But playing water polo at Corona del Mar seemed like a better fit. For Bergeson, it was just more meaningful to be a Sea King instead of a Sailor.
The past two years, he’s worked to be the best all-around player he could be, while receiving a special feeling for competing at the school where his father excelled.
The past season did not end as he would’ve liked with the Sea Kings losing in the CIF Southern Section Division I quarterfinals, but Bergeson surely left his mark in his junior year with the CdM program. Most coaches who have seen Bergeson are impressed with his versatility and wicked left-handed shot. Most know the sky’s the limit for him.
He showed that during the fall for the Sea Kings.
He led CdM with 81 goals and 53 assists. He was named the Pacific Coast League’s Most Valuable Player after leading the Sea Kings to their 10th straight PCL title. He became a first-team All-CIF Division I selection for the second consecutive year.
Also, Bergeson has been named the Daily Pilot Dream Team Player of the Year.
“He’s just really smart,” CdM Coach Barry O’Dea said of Bergeson, who was a Dream Team honoree last year. “He’s deadly with his shot. He has one of the best shots in the county. He’s really crafty and knows how to play the game real well. It’s in his blood. He’s been around it his whole life.”
Bergeson’s older brother, Alex also plays. He’s at Pepperdine, where he just redshirted his sophomore season.
Garth Bergeson played at UCLA, where he helped lead the Bruins to NCAA titles in 1971 and 1972. James Bergeson was a four-time All-American at Stanford from 1979 to 1982 and led the Cardinal to two NCAA championships. He was also a member of the 1988 U.S. Olympic team that won the silver medal in Seoul, Korea.
While at CdM, Max knows to listen to what his father says about the game.
