Corona del Mar Is a Dream Job for Chaney

Aaron Chaney is feeling more comfortable with his new job as girls’ water polo coach at Corona del Mar High. A new wardrobe was the first step.

Chaney previously spent 19 years coaching water polo at Iolani High in Honolulu, where the boys play in the fall, the girls in the spring and the temperature rarely dips below 70 degrees either season.

“I’m used to being out on deck in swim shorts, no shirt and thongs,” said Chaney. “Now, I have to wear long pants and a long-sleeved shirt.”

But Chaney is happy to throw on more substantial clothing for the opportunity to coach at Corona del Mar, where he was hired last month to replace John Vargas, who is taking over the Stanford men’s program Jan. 1. Chaney considers the Corona del Mar aquatics program one of the best at the high school level.

The only consideration for Chaney was breaking the news to his players at Villa Park, where he was hired only five months earlier.

“I didn’t like leaving something I just started,” Chaney said, “but positions like [Corona del Mar] don’t open up very often.”

Chaney couldn’t have picked a better time to step in. The Sea Kings, No. 6 in The Times’ rankings, return several key members from last season’s Southern Section Division IV semifinal team, including all-section selections Danielle Carlson, Christina Hewko and Daniela DiGiacomo. The three juniors, who combined for 209 steals last season, lead a strong defensive unit that has limited its first two opponents to three goals.

“Vargas has prepared them pretty well,” said Chaney, who, after playing at Punahou High in Honolulu, was a member of UC Santa Barbara’s first NCAA championship team in 1979. He taught math and coached water polo at Iolani from 1981 to 2000, guiding the girls’ team the last five years.

Water polo lured Chaney back to Southern California 18 months ago, but it wasn’t to coach. Chaney is one of seven U.S. water polo referees who represent FINA, the sport’s international governing body.

He left Hawaii to be closer to the U.S. national training base at the Los Alamitos Armed Forces Center, where he hoped to pursue his dream of officiating at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia.

Although he wasn’t selected for one of two spots available in Sydney, he did travel to Japan last summer for the FINA world championships. He’s also a regular at most NCAA championships.

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World travelers: Lake Forest El Toro’s Lauren Heineck is one of six Southland girls playing in the FINA junior world championships in Perth, Australia.

Heineck, who transferred to El Toro from Annapolis, Md., in September, was excited about making her first trip overseas for water polo competition.

“It’s almost surreal,” Heineck said last week. “I’m looking forward to a great experience.”

Other team members include Santa Ana Foothill’s Emily Feher and Gabbie Domanic, Santa Margarita’s Kristina Kunkel and Bell Gardens’ Patty Cardenas and Alex Lopez.

The Southland players have helped the U.S. to a 4-0-1 record before a pool-play game Thursday against Canada. The U.S. has outscored opponents, 56-15.

The tournament runs through Saturday. .