Water Main

It has been more than a year since the U.S. national water polo team competed in a major international meet with all its top players.

That’s one of the reasons Coach John Vargas is happy Chris Oeding is his captain as the U.S. team begins preparing for its run toward the 2000 Olympics in the UPS International Cup this week. The eight-team, round-robin tournament starts today and continues through Sunday at the Marian Bergeson Aquatic Center on the campus of Corona del Mar High.

“Having Chris on the team is having another coach in the water, and we’ll rely on him a lot to get us back on track as quickly as possible,” Vargas said. “We have great communication with each other, and his experience and knowledge of the game will really help us.”

Oeding, who coaches the water polo team and the men’s and women’s swimming teams at Orange Coast College, plays the driver position, which is comparable to a basketball point guard or a football quarterback.

It’s part of Oeding’s role to change offensive tactics or defenses during play.

“I have total faith in Chris,” Vargas said.

It’s no wonder. The two have known each other since Oeding began playing for Vargas 14 years ago at Corona del Mar High. The Sea Kings won three Southern Section championships in Oeding’s four years there.

Oeding, 27, followed his older brother, Jeff, who played in college at Stanford, as a Corona del Mar water polo standout. Chris was more interested in soccer than water polo when he started high school, but Vargas was impressed with his potential and encouraged him. “He was a special player even then, and I thought he might be able to get to this level,” Vargas said.

Oeding went on to earn a scholarship to California, which won three NCAA titles in his four years at Berkeley, and was chosen as NCAA player of the year as a senior in 1992.

He joined the national team a year later, and won a spot on the 1996 Olympic team that finished seventh. Meanwhile, Vargas, a former UC Irvine player who was a member of the 1992 Olympic team, had become an assistant coach. Soon after Atlanta, Vargas replaced Rich Corso as head coach.

“We were all disappointed that we didn’t win a medal in Atlanta,” Oeding said. “Then we were seventh in the World Championships in Perth [Australia], and I think that was a wake-up call for us.”

The World Championship in January of 1998 marked the last time all the top players competed together in a big event. They regrouped a month ago to resume training.

“We have all the components to be a great team,” Oeding said. “But a lot will depend on creating the chemistry to make it happen. Some of us have been playing together since we were on the junior national team.”

Oeding is one of six players returning from the 1996 Olympic team. He was the second-highest scorer in Atlanta, and his 11-of-23 shooting (47.8%) was the best on the team.

“I’m a few years older, but I feel just as good physically as I did then, if not better,” Oeding said.

A severe shoulder injury in January of 1993 threatened to end Oeding’s water polo career. He partially tore his rotator cuff, and was slow recovering from surgery.

“That kept me out of workouts for a year, and it took a year for me to regain my confidence,” Oeding said. “Then I broke a bone in my hand just before the FINA Cup in 1995 and had to miss that. It made me realize that I need to take care of myself.”

At 6-foot-1, Oeding isn’t as tall as many water polo players. “I have to rely more on my quickness since I don’t have a lot of physical size,” he said.

Vargas said Oeding makes up for any physical deficiencies with his instincts and knowledge of the game.

“Nothing gets by him,” Vargas said. “Even now, as experienced as he is, you can tell how closely he listens to everything when I’m talking. He’s really focused.”

The UPS Cup will be an important tuneup for the U.S. team before the Pan American Games this month in Winnipeg. Five of the world’s top eight teams--Yugoslavia, Russia, Australia and Italy along with the U.S.--are entered.

The Pan Am Games will be the U.S. team’s first opportunity to qualify for the Olympics in Sydney next summer.

“I’m focusing everything, starting now, on getting to the Olympics and earning that Olympic medal,” Oeding said.

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Water Polo

What: 1999 UPS International Cup

When: Today-Sunday

Where: Marian Bergeson Aquatic Center, Corona del Mar High

Basics: Daily round-robin tournament between national teams culminates with championship game at 3:30 p.m. Sunday.

Today’s schedule: 4 p.m.--Italy vs. Puerto Rico; 5:15--Australia vs. Yugoslavia; 6:30--United States vs. Mexico; 7:45--Brazil vs. Russia,

Thursday’s schedule: 4 p.m.--Australia vs. Puerto Rico; 5:15--Italy vs. Yugoslavia; 6:30--Russia vs. Mexico; 7:45--United States vs. Brazil.

Friday’s schedule: 4 p.m.--Italy vs. Australia; 5:15--Puerto Rico vs. Yugoslavia; 6:30--Brazil vs. Mexico; 7:45 United States vs. Russia.

Tickets: $5 for students, $8 for adults. Championship games Sunday: $8. for students, $15 for adults.

Information: (949) 644-9171