Water Pressure

The pressures of playing water polo at Royal High can be immense, and all who strap on the green and yellow caps know it.

Royal has a 25-game Marmonte League winning streak and lost only one of its last 92 league games--a streak that began in 1981. Nobody wants to be a part of the team that gets the next loss.

The Highlanders have won 16 consecutive league championships. Nobody wants to be a part of the team that doesn’t win another.

And there is the new streak: Royal has appeared in two consecutive Southern Section Division IV championship games, including a title in 1995.

David Radka, Royal’s All-American two-meter man, knows all about these pressures. He is the team’s leading scorer, and as a four-year starter he says the streaks have taken their toll.

“It’s not that big a deal to me anymore,” Radka said. “It’s all about having fun. I still love to play and I still hate Thousand Oaks and Agoura and Westlake, but it’s only a game, it’s not my life.”

Radka first voiced his new attitude at an early season team meeting to discuss problems.

The Highlanders were struggling in the water for reasons Coach Steve Snyder said were related to troubles out of the water.

A tournament in Hawaii ran into the Southern Section “dead period” when teams are not allowed to play or practice. Because of that, the Highlanders had to sit out the first two weeks of official practice, setting the team back.

When they were allowed to return to practice, their home pool at Rancho-Simi Community Park was under repair. The Highlanders were forced to play at Sequoia Community pool, a facility that was less than satisfactory.

Add in a few injuries and illnesses, and the team suffered. Royal lost its first tournament game at the Riverside Poly tournament and then went 3-2 in the Rowland tournament.

“We had an attitude problem on the team stemming from all the adversity,” Snyder said. “We gave the players an ultimatum that if they don’t care, they should quit.”

Nobody quit. But when players were asked to voice their goals for the season Radka spoke up.

“Everyone said their goal was to win a [Southern Section] championship,” Radka said. “Except me. I said I just wanted to have fun. I explained that I would do whatever it takes and that the last thing I wanted was to let anyone down.”

Goalie Garrett Herzer understood.

“It doesn’t bother me,” he said. “I think he just wants everyone to look at where we are in the league instead of looking too far ahead.”

Snyder wasn’t worried either.

“We’re getting back on track now,” he said. “David is more of a leader by actions than words. He does the job quietly, but he always gets it done.”

On the way home from that team meeting, Radka’s car was hit at an intersection by a car that failed to obey a stop sign. Radka’s car was destroyed, and he damaged ligaments in his foot. He was in a cast for a week, and had time to reflect on his new attitude.

“I’m easier to be around now,” he said. “A lot of people didn’t like being around me on game day. I have to confine my focus and intensity to the pool.”

Radka began thinking about a change in attitude after last year’s championship game, a 12-11 loss to Cabrillo. Radka stepped up his game after teammate Chris Richeson fouled out, but his potential tying shot in the waning seconds hit the goalie in the face.

“I didn’t get over that loss until two months ago,” Radka said. “And that directed me into a new way of thinking. I still want to win, but I’ll take what I can get. There’s not as much pressure that way.”