No excuses to be heard

Bryce Alderton

Orange Coast College men’s and women’s swimming coach Don Watson said

his teams don’t have to win state championships to be successful.

But they sure do help.

Watson and Dave Salo, the state co-coaches of the year last season

when the OCC women’s team won its 13th state championship -- first

since 1997 -- while the men finished third in California, return to

lead both squads again this season.

For Salo, head coach of the Irvine Novaquatics, a renowned club

team that has produced Olympic athletes, his fourth year guiding the

Bucs will be his last. Next fall he begins a new job as aquatics

director at Soka University in Aliso Viejo, a small, four-year

liberal arts school.

Watson and Salo admit they finally “clicked” last year and along

the way, began learning about themselves.

“We are both hard, face up on the table with the kids,” Watson

said. “We are caring and achievement-oriented. We both think there

are people who produce and a small number of people who achieve.

Everyone else has an excuse or an explanation.

“If you spend time on something, you should pursue excellence. If

you want to train for mediocrity, go someplace else.”

Salo and Watson have set a high standard, one the swimmers on this

year’s teams will try to live up to.

The women’s team returns three sophomores, including Shannon

Maxfield, a state finalist in three distance events -- the 500-yard

freestyle, 1,650 free and 200 free. Sara Natalizio was part of the

winning 200 and 400 medley relay teams and finished second and third

in the 50 and 100 butterfly, respectively, while Kim Doll was a

finalist in the 1,500 freestyle.

Joining the trio will be fellow sophomores Lindsey Eastman and

Megan Lantz.

Katie Thorsness, who claimed Golden West League titles in the 200

and 500 free last season while swimming for Costa Mesa High, heads a

promising group of freshmen.

“She is one of the strongest girls,” Watson said of Thorsness.

“She should be a state finalist in both events. She will help us in

the distance events.”

Freshman Erin Harvey and Brittany Kane, both from Laguna Hills,

should make an impact as sprinters, Watson said.

Sherry Tsai, who set three national records in winning four events

in at last year’s state championships, will swim for UC Berkeley this

season with three years of eligibility remaining. She still trains at

Coast when in town.

“It was a tough decision [for Tsai], contemplating a second year

[at Coast], but she had a scholarship to Berkeley,” Watson said.

The men’s team finished third in the state last year and also has

three sophomore returners.

Roger Wong and Trevor Myers were both state finalists in the 100

breaststroke while Wong also accomplished the feat in the 200

breaststroke.

Freshman Max Wong (San Clemente) is versatile in the middle

distance and freestyle races while Jason Huang, a transfer from

Saddleback College, should provide stability in the 200 IM.

Salo has been impressed with Huang and Wong.

“Max and Jason are the best newcomers on the guys side,” Salo

said.

Frank Gamboa (Estancia) provides more depth after claiming the

Golden West League title in the 200 free (1:56.42).

“Steven Wolfe (Fountain Valley), Wong and Huang should combine to

be one of the top free relays in the state this year,” Watson said.

Watson contends the men overachieved last year and some of that

could be attributed to the women’s success.

“They started off without any real goals or identity,” Watson said

of the men. “The [women] motivated them to step up and they swam

well. I think both groups will be in the top five this year.”

Coast competes in the Border relays at Palomar College at 9 a.m.

today.

Salo, who was in Orlando, Fla., Feb. 9-16 for the Spring National

swimming championships, said it will be difficult to make every OCC

meet since he is trying to become one of the assistant coaches of the

United States national team to go to Athens, Greece, when the Games

begin in August. He knows good teams wen he sees them.

“Don and I finally got it right last year,” Salo said. “The second

year we were too polite to each other in regard to where we were

coming from. [Last year] we divvied up the responsibilities and

didn’t get in the way of each other. We learned a lot from each

other.”

And the swimmers, in turn, learned a lot from them.