July 9th

I uploaded some more fotos this morning - sunset from Maggie's and my hotel room in Camogli and most of the rest show the steps leading up the hill from the bottom part of Camogli to the pool. It's quite a trek! A billy goat would be envious! But well worth it as the views from the hillside are spectacular. The boys will be returning to the Camogli pool this afternoon for a 2 o'clock game. Needless to say they're biting at the bit for some competition and according to Coach Lynch every day from here on out they will be playing some outstanding teams. After the pool training session this morning they all got in the weight room for an hour of strength training. It's quite a sight to see. Each player has a weight lifting partner and they go from station to station to work on a different muscle group. Coach Lynch and David are training partners and Coach is no slouch when it comes to pushing the iron. I also caught a glimpse of him doing no fewer than 10 very legit pull-ups. I was afraid for the wall that the bar was attached to!

There can't be another high school water polo program (and probably very few college/university programs) anywhere on the planet that gets the full course water polo treatment than our program provides the kids. Jason's a tough coach as we all know but I have concluded there is NO DOUBT that he has the best interest of EVERY kid in the program foremost in his mind. He wants them to achieve their potential and he will push and push until he sees them pushing themselves to the point that he feels they can. We as parents should be grateful for his commitment to our sons and their development as players and as men. As soon as he stops yelling and coaching our boys is when we need to start to worry. As a coach I tell my players that once I stop saying anything to them that's the time to get nervous because I've given up on them for their lack of commitment and unwillingness to be coachable. The good news: from my vantage point all of our kids are very coachable and they're all becoming better players...and people. As Maggie continues to remind me, 1) emotions fluctuate and 2) Newport Harbor HS water polo is an AP Water Polo class...and I promise you there is no other that comes close to ours thanks to Coach Lynch and Coach Delahunt. We are lucky to have them both.

Arrivederci !

Laird