Lancaster is back at boys’ water polo helm

Edgar Melik-Stepanyan

ARCADIA -- He’s back, again.

Pat Lancaster, the News-Press All-Area Coach of the Year in 2000, just

can’t stay away from the Glendale High boys’ water polo program.

The journalism teacher at Glendale High made another return to the

pool deck -- along with assistant Alfred Tamazyan, also a former Nitro

boys’ water polo coach, -- following the dismissal of first-year coach

Oscar Dorado on Tuesday.

Nobody, from co-athletic director Tim Butler to Lancaster to Tamazyan,

or any of the players would comment extensively on Dorado’s dismissal.

“There were some things that didn’t work out and we made a change,”

Butler said. “We’re very happy to have Mr. Lancaster and Alfred back.

I’ll just leave it at that.”

Lancaster said Dorado’s dismissal was an administrative decision and

would not comment further into the situation.

“I didn’t have time to think about it,” Lancaster said. “We got on a

bus and here we are. The principal [Mike Linvingston] came up to me

[Tuesday] morning at 9 and I told him under the circumstances I could

[coach again].”

Said Tamazyan: “I’m more than happy [to return]. I’m very much

emotionally attached to Glendale High. [The players] make me feel wanted.

It just feels like home.”

Tamazyan said Dorado, who coached just one match, was a friendly and

nice individual, but like Lancaster and Butler, he would not comment

further.

After rallying from a 10-0 defecit, Glendale lost to host Arcadia,

14-13, on Wednesday in its Pacific League opener.

Despite the loss, the Nitro players were excited to have Lancaster and

Tamazyan back at the helm.

“Alfred and Lancaster are putting this team together,” Glendale’s

Aryan Adjamian said. “With their style and their age, they’re forming a

certain chemistry that we need. I was happy that Alfred and Lancaster are

back because they fit us. They know how we work.”

After a six-year absence, Lancaster returned last season to lead

Glendale to a 23-6 record and a second-place finish in league behind

Crescenta Valley.