Rosary’s Monahan Finally Takes Things Into Her Own Hands
It seemed like an ordinary play, one that occurs countless times during a water polo season. But when it happened to Meghan Monahan and her Rosary water polo teammates last Saturday against Marina, those in the know knew something special had occurred.
A loose ball floated in Monahan’s direction--about 15 feet from the Marina goal--with just over 30 seconds left in the first quarter.
Monahan, a junior, scooped it up, crept closer to the goal while keeping her arm cocked, then did something that shocked her teammates.
She shot the ball.
Not only that, it went in the net.
And with that goal, Monahan completed a season-long metamorphosis from role player to complete player, giving Rosary Coach Todd Sprague what he believes his team needs to win a second consecutive Southern Section title.
“There were times when she would pass up shots right in front of the cage,” Sprague said. “It’s like the ball was a hot potato when there was an open shot. But in that game she attacked the goal and stuck it in the corner. That is what I’ve been looking for from her.”
Monahan, who had only five goals in Rosary’s 14 previous games, said she was too scared to shoot early in the season. But she scored three goals against Marina.
“She’s gone from oblivion to someone I’m going to ask to carry some weight,” Sprague said. “And with her stepping up, I think we can play with anybody.”
The Royals, already the top-ranked team in Southern Section Division IV, will find out if they can indeed play with anybody when they take part in the Southern California Invitational, beginning today at Heritage Park in Irvine. The 32-team tournament, featuring most of the top girls’ water polo teams from San Diego to Santa Barbara, concludes Saturday.
“It’s a pressure, but it’s a good pressure,” Monahan said of her new role. “Before, I didn’t want to shoot because I didn’t want to screw up and get yelled at. I don’t like getting yelled at. I’d rather pass and have somebody else do it.”
A swimmer since she was 4, Monahan took up water polo before her freshman year at Rosary. She has never been a major part of the Royals’ offense. Instead, she took comfort in her role as a defensive specialist and passer.
The offense had been handled the last two years by Julia Wald, the 1998 Division III player of the year who is now at USC. She scored about 75% of Rosary’s goals the last two seasons.
“I think it just took me awhile to get used to Julia not being there,” Monahan said. “I knew when she left we would all have to change and step up, but I needed some time to be able to play without the restriction of having to pass.”
After Wald graduated, Sprague scrambled to design a new offense--one that would incorporate a team concept. He found scorers in Natalie Golda, Julie Henn and Kelly McNeley, but felt there was one missing element: Monahan.
“She had all the ability in the world,” Sprague said. “She just hadn’t come into her own. When I asked her to step it up, she expressed concern about being asked to contribute to the offense. She’s never been on a team where she was counted on. She liked her role.”
Sprague wouldn’t allow that attitude. Not with the talent he had seen her display in practice. Sprague, a former prep wrestler and baseball player who believes that lack of confidence prevented him from excelling, didn’t want apprehension to impede Monahan’s development.
“I saw a lot of myself in her,” Sprague said. “I remember watching her shoot in practice, her body position was great, the ball high in the air and she was putting them into the corners. I knew she was very talented, but she didn’t. I wasn’t going to let her figure it out 20 years later.”
So Sprague began working on her. The breakthrough occurred about two weeks ago, during a shooting drill in which players had to make four kinds of shots against a defender and a goalie.
Monahan made her first three before Sprague stopped the drill and asked if anyone had made all four shots. Nobody had.
With all of her teammates hooting and hollering, rooting her on, Monahan got in position, pump faked and blasted her fourth shot into the goal. Her teammates erupted in cheers.
“That really gave me the confidence to shoot and play better in games,” Monahan said. “Now I feel a lot more motivated to go out and score in games.”
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Water Polo
* What: Southern California Invitational
* When: Today through Saturday
* Where: Irvine’s Heritage Park Aquatic Complex, Corona del Mar High, El Toro High
* Today’s first-round games: At Heritage Park’s 50-meter pool: 3 p.m.--Irvine vs. Palos Verdes Chadwick; 4--Canyon vs. Arroyo Grande; 5--Rosary vs. Irvine “B”; 6--Riverside Arlington vs. Los Alamitos. At Heritage Park’s 33-meter pool: 3--Coronado vs. Trabuco Hills; 4--Santa Margarita vs. Aliso Niguel; 5--Santa Barbara vs. Manhattan Beach Mira Costa; 6--Esperanza vs. Long Beach Millikan. At El Toro High: 3--Long Beach Wilson vs. Newbury Park; 4--Capistrano Valley vs. Edison; 5--Santa Monica vs. Laguna Hills; 6--El Toro vs. Costa Mesa. At Corona del Mar High: 3--Newport Harbor vs. Thousand Oaks; 4--Foothill vs. Lompoc Cabrillo; 5--Marina vs. Corona del Mar; 6--University vs. Goleta Dos Pueblos. Second-round winners’ bracket games tonight at all four sites at 7 and 8.
* Championship game: 3:30 p.m. Saturday at Heritage Park’s 50-meter pool
* Admission: Free
* Information: (949) 936-7000, Ext. 7104