The Campbell Brothers Pool Their Talents Again on UCI Water Polo Team

Three years ago, when the UC Irvine water polo team won the NCAA championship, the Anteaters featured the Campbell brothers in the starting lineup.

Peter Campbell, then a senior, was UCI’s leading scorer, and a two-time All-American. Brother Jeff was a promising sophomore.

Since then, Peter has competed on the U.S. National and Olympic teams, and serves as an assistant to Anteater Coach Ted Newland.

Jeff, meanwhile, was a 1983 All-American, and competed on the international level. He was a redshirt in 1984.

This season, the brothers have been reunited at UCI--this time as player and coach--and the third-ranked Anteaters have another outstanding team. Despite a sluggish start, they are 14-5 thanks to the play of their captain, leading scorer, and dominating player--Jeff Campbell.

The senior has 51 goals to date, including a game-high of eight, and has scored four or more goals five times.

“He has a great outside shot,” Newland said. “He has scored very well as the two-meter man. Usually the two-meter man doesn’t score that much. But he’s able to shoot well from outside, and he’s a good driver, too.”

Peter Campbell believes his brother is not only one of the country’s best shooters, but is among the best collegiate players overall.

“I would say he’s probably one of the most dominant players in the game today,” he said.

Jeff, 23, has assumed the role Peter played in 1982. But had it not been for family support, Campbell might not have pursued the sport after graduating from University High in 1981.

“In high school, he wasn’t that serious about water polo,” Peter said. “Then he was just going to mess around at Orange Coast College. But myself and my parents talked him to playing (at UCI).”

Jeff didn’t think he was nearly as good a high school player as his brother, and had begun to lose his desire by the end of his senior season.

“After playing four years in high school, I thought maybe I didn’t want to play anymore,” Jeff said. “But they (Peter and his parents) talked to me about the importance of the program at UCI, and that coach Newland was real good. And I figured it’d be a good thing to get school paid for.”

Over the years, however, Peter had little influence on his brother. They participated in the same swimming organizations, but were never teammates in water polo until 1982. And when Peter was at UCI and Jeff still at University, they seldom talked polo.

But in their player-coach relationship, Jeff has become very receptive to Peter’s coaching.

“In high school, he was afraid to put any pressure on me,” Jeff said. “But he’s helped me out a lot (in college) . . . He’s really stressed the importance of practicing, that it gets you ready for life. I think it’s definitely an advantage having him as a coach, because he knows more about the game than coach Newland. Coach Newland is better at preparation, but he never played the game, like Peter has. So Peter is able to see things out there coach Newland can’t.”

Neither Campbell views his situation uncomfortably. Newland is impressed with the rapport that the brothers have during practices and games.

“They’re really amazing brothers,” Newland said. “I’ve told them this. I’ve never seen two brothers like them . . . There’s never any ego problems. It’s a very unique situation. They respect each other a lot. There is no sibling rivalry at all.”

Having coached each of them for five years, Newland has noticed certain similarities in their playing styles, but also some differences.

“They’re both very knowledgeable,” Newland said. “And they’re both very good defensive players. Jeff is a little bigger, though, by about 10 or 15 pounds. I guess Peter is a little more of a finesse player, and Jeff is more of a ‘hammerer.’ They both have very good game concepts, though.”

He added that the younger Campbell, despite the outstanding season he had in 1983, has improved considerably since. He played in the World University Games in Japan during August and September of 1984. He led all scorers in that tournament with 16 goals.

This year, he competed in the Sports Festival, and in several tournaments throughout the world, including some in Yugoslavia, Holland, Spain and Australia. Peter and Jeff both agreed that playing internationally during the last year has been of great benefit to him.

“His overall game has improved, just because of his experience internationally,” Peter said. “I mean, that level is the highest you can get. I think his defense has especially improved.”

Newland said the biggest difference he has seen in Jeff since playing on the national team is a boost in his confidence.

“That’s made a big difference in his game,” he said. “It gave him a lot of self-confidence . . . I see his redshirt year as a growing-up year. I see a lot more maturity in him. This has been a big transition for him this summer.”

The coaches concur that if Jeff Campbell continues to play as well as he is, he seems a shoo-in for All-American honors again this year. And after this season, he figures to be a strong candidate to make the 1988 Olympic team.

“If he keeps progressing . . . I would definitely think he is a very strong candidate,” Newland said. “I’d say he’s one of the strongest candidates on the college level.”

Said Peter Campbell: “He has a good chance to make the ’88 Olympic team. Since working out with Newland on the weights, he weighs over 200 pounds now. So he’s physically stronger than most of the other players . . . And he has international experience already.”

Jeff Campbell says he tries not to think about it too much, but he expects to make All-America again. Then, he hopes to make the Olympic team, though he said he won’t be too disappointed if he doesn’t make the cut.

“I’ll play on the national team again this spring,” he said. “Then they pick the world team. And if I make that, I’ll continue until ’88. And if I don’t, then I guess that will be it. If it comes, it comes.”

Just another goal for Jeff Campbell. But he’s had a habit of making most of his goals lately.