2016 to give his alma mater its NCAA-record 14th national title. Everist also directed the Bears to an 8-6 win over USC in the 2007 title game and a thrilling 7-6 last-second national championship victory over the Trojans in 2006.A three-time All-American, 1988 NCAA Player of the Year and two-time United States Olympian, Everist earned 2002 MPSF Coach of the Year honors in his inaugural season when he guided Cal to the MPSF Tournament title and a national runner-up finish. Then in 2004, he was inducted into both the Cal Athletic and the USA Water Polo Halls of Fame. In 2006, Everist was selected USA Water Polo’s Elite Co-Coach of the Year after leading the Bears to both the MPSF and NCAA titles. He also coached the United States’ World University Games team that competed in the summer of 2009 in Belgrade, Serbia, mentoring five Bears on the squad.On July 29, 2002 Everist returned to his alma mater and immediately led the Bears to a 20-7 mark and Cal’s first MPSF title and national runner-up finish since 1995. After guiding the Bears to the school’s first back-to-back NCAA trophies since the early ‘90s with wins in 2006 and 2007, Everist again guided the Bears to the top of the sport in 2016 when an overtime win over UCLA moved Cal into the national title match. There, Cal rallied from a late deficit to force overtime and the Bears took over in the extra periods to beat the Trojans. Finishing with a 23-4 record, Cal’s historic season earned Everist his second National Coach of the Year award (2006) from the ACWPC.With all of his team’s accomplishments in the pool, Everist has also fostered excellence in the classroom. In September, 2009 his team was awarded the 2008-09 Newmark Award for the most improved cumulative team GPA among all of the Cal 27 sports. The team earned that award again in the fall of 2018, this time from a group of 30 sports.Before his successful return to Berkeley, Everist had contributed to eight CIF North Coast championships as an assistant coach at Miramonte High School. During Everist’s 11-year tenure at Miramonte, the school also produced nine league titles and three third-place finishes in the California State Tournament. He helped develop 22 high school All-Americans, and three of his former players went on to earn NCAA All-American recognition, while two of his ex-pupils played on NCAA championship teams.In addition to his work at Miramonte, Everist served as water polo commissioner at San Francisco’s Olympic Club from 1999-2001, a period that produced a gold medal and two silver medals in FINA World Masters competition. Also, since 2000 he has been co-head coach for the Lamorinda water polo team, leading that club to the 2001, 2004 and 2005 USA Water Polo 20-Under national championships, and the 2002 Northern California Zone Junior Olympic title. In January of 2005, Everist added to his duties the position of treasurer of the College Water Polo Coaches Association.A 1990 Cal graduate, Everist propelled the Bears to national championships in 1987 and 1988 as a player. He earned NCAA All-American status from 1986-88 and was named the NCAA National Player of the Year in 1988. Everist went on to play for the United States National Team for nine years (1988-96) and was a member of the USA Olympic Team at the 1992 Barcelona and 1996 Atlanta Games. He also competed on America’s gold medal winning water polo teams at the 1991 World University Games and 1995 Pan American Games.“Kirk has been an Olympian and an All-American, but I believe he is now a better coach than he was as a player,” said four-time NCAA Coach of the Year Pete Cutino, Everist’s former Cal mentor who passed away in September of 2004. “He is a very intense person who has always been a student of the game. Kirk is everything we would want in a coach.”Everist resides in Danville, Calif. with his wife Jen, daughter, Keira, stepdaughter, Haley, and two stepsons, RJ and Duke.EVERIST'S RECORD 2002 - 20-7 ! 2003 - 20-8 2004 - 20-10 2005 - 21-7 2006 - 31-4 !^ 2007 - 28-4 ^ 2008 - 19-9 2009 - 22-6 2010 - 24-4 2011 - 22-4 2012 - 17-8 2013 - 18-8 2014 - 22-7 2015 - 24-7 2016 - 23-4 ^ 2017 - 20-4 2018 - 18-6 2019 - 14-11 Total - 383-118 (.764) ! - MPSF Champions ^ - NCAA Champions 

Episode 24 - Interview with Kirk Everist, Head Men's Water Polo Coach at the University of California

You can help support this podcast by making a donation via PayPal.Thank you to everyone that has taken the time to leave a review, send me an email or send me a tweet. It has truly meant the world to me!Remember you can reach me on twitter @stevecarrera and on instagram @stevecarrera and you can email me stevegcarrera@gmail.com************************************************************************************************************************From Water Polo PlanetDante Dettamanti: Coach Dettamanti has produced winning and championship water polo teams at all levels. He was a engineering graduate and MVP and all-league swimmer and water polo player at UC Davis. After a stint as a 1st Lieutenant and US Army Airborne-Ranger, he returned to UCLA for a Master’s degree in Exercise Physiology. While at UCLA he became a graduate assistant coach under the legendary coach Bob Horn; and the school won the first ever NCAA Championship ever held in 1969. From there he went on to Occidental College, where he transformed a water polo program that had been the league doormat, into league champions in both swimming and water polo. After coaching at Oxy for 4 years, he went on to UC Santa Barbara and turned the water polo program around; again producing a league champion team and a NCAA top-four finish in just three years time.It was at Stanford University though, that Dettamanti came into his own as a winning coach. In 25 years at Stanford, his teams played in the NCAA Championship final game a total of 14 times, producing eight NCAA Championships and six second-place finishes. He became only the second collegiate coach in NCAA history to record over 600 career wins, and the only collegiate coach to win NCAA Championships in four different decades, the 70’s, 80’s 90’s, and 2000’s. His eight National championships ties the NCAA record for the most in NCAA history, along with the legendary Pete Cutino of Cal-Berkeley. NCAA records include a .800 winning percentage at Stanford, a 52 game undefeated streak over a three year period in the 80’s, and two undefeated seasons (28-0 in 1981 and 36-0 in 1985).He has been named League “Coach of the Year” ten times and NCAA “Coach of the Year” six different times. Dettamanti has also had great success at the International level. He coached the USA World University Games teams to Gold and Silver medals in 1979 and 1981; the highest finish ever for a USA National team. Dettamanti gained valuable International coaching experience as the Assistant National Team Coach at the 1990 FINA Cup and at the 1991 FINA World Championships under Olympic Coach Bill Barnett; and as an USA assistant at the 2001 World Championships, under the top International coach in the world, Ratko Rudic.Dettamanti has not only produced winning teams, but also top international players. Fourteen of his players have gone on to play for the USA Olympic Team, including Olympic team standouts Jody Campbell (1980, 84, 88), Wolf Wigo (1996, 2000, 2004) and Tony Azevedo (2000, 2004, 2008). Several of his players have gone on to become successful coaches at the high school and college levels; and several have gone on to become nationally ranked referees as well. Dettamanti is an excellent athlete in his own right. He was one of the original pioneers in the sport of triathlon, placing 6th overall in the prestigious Hawaii Ironman in 1981, along with competing in many other marathons and triathlons during the early 80’s when the sport was just getting off the ground.

Episode 23 - Interview with Hall of Fame Coach Dante Dettamanti of Stanford

You can help support this podcast by making a donation via PayPal.Thank you to everyone that has taken the time to leave a review, send me an email or send me a tweet. It has truly meant the world to me!Remember you can reach me on twitter @stevecarrera and on instagram @stevecarrera and you can email me stevegcarrera@gmail.com************************************************************************************************************************From Longbeachstate.comGavin Arroyo is in his 14th  season as the head men’s water polo coach at Long Beach State.  During his time at LBSU he has compiled a 197-166 record. Under his guidance, the Beach has posted a winning record in seven of the last eight seasons.In 2018, Arroyo led the Beach to a 14-12 overall record and a 3-2 mark in the Golden Coast Conference. The Beach ended the season with a final ranking of No. 5 and made the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 27 years.Arroyo is a three-time MPSF Coach of the Year, earning the honors in 2007, 2012, and 2014. During the 2014 season he led the Beach to a 22-7 overall record and a 7-3 conference record. Long Beach State earned a No. 4 national ranking that season--matching the team’s final ranking in 2001 as the highest in program history.In 2012 Arroyo led the 49ers to a 24-8 regular season finish as well as a 4-4 finish in conference play. The historic year led LBSU to its first appearance in the MPSF Tournament since 2008 and ended with a fifth-place finish. Arroyo was also awarded with his second MPSF Coach of the Year award for his efforts. In 2007, Arroyo was selected as the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) co-Coach of the Year after leading Long Beach State to a 17-15 record.  During the 2007 season the 49ers upset No. 2 Stanford (7-5) in an MPSF home match and won the Inland Empire Tournament. In his first season in 2006, the 49ers were 11-17 overall and tied for sixth place in the MPSF, picking up two victories over rival UC Irvine.Arroyo is  a two-time member of the U.S. Men’s Olympic Water Polo team (1996, 2000) and spent two years as an assistant coach at California.Arroyo worked as an assistant coach for the United States Men’s National Team in the FINA World Championships in Gwangju, South Korea in the summer of 2019.In 2017, Arroyo served as the head coach of the USA Water Polo Men’s Junior National Team at the FINA Junior World Championships in Serbia, leading the Americans to an 8th place finish. The next year, Arroyo served as an assistant coach for the Men’s Senior National Team, working with head coach Dejan Udovicic.In 2005, he served as an assistant coach for the U.S. Men’s Senior National Team planning training schedules, aiding in game preparation, organizing fundraising events, and being responsible for fundamentals, tactic implementation and conditioning.Arroyo started the Long Beach Water Polo Club catering to youth water polo players, both boys and girls, on May 1, 2010.  He has also served as the head coach for the Olympic Club of San Francisco men’s team (2004-05) for two years.A 1994 graduate of UC Berkeley with a degree in political science, Arroyo was a first-team All-American at Cal in 1993.  He was a part of three NCAA Championship squads at Berkeley (1990, 1991, 1992). Arroyo  competed on the U.S. National Team for eight years (1993-2000) helping lead the U.S. squad to numerous championships.  The U.S. men’s team won the World Championships in 1994 and 1998, the 1997 FINA Cup and the 1995 and 1999 Pan American Games.  He also competed on the U.S. men’s team at the 1996 and 2000 Olympic Games.  Arroyo competed for seven years overseas playing professional water polo in Greece and Spain with five different clubs (Vouliagmeni, Glyfada, CN Barcelona, Olympiakos and CN Barceloneta).  He was a member of the 1998 Greek League championship team and was runner-up in 1997 and 1998 at the European Cup.Arroyo is a native of Southern California, growing up in Orange and earning 1990 Swimmer of the Year and High School Player of the Year honors from the Orange County Register at Villa Park High School.Arroyo and his wife, Erene, have two daughters, Angeliki (5) and Mikaela (born in March 2012).197-166

Episode 22 - Interview with Gavin Arroyo of Long Beach State and Assistant Men's National Team Coach

You can help support this podcast by making a donation via PayPal.Thank you to everyone that has take the time to leave a review, send me an email or send me a tweet. It has truly meant the world to me!Remember you can reach me on twitter @stevecarrera and on instagram @stevecarrera and you can email me stevegcarrera@gmail.com************************************************************************************************************************From GregMescall.comFollow Greg on Twitter @gregmescallGreg Mescall is a sports broadcaster and host covering a variety of sports for different networks. 2018 marked Mescall’s second Olympic Games for Westwood One Sports/NBC Radio where he covered freestyle ski and snowboard including Shaun White’s return to the podium. Currently calling Manhattan College men’s basketball, Mescall also calls college football on the ESPN family of networks and has handled play-by-play assignments for Pac-12 Network, Olympic Channel, Big Ten Network, ESPNU and Fox Sports West. The voice of USA Water Polo, Mescall calls a host of National Team events annually in addition to the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Water Polo Championships for Tupelo Raycom. Additional work includes play-by-play for the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, IVY League on ESPN+ and Monmouth University’s ESPN digital broadcasts.A native of Leonardo, New Jersey, he is graduate of Monmouth University and Wagner College.

Episode 21 - Interview with Greg Mescall, Director of Communications at USA Water Polo

You can help support this podcast by making a donation via PayPal.Thank you to everyone that has take the time to leave a review, send me an email or send me a tweet. It has truly meant the world to me!Remember you can reach me on twitter @stevecarrera and on instagram @stevecarrera and you can email me stevegcarrera@gmail.com************************************************************************************************************************From gostanford.comBrian Kreutzkamp begins his third season with the Stanford men's water polo program as an assistant coach. He joined head coach John Vargas in his inaugural campaign with the NCAA title-winning Cardinal in 2002. Kreutzkamp arrived on The Farm after spending three years (2000-02) with Golden West College where as the head coach, his team won the California State Championship in 2001. Kreutzkamp also served as an assistant coach with the U.S. Men's National Senior Team and the U.S. Men's National Junior Team.While the head coach at Golden West College, Kreutzkamp took his teams to the Orange Empire Conference and California State titles. Prior to his time in Huntington Beach, Kreutzkamp served as the co-head coach at Newport Harbor High School (1996-2000) and led his team to four conference titles and one CIF Division I title. Prior to that, Kreutzkamp was the head coach at Costa Mesa High School (1993-96) where his teams claimed three conference titles and one CIF Division II title.Kreutzkamp earned his Bachelor of Arts in Exercise and Sports Science from Concordia University. As a student-athlete, he helped his teams claim three conference championships while at Costa Mesa High School and the California State title in 1992 at Golden West College.

Episode 20 - Interview with Brian Kreutzkamp the Head Boys Coach at Sacred Heart Prep

You can help support this podcast by making a donation via PayPal.Thank you to everyone that has take the time to leave a review, send me an email or send me a tweet. It has truly meant the world to me!Remember you can reach me on twitter @stevecarrera and on instagram @stevecarrera and you can email me stevegcarrera@gmail.com************************************************************************************************************************From SHAQ WebsiteMatt grew up in San Diego and attended Poway High School, and was a part of the first water polo club in San Diego. He then attended UCLA and was a part of two NCAA championship teams in 1995 and 1996, earning NCAA player of the year awards both years. After college he moved to Marin County and has coached water polo in the MCAL league for 17 years. Matt and Mark formed SHAQ in 2007.

Episode 19 - Interview with Matt Swanson the program director of SHAQ WPC and Head Coach at Drake HS

You can help support this podcast by making a donation via PayPal.Thank you to everyone that has take the time to leave a review, send me an email or send me a tweet. It has truly meant the world to me!Remember you can reach me on twitter @stevecarrera and on instagram @stevecarrera and you can email me stevegcarrera@gmail.com************************************************************************************************************************From ISHOF.orgSandy Nitta began her water polo career first by participating in competitive swimming and developing her swimming skills. A member of Hall of Fame Coach Don Gambril’s City of Commerce Swim Team, she became a member of the 1964 USA Olympic Swim Team competing in the breaststroke. After her competitive career, she coached swimming for a few years, but soon turned her attention to the coaching and development of water polo, which has stayed with her ever since.In 1971, Sandy started the City of Commerce Water Polo program and coached the team to many national championships. She soon moved into positions of leadership, serving as the USA’s Women’s International Chairperson from 1976 to 1978. From 1980 to the present, she has given water polo clinics all around the world including New Zealand, Australia, England, Norway, Sweden, Spain, Singapore, India, France, Germany, Brazil and Mexico. In 1977, Commerce hosted the first-ever Women’s International Tournament in the United States and Sandy was the Tournament Director. She was one of the original coaches who began the push for the inclusion of women’s water polo at the Olympic Games, which became a reality in 2000, Sydney.Since her beginning days, Sandy has had an extensive head water polo coaching career in women’s water polo. She was the first Head Coach for the United States Junior National Team (1979). For 17 years (1980-1996, 1998), she was head coach of the USA Senior National Team. She was also head coach of the Queensland, Australia State Team (1996) and the Brazilian Senior National Team (1999-2002) where she coached at the first Pan American Games to include women’s water polo and the first-ever wins against the United States by the Brazilian team. For two years (2000-2002), she was coach of the Tualatin Hills Water Polo Club in Portland, Oregon and then Head Coach of Team Vegas in Las Vegas (1992-2000) and currently Team Vegas/Henderson (2002 to present). Other positions of leadership include: U.S. Water Polo Masters Advisory Committee (2008-2011), USA Water Polo Hall of Fame Committee (2006-2010), USA Water Polo Board of Directors (2010 to present), U.S. Olympic Development Director of the West Region (2011 to present) and Co-Chairperson of the U.S.A. USA Water Polo Coaches Association.Sandy was coach to the gold medal team at the 2006 FINA Masters World Championships and the women’s 50+ division at the 2012 Senior Games. She is the first and only female water polo coach in the U. S. Water Polo Hall of Fame and in her honor, the “Sandy Nitta Distinguished Women’s Coach Award” is presented annually by United States Water Polo.Sandy’s greatest influence to her water polo players under her guidance is her character. As a competitive swimmer, she was short making it difficult competing against taller swimmers. She would be leading by a body length before the turn and come out of the turn a half body length behind. But her drive and toughness led to a position on the Olympic Team. She fought for the “underdog”. When she began coaching the City Of Commerce Water Polo Team, it consisted mostly of lower income, Hispanic families who also were not tall nor came from competitive backgrounds. Yet, they achieved success. When coaching the USA Women’s National Team in the 1980’s, she had 125 to 150 players across the entire United States. Even when coaching them outside of the California hot-bed of water polo, Sandy achieved success from her players. It shows greatness and sound character.Sandy enjoys fresh water fishing, playing video games and playing poker. But you may want to think twice before putting any money on the poker table. She made it to the final table at the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas - a real smart competitor.

Episode 18 - Interview with Hall of Famer Sandy Nitta of Vegas Henderson Water Polo Club

You can help support this podcast by making a donation via PayPal.Thank you to everyone that has take the time to leave a review, send me an email or send me a tweet. It has truly meant the world to me!Remember you can reach me on twitter @stevecarrera and on instagram @stevecarrera and you can email me stevegcarrera@gmail.com************************************************************************************************************************From USAWaterPolo.orgFind Adam Krikorian on twitter @WaterPoloCoachKSince taking over the Women's Senior National Team, Adam Krikorian has been just about perfect. From his arrival in 2009 Team USA has competed in 17 major FINA Championships and come away with Gold in 14. This includes the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games, 2009 and 2015 FINA World Championships, the 2010 and 2014 FINA World Cups, seven FINA World League Super Final crowns and the 2016 Olympic Qualification Tournament. He's helped the United States maintain a number-one world ranking for the majority of his tenure and was honored in 2013 with the USOC National Coach of Year Award, only the second water polo coach to receive the honor. In October of last year he was named the 2013 Jack Kelly Fair Play Award recipient by the USOC for his accountability and composure during the 2012 Olympic Games semifinal match. Following the 2016 Olympic Games, Krikorian was named Coach of the Games by the USOC at the Team USA Awards. In early 2017 Krikorian was also honored by the Los Angeles Sports Council and the LA Sports Award receiving the first ever "Extraordinary Achievement In Olympic Sport" honors. Krikorian was named head coach of the USA Water Polo Women's Senior National Team on March 27, 2009. He had been head coach of the UCLA men's and women's programs for 10 years prior.A standout player at UCLA from 1992 to 1995, Krikorian captained the squad in his final year, leading UCLA to the 1995 Men's NCAA Championship, the school's first title in 23 years.Krikorian has earned National Women's Water Polo Coach of the Year honors five times: 2001 and from 2005 through 2008. He also received National Men's Coach of the Year honors in 2004 after leading the UCLA men's program to its eighth overall NCAA championship. He has guided the women's team to seven national championships, six sanctioned by the NCAA, including a string of five consecutive titles. In addition he's piloted the men's program to three NCAA titles; two of the three came as he served as co-head coach with Guy Baker.Krikorian graduated from UCLA with a psychology degree and a business administration emphasis in June 1997. In May 2001 Krikorian married Anicia Mendez, a four-year Bruin letter-winner in varsity tennis who completed her MBA at UCLA. Adam and Anicia reside in Manhattan Beach, CA, with their son, Jack (born July 2006) and daughter Annabel (born June 2009).

Episode 17 - Interview with Team USA Head Women's Coach Adam Krikorian

Sitting down with members of the water polo community to hear their stories on how they became successful in the world of water polo.