Tony Altobelli
Needless to say, Chris Oeding is going to be a busy camper this
year at Orange Coast College, and beyond.
Not only is he the head coach for the men's water polo and the men's
and women's swim teams, Oeding is also the assistant coach for Mike Giles
and the women's water polo squad.
"I've got my hand in all of the aquatic programs here," Oeding said
with a smile. "This is my fifth season as water polo coach, my first as
men's and women's swim coach and my second as women's water polo
assistant."
Oh yeah, Oeding is also the captain of the United States water polo
team, which will be making two trips to Sydney, Australia in the near
future.
The first trip down under is the FINA World Championships Sept. 28 to
Oct. 4, followed by the 2000 Summer Olympics in September of next year.
"Our national team has shown moments of brilliance, while at the same
time we know we can be beaten at any time," Oeding said. "We won the FINA
Cup in 1997 and I think we are one of the top teams in the world. We
definitely have the components of being a medal-winning team at the
Olympics."
Is it difficult playing and coaching at the same time?
"Actually, I think they complement each other very nicely," Oeding
said. "Teaching the fundamentals not only helps reinforce them to me, but
playing also allows me to understand what my players are going through
and to keep things in perspective."
Oeding's road to success has often been chronicled, but it's too
impressive not to be mentioned again.
A local product, Oeding played water polo at Corona del Mar High where
he first met one of his biggest coaching influences, current U.S.
National Team coach John Vargas.
"He is my mentor," Oeding said. "He was the first person to really
teach me the basics of the game and one of the coaches whom I've
patterned my coaching style around."
As a Sea King, Oeding led CdM to back-to-back CIF Southern Section 4-A
water polo titles in 1987 and '88.
In 1989, Oeding was CIF 4-A Player of the Year and a first-team
All-American selection.
From there, Oeding went to UC Berkeley and led the Golden Bears to
three NCAA water polo championships and a 1992 Co-Player of the Year
honor.
After a brilliant prep and collegiate career, Oeding reached his final
goal: the Olympics, competing at the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics, where
the U.S. water polo team placed seventh.
"It's a dream of any person to make it to that level," Oeding once
said. "The big dream for anyone who plays water polo is to get a medal at
