Barnett Will Coach Female Olympians

Bill Barnett didn’t expect to be chosen to coach the U.S. women’s Olympic water polo team after Guy Baker vacated the job to take over the men’s team.

“Actually, when it first opened up, I didn’t give it much thought,” Barnett said, “but I was encouraged by several fellow coaches to apply.”

Intrigued by the challenge of coaching at the national level after a long absence, the Laguna Beach resident made his pitch. On Wednesday, USA Water Polo announced Barnett had been hired to succeed Baker, pending the completion of final contract negotiations.

In addition to coaching the U.S. men’s team from 1985 to 1992, a tenure that included a silver-medal finish at the 1988 Seoul Olympics and fourth place at Barcelona in 1992, Barnett, 62, has coached and taught at Newport Harbor High since 1966.

His boys’ teams won 10 California Interscholastic Federation titles and his girls’ teams won two. He was also the school’s head swim coach from 1966 to 1972 and remains an assistant swim coach. He will take a leave from Newport Harbor or retire by April.

Barnett enlisted as assistants two-time Olympian Heather Moody and 2000 Olympic goalkeeper Bernice Orwig of Anaheim. If all goes as planned, Barnett will lead his first workout over Memorial Day weekend at the U.S. Water Polo National Training Center in Los Alamitos.

“They say in baseball that you want to be strong up the middle, and the same is true for us,” he said. “We’re really thin at center, so having Heather around to work with players will be a big help. We’re also young at goalie, and having Bernie as our goalie coach will be tremendous.”