A Double Life

It’s tough enough to juggle schoolwork, a social life and one varsity sport. The adventurous and super-talented might even earn letters in two or more sports.

So what do you call someone who wants to play two varsity sports during the same season?

“I don’t know how she does it,” Edison girls’ water polo Coach Matthew Whitmore said of junior Amber Prestegard, water polo and soccer player.

Prestegard is the second-leading scorer for the Charger girls’ water polo team and she also starts at sweeper in soccer. Juggling the two sports in the same season has been challenging.

“I’ve gotten used to it,” Prestegard said. “One tough thing is those 6 a.m. water polo workouts, especially since I like to stay up late, around midnight usually, to finish studying.

“But I haven’t missed any league games for either sport, just some practice time. I like the games more anyway.”

And Prestegard’s proficiency in the sports will eventually lead her to having to make a tough decision between the two. Fortunately, she has two coaches who aren’t exerting much pressure on her to make that decision immediately.

Although Whitmore isn’t bashful in telling Prestegard what her future could be like in water polo.

“She could dominate,” Whitmore said. “She has a hard shot, she’s quick and she’s strong.

“If she decides to continue to play both it might limit her chances, because the level of women’s water polo is rising so fast, she’ll have to work that much harder to keep up.

“But don’t get me wrong, she can still be very good at both. She plays both sports and it helps both teams.”

On the soccer field, Prestegard’s tough defense complements the play of her sister Heidi, a senior who led the team in scoring last season. This season, the Chargers are off to a fast start and are ranked third in the county.

The Charger water polo team was ranked as high as eighth in the county, but recently suffered tough losses to Esperanza and University.

“That was tough because we should have won both games,” Prestegard said. “We’re really lagging now. We’ve got to pick it up.”

That competitive fire and grit are something people are noticing.

“She’s our enforcer,” Edison girls’ soccer Coach Kerry Crooks said. “I think half of the football team likes to come out to watch us play because Amber is so physical and she hits really hard.

“Amber already has the physical makeup of a Division I college soccer player. And I’d love to be selfish and have her play more soccer, but I also know that it’s a different world out there in women’s athletics.

“If she has to devote more time to play water polo, I definitely can’t be upset with that.”

Prestegard isn’t the only player Crooks has to share with Whitmore. Junior Melissa Gallo is a reserve on Edison’s soccer and water polo teams.

And the Sunset League has another two-sport winter wonder: Los Alamitos’ Kristin Geoffroy.

Geoffroy is a reserve for the Griffin water polo team, which is ranked fourth in the county. She also is a 6-foot-6 center for the Griffin basketball team and has signed an intent letter to play basketball at Kansas.

So why does she put her body through such abuse in the winter?

“I grew up swimming with so many of these girls,” Geoffroy said. “And it was my senior year, so . . . “

Los Alamitos water polo Coach Tony Martinho, who coached Geoffroy in youth swimming and water polo, welcomed her back after she sat out last season.

“There’s no one her size that’s even playing water polo,” Martinho said. “She could be awesome.

“I think after she sat out last season and saw us go 24-0, she thought to herself, ‘I know those girls, and hey, that’s not so hard. I can do that too.’ But I don’t blame her one bit for playing basketball.”

And that accommodating attitude from her coaches is something Prestegard is also enjoying.

“Sure I think [Whitmore] would like me to play more water polo,” Prestegard said, “but I think I’ll keep playing both sports. They’re a lot of fun.”