By Jack Allen
Editor-in-Chief
Having finished my career playing Mira Costa water polo, it’s hard to describe how much that program has meant to me. The past four years of pool time have been similar to a marriage. I worked at it, I loved it to death, it tired me out tremendously, but it brought out the best in me. And that ring on my finger will forever lock it in place.
After a hard-fought season in Division II having pushed farther than any other previous Costa team, my assistant coach Dave Halushka, usually known among our team for his witty sense of humor, took us all aside after our last team dinner when tensions were high and said, “You guys are gonna learn that there are things in life more important than water polo, and at the end of the day all you guys are doing is playing a game.” He was right. He wanted us to see that we had our whole lives in front of us, and, in reality, it was just a game. A game that we had the privilege of playing and that gave us one more day together.
My coaches, Dave, Damon and Coach Reichardt, all helped me become the person that I am today. They will forever be in my memories as three of the most influential people in my life, and I thank them for that. They taught me that, more than anything, life is never about the amount of wins or losses you achieve but about the effort you put toward the people and things you love.
Through all the summer training, tournaments, games, 5:30 a.m. practices and dry land sessions, there were times where I stood on that pool deck, wondering why on earth I chose a sport that requires being wet, tired, and freezing the majority of the time. But now that it is all over and I’ve tied a bow in cap number 16 for the last time as a Mustang, I know exactly why I chose it. It put me out of my comfort zone to the point where I not only grew as an athlete but as a human. And, yes, of course, the Speedo tans were a nice addition.
From belting the national anthem in the locker room to running into the girls volleyball game in our Speedos still dripping wet from practice, to jumping into the pool after winning CIF last year, the part I will miss most is the guys I got to share these moments with. Through blood, chlorine, tears and laughs, I gained another family.
Thanks for the ride, boys.
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