Klippert like a gem

For the past four girls’ water polo seasons, Kate Klippert has spent at least fours a day, Monday through Friday, with Coach Bill Barnett.

She knows him well, respects what he says. For most who have been under the guidance of the legendary coach, they know Barnett doesn’t just throw around compliments. So when he described Klippert as a player, she was taken aback. The words made an impact.

“She is the finest female athlete I’ve coached at the high school level,” Barnett said of the senior captain. “She’s got speed, size and great throwing ability.

“She is an absolutely fantastic athlete. Her speed and quickness make her great. She’s the epitome of what you want in a prototype athlete.”

Klippert used that athleticism to help the Sailors reach the CIF Southern Section Division I final. Those traits were assuredly on display in her sparkling performance that led to the Sailors’ 8-6 victory against Corona del Mar in the semifinals.

The UC-Berkeley-bound Klippert scored four goals and recorded two steals in the win. The victory was punctuated by the fact that it came against the Sailors’ Back Bay rivals.

Klippert’s performance gave more reason for Barnett to say such strong words.

“I have never been complimented like that by him,” Klippert said during a phone interview, as she is visiting family in Idaho. “When he says something, he means it. I really respect him a lot. He’s definitely a very important figure in my life. He has taught me a lot.”

The coach taught Klippert resiliency among other attributes. Klippert has dealt with weathering storms. She described her season as having ups and downs. The low points came when she used too much tenacity on defense in the referees’ eyes, she said.

The high points? There were many. As a captain, her leadership helped the team capture the Sunset League championship. She teamed up with fellow senior Kaleigh Gilchrist to give the Sailors’ one of the best 1-2 combos in the program’s rich history.

Klippert impressed many with her speed, and her defense often powered Newport Harbor’s counterattack. For the season, she had 57 goals, 43 steals and 26 assists.

The season nearly ended with a CIF Division I title. As a sophomore, Klippert experienced a CIF championship season. But she was on the other end last week, when the Sailors lost a five-goal lead and fell to undefeated Dos Pueblos, 8-7. A tough way to go out, but still a great season, she said.

Throughout the season, Klippert tried to put her skills to use.

“I just don’t give up very easily,” Klippert said. “It gets really rough in the pool sometimes. I wanted to be a team leader. I never wanted my team to see that I wasn’t working hard.”