Newport Harbor Water Polo

IRONMAN

2011-04-04T10:16:00.000-07:00

Spring semester is the busiest time of year. On top of the regular academic schedule, the boys are busy with SAT & ACT test prep, studying for AP finals (which take place in May, not June).

It is also swim season, with competitions at various high schools each week, league finals and CIF. Swimming 6000 yards before breakfast is not unusual. And there is the annual Spring Break rite of passage. No, I'm not talking about an extended trip to a sunny beach in Florida, Texas, Mexico or elsewhere. At Newport Harbor, Spring Break means it is time for the 100X100's. Each athlete will swim 100 yards, 100 times in a day. It is a grueling test of endurance. But it is a test that all complete with the help and encouragement of teammates, coaches and parents.

Now, with all this going on, you'd think water polo would take a back seat. Not a chance. Water polo training continues through the week with the addition of night league - practices from 8-10pm. And to keep the competitive edge sharp, the boys are once again participating in the IRONMAN League.

IRONMAN League is the premier developmental water polo league in the nation. The league draws the best club teams from Southern California. Team compete at two levels: 16 & under and 16 & over. The overlap for 16-year old players means that some boys can (and do) compete at both levels. We are roughly half way through the season and Newport is 3rd in 16 & under and tied for 3rd in 16 & over.

Complete IRONMAN photo coverage of the action can be found at the Newport Harbor Aquatics Fotki site.

Hell Week (with a spot of Paradise)

2010-09-07T09:24:00.000-07:00

Back on August 25, the boys water polo program started practice in preparation for the fall season. Hell Week is a common experience for many sports programs, highlighted by two-a-day or three-a-day practices. For the Newport Harbor Aquatics Program, three-a-days are something they experienced in the winter and spring. Hell Week takes it to a new level - practice is essentially all day with a lunch break. For 11 days, the boys were pushed to their physical limits in preparation for the fall season.

In the middle of the first week of Hell Week, 19 members of the varsity workout group enjoyed a two day trip to Catalina Island. Craig & Arlene Silvers and Dave & Mary Jean Harper were the gracious hosts, opening their boats to the team and coaches.

The trip started with a farewell dinner on the pool deck. This was no fancy cotillion-style affair. Hungry athletes + plenty of food = mass consumption.

Practice ended at 4:00pm and the boys were done eating (inhaling) by 4:30. The boys piled into the various cars and vans for the short trip down to the docks.

The next two days were filled with laughter, eating, swimming, zip-lining, paddle-boarding, inner-tubing, fishing, and all sorts of fun activities.

Monday evening, parents gathered at the docks awaiting the return of their boys. With beaming smiles, we could all tell they had just experienced the greatest time. No one was thinking about the return to practice the next morning.

Towards the end of Hell Week, the team gathered for the first of several team dinners. On Saturday, Coach Jason Lynch and his wife Kim opened their home to the varsity team and their parents. No one got in the way of the boys once they arrived, as they headed straight for the food.

A luxurious spread was prepared by the parents. At the head of the table were plentiful quantities of grilled tri-tip, chicken and sausage - all prepared by Scott & Gina Carpenter.

With filled tummies, the boys gathered in the Lynch's living room to watch some college football.

The parents mingled for hours, reminiscing over their summer adventures and looking forward to the fall season.

With Labor Day behind us, we now march on to the fall water polo season.

Junior Olympics: Boys Wrap-Up

2010-08-04T14:15:00.000-07:00

The final tournament has come and gone and it was a busy four days for the boys at Newport Harbor. The team gathered for dinner at the home of Al & Teresa Duhoux on Thursday night before the tournament where they dined on tri-tip, twice baked potatoes and casear salad.

The opening day of the tournament started early for the 18s team - 7:00 am in Whittier. Their opponent was the Riptides, one of two teams in the tournament from the Miami Florida area. An hour later, with a 12-5 victory under their belts, the team gathered for a leisurely breakfast at the California Grill in Whittier. Fed and awake, the team slowly made its way back to Whittier for the 2nd game of the day against Pacific North West United at 12:50 pm. Another 12-5 victory put Newport in the Platinum bracket. The team would enjoy a long rest with Sunday's game starting at 1:00 pm in Whittier.

As the 18s were about to complete their first day of competition, the 16s were just starting at USC. The 12th seeded Newport boys would face the 37th seeded Clovis Bears, who they handily dispatched 11-3. Newport faced a surprising Foothill team in the second game of the day, falling 10-6. This forced Newport to play a third game and a shot at the Platinum bracket. The scheduled 8:30 pm game started late. Despite the long day, the Newport boys prevailed over Greenwhich 6-5 for a slot in the Platinum bracket.

With the teams divided into Platinum and Gold brackets, Sunday would feature two games of bracket play. Win 2 games and you are in the top 8. Lose one and you play for 9-16. Lose both games and you play for 17-24. First up for the 18s was Davis, a team they had faced in the Commerce tournament two weeks earlier. In a very physical game (a Davis player received a brutality), the Newport boys played their fast counter game and prevailed 11-3.

The second game for the 18s was against Regency. The now Division 1 rival would be a tough foe, especially with Regency's addition of two graduated seniors. The game was hard fought, but Newport made too many mistakes and fell 12-5.

The 16s faced Pacific North West United to start their day of Platinum bracket play. With a strong showing and a 9-8 victory in hand, the team then faced a very strong (and silver medal winning) Stanford. Despite their best efforts, the team fell 12-5 to wrap up the second day of competition.

After the 18s loss to Regency, team captain Andrew Duhoux organized a team dinner. The usual tired/hungry faces disappeared at the boys dined on pizza and watched The Mask. As you can tell, everyone had their fill.

For the third day of competition, the 18s traveled to the Rosebowl Aquatics Center for a 10:00 am game against an older and much larger Stockton team. Speed and conditioning prevailed as Newport advanced with a 11-5 victory. The win meant the boys would not play until 6:00 pm in Commerce against Rosebowl. The "Chloritorium" would not treat the team well and they fell to Rosebowl 8-5.

The 16s started their 3rd day of competition back at USC with a match against the SoCal Black team - an all-start team stacked with some of the best 16s in the county. With too many weapons to counter, the Newport boys fell 13-5. The second match of the day pitted Newport against the North San Diego Stars. The boys bounced back from the earlier loss and prevailed 13-8.

The final day of competition would only feature one game. The 18s faced Long Beach Shores at the Rosebowl Aquatics Center. Shores came out quickly and put a few points on the board, leading Newport 8-5 at the half. Newport turned up the defense and held Shores scoreless in the second half, but could not completely erase the gap and lost 8-7. Newport ended up taking 12th place in their Platinum division.

The 16s ended their tournament at Los Altos High School with a 6-5 victory over Clovis to take 13th place in the Platinum division.

Pictures of all the 18s games (sorry, not the last game) can be found at the Newport Harbor Aquatics Photo Site. With the completion of play, the teams now enjoy a 3-week break before returning to practice on August 25.

Tomorrow, the girls begin their Junior Olympics and Newport has teams in the 12s, 14s, 16s and 18s.

Junior Olympics are here!

2010-07-29T17:10:00.000-07:00

Starting this Saturday, Newport Harbor begins its quest for JO Gold. All information can be found on the Official Junior Olympics web site.

Follow the action with the Official Schedule. Make sure to click on the correct tab, as all boys divisions are included (12U through 18U).

You can always find picture highlights on the Newport Harbor Aquatics Facebook Page.

California State High School Championships

2010-07-26T08:37:00.000-07:00

It was a busy weekend for the Newport Harbor water polo teams. Both boys and girls varsity squads saw action in the three day California State High School Championships. And both team achieved a 3rd place finish for the weekend.

The boys played without starters Farrel South and Chris Whitelegge, who were in Italy playing with the USA '93 Junior National Team (the team took 2nd place in an 8-nation tournament).

In addition, attacker David Jorth missed games due to a serious eye injury suffered in the opening game on Friday. Even though there was still swelling and pressure on his right eye, Davey returned to action on Sunday and scored in both games.

Goalie Koby Yokota was the focus of Sunday's Daily Pilot sports section, which also featured photos of Curtis Fink, Luke Ronaldson and Daniel Stevens. The extensive article highlighted Koby's remarkable play in the tournament as well as the broad scoring attack which featured five players with two goals each.

The teams now focus on the upcoming Junior Olympics which start for the boys next weekend.

Newport Boys In Italy

2010-07-22T08:53:00.000-07:00

Newport Harbor's Chris Whitelegge and Farrel South are playing in an 8 nation international tournament as part of USA Water Polo's '93 Junior National Team.

Follow the games on Pallanuoto (Italian for Water Polo). The English translation is here.

Busy Water Polo Weekend

2010-07-19T10:55:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was full of water polo action across Southern California. The boys were involved in three separate tournaments (Commerce, Villa Park and Capo Valley) while the girls played in a major tournament in Santa Barbara.

This weekend: The State High School Tournament for both girls & boys. Check out the tournament schedule here.

Video Highlights

2010-07-14T11:08:00.000-07:00

You can catch some video highlights of Croatia and Hungary courtesy of Paul Fink's YouTube Channel.

Here is a sample:

Home

2010-07-13T21:49:00.001-07:00

Budapest to Munich to LAX to Newport Harbor. 18 hours of travel. The boys are home!

Day 12 - Budapest and then Home!

2010-07-12T22:51:00.000-07:00

It is 7:45 am in Budapest and the boys have been in the pool since 7:00. It will be another hot day here (temperatures were in the 90's yesterday). We have another couple of hours to shower, pack and eat breakfast before taking our bus to the airport.

Day 11 - Budapest

2010-07-12T22:42:00.000-07:00

We start the day with 8:00 am breakfast at the hotel. Unlike our prior hotels, this is a true continental breakfast with breads, cereals, juices and coffees. A small plate of cheese and salami are the only protein available.

While the boys finished breakfast, one family sought out a familiar destination - the first one in Hungary.

At 9:15 the team assembled in the lobby to walk over to the National Training Center for our first scrimmage of the day. Our competition was one of the primary club teams in Budapest. Our host initially planned on sending their 16 & under team, but after Newport's performance in Eger, the Club sent 18 & under players as well. The team clicked on all levels and the Newport boys prevailed.

Lunch was back at the restaurant near our hotel. We started with a fruit yogurt soup that arrived at each table in one enormous bowl. Once tasted, the boys devoured the sweet soup. This was followed by either chicken fillets or spaghetti with meat sauce. The boys ate their fill and then some.

After lunch we were treated to a guided tour of Budapest. Our Hungarian guide spoke English and gave the team a detailed history of the city as we drove to different parts of the City. Our first stop was Freedom Square, which features statutes of 12 heroes of Hungary.

It was the perfect setting for a team photo.

The final stop on the tour was the castle that sits in the hills about Budapest. Our guide gave us a brief tour, showing us some of the highlights and giving us time to explore portions of the castle on our own. The team gathered in areas to take in the views and learn more about the history of the area.

Our second scrimmage took place at 5:30 pm at the National Training Center. The team faced the same Hungarian club who they thoroughly trounced earlier in the day. It appeared that the Club brought a couple of extra players, but it would not make a difference. Newport rolled and scored at will. After 90 minutes of play, the coaches signaled that the scrimmage would end after the next goal. The Newport defense held strong to ensure that the Hungarians would not score. I'm not sure the Hungarians realized what Newport did at the end of the game, but the team decided that the last goal would be scored by our starting goalie, Chris Whitelegge. And sure enough, his goal would end the scrimmage.

Our final dinner in Hungary took place at our regular restaurant, Don Pepe's - a pizzeria with a name that suggested they served Mexican food (something we all missed). The wonderful meal ended with closing remarks from both coaches and team leader, Andrew Duhoux.

The boys returned to the hotel to relax and prepare for the departure tomorrow.

Hotel Csaszar Budapest

2010-07-11T21:07:00.000-07:00

Talk about a hotel with proper training facilities! The Hotel Csaszar Budapest has a beautiful Olympic sized pool right next to the hotel. We will train here Tuesday morning before our flight home. And, yes, I mean the pool is right next to the hotel...

Day 10 - Eger to Budapest

2010-07-11T14:56:00.000-07:00

Sunday morning arrived early for the boys. Breakfast was moved up to 7:00 am, then the boys returned to their rooms to pack their bags. Back in the lobby before 8:00 am, the team left their bags and headed out to the pool for 2hours of practice. Despite the limited sleep, the boys were sharp, executing the coach's drills with precision.

Shortly after 10:00 am, the boys returned and we loaded the bus for our trip to Budapest. The ride was very quiet as the boys dozed off in the back. The road to Budapest takes us through rolling countryside, with fields of wheat, sunflowers, peppers and grapes. Off in the distance we can seen steam rising from the towers of a nuclear power plant. Small villages are scattered across the landscape, all seeming centered around the town's church.

The morning journey to Budapest

Distance - 137Km, Estimated Travel Time - 1 hour, 39 minutes

We arrived in Budapest shortly after noon. The team checked into the hotel, dropped off bags in their rooms and headed to lunch at a restaurant around the corner from the hotel.

Nourished and refreshed, it was time for a little sight seeing. Our destination was about a couple of miles from the hotel, so we traveled by tram. This efficient form of transportation whisked us across the city in no time.

We headed to the Museum of Terror. This museum focuses on the occupation of Hungary by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. The location is the former head of the State Secret Police. Even though the majority of the exhibit was in Hungarian, it was a powerful experience showing the horrors of repressive regimes.

Following the museum, the team headed to Margarite Island, home of the Hungarian National Training Center. For today, the boys would simply practice - tomorrow will be two scrimmages. While individuals can pay to use the facilities, teams can reserve pool time only if they are invited by one of the clubs that trains at the National Training Center.

At 6:30 pm, the team exited the pool and grabbed another tram for a Danube River cruise. This was a delightful experience as we cruised up and down the Danube as dusk turned to night. The beauty of Budapest was evident all around us.

Day 09 - Eger

2010-07-10T14:45:00.000-07:00

The boys gathered in the lobby at 7:50 so they could all go to breakfast together as a group. All were dressed in their Tour 2010 t-shirts and stripped shorts. The morning routine includes parents checking in with each boy (how are they feeling, did they sleep well, etc.) and offering of Emergen-C or the "sting stick" if they suffered a mosquito bite.

After 30 minutes, the boy headed up to the conference room for film review. Coach has the video projected on a screen, pausing frequently to point out positioning, game flow, etc. with a laser pointer.

The first scrimmage of the day started at 10:00 am against the Eger 16 & unders. Coach mixed up the lines and both controlled the games in convincing fashion.

Now, when we arrived at the pool, we were greeted with the most delicious aroma. Behind the bleachers, Linda's father Imre was starting a fresh pot of goulash. Bacon was sizzling in the large pot over the wood fire.

Onions were chopped (and added to the pot) and Imre was busy peeling potatoes, getting some assistance from the Newport parents. The pot will simmer all day and be ready for the post game meal around 6:00 pm tonight.

After the scrimmage, the boys wanted to take the first of many team pictures. Today's would be underwater in the old Eger pool. The team gathered together and prepared to take the plunge while Coach took the picture with Luke's camera. I can't wait to see that shot!

Lunch was at our usual restaurant. We sat outside under a collection of large, square umbrellas.

The meal started with a cold fruit soup containing pineapple, pears, grapes and coconut milk. This was followed by a plate of rice and fried cheese patties. Parents shared their plates with the team so the boys could get their fill of hot food.

After lunch, we headed to the main park in Eger.

At the center of the park is a large fountain that originally stood at the Eger pool. When the communists took control of the country, the fountain was knocked down (to be replaced by bleachers years later). Once the communists fell from power, the fountain was rebuilt in the park. This was the perfect setting for a team picture.

The park is beautiful and on a sunny Saturday in July, we found multiple brides taking pictures before their weddings - we counted about 10 different brides. Now, the water polo team stands out amongst the students of Newport Harbor High School. You can imagine how much they stand out in a town like Eger. Sure enough, one of the brides approached us and asked for a picture with the boys. They were more than willing to comply.

The Eger Candy Museum was our next stop of the day. The museum featured the work of Gyorgy Kepes, a world famous artist and ten-time gold medal winner at the Culinary Olympics in Berlin. The museum featured a wide variety of pieces, all made with different forms of confectionery.

While this might not have captured the interests of all the boys, the candy shop next door certainly did. Our tour ended at 2:00 pm and the boys had 90 minutes to rest before the next games.

The boys returned to the pool at 3:30 for warm up. At 4:00 pm, it was time for the final match in Eger. City and National pride was on the line for the Newport Harbor v. Eger Water Polo Club match. Both team came out with guns blazing. It was a very physical match with aggressive (and clean) play. When time ran out, the scoreboard read 14-14. The teams played to a well-fought draw.

After a cool down, the boys changed and it was time for another team picture (at the request of Imre). This was immediately followed by the special treat of the day - a delicious bowl of Imre's goulash. Many of the boys went back for seconds of the flavorful, somewhat spicy pork soup.

The parents were also in for a treat with a wine tasting in a cave in the hills of Eger. Our host and her family owned and operated a winery, so we had a wonderful experience.

While the parents were away, Coach Cory was watching over the boys for their last full night in Eger. Another beautiful day in Eger.

Day 08 - Eger

2010-07-09T13:49:00.000-07:00

Today, we started with the usual plan of breakfast at 8:00 in the Park Hotel. The boys are finding their favorite items and eating their fill. The cereals are popular (they have Coco Puffs and Golden Grahams), as are the breads, pastries and scrambled eggs. At 8:45, the boys assembled to watch the film from the prior evening's games. Coach Cory filmed the games from the top of the bleachers (providing an excellent view) and provided detailed commentary. The team would be training all morning with film, weights and then a scrimmage at noon.

The parents took this opportunity to explore the city (a farmer's market was one of the discoveries), relax in the wellness center at the hotel, or simply catch up on work.

The noon scrimmage featured the same 16 & under group from the Eger Water Polo Club, but it seemed as if they had a couple of bigger boys with them as well. The coach kept both lines of boys busy - while one scrimmages, the other did training drills with Coach Cory (the heavy balls were put to good use). The weather here is perfect. Mid 70's, light breeze and plenty of sunshine.

The design of the Eger pool provides great views of the games. On one side, there are benches approximately 4 feet from the edge of the pool and about 3 feet above the water. The bleachers on the opposite side sit close to the pool and are fairly steep. From the top row, you get an almost top down view of the action. Here are a couple of views of Newport Harbor in defensive formation, and then countering:

Lunch was at the restaurant by the pool. Today's offering was a vegitable noodle soup followed by spaghetti with meat sauce. Needless to say, the plates were licked clean. A couple of the moms offered their plates to the boys, and the team shared the extra at each table.

After lunch, it was time for some sightseeing. Just up the hill from the pool stood the Eger Castle. The medevial structure played an important role in Hungary's history as the location of a major battle between the Hungarians and the Turks (the Hungarians prevailed). Before we started the tour, Linda gave us a great overview of Hungarian history (though our AP students may have learned a different version of a couple of the accounts).

Our tour included a number of interesting elements in the castle's design and history.

The castle tour lasted just over an hour, so the boys had a good hour back at the hotel for rest.

The evening scrimmage again featured the mighty Eger 18 & under club (no 19 & 20 year old national team players for this match). This would be Newport's first official game in Hungary. The teams stayed within one point of each other well into the fourth quarter. With only a couple minutes left, Newport was able to add a few more goals for a 15-11 final.

After the game, we headed to dinner at the White Stag - a famous game (as in hunting) restaurant located right next to the hotel. We enjoyed a delicious meal of goulash, stuffed chicken with pomme frites (french fries) and a light, ice cream cake dessert. A piano player performed a collection of familiar tunes and melodies (with a brief guest appearance by Dan Stevens). With dinner over at 9:30 (relatively early for our European travels), the team decided to head out on the town for an ice cream. What could be a better team bonding experience than a quest for ice cream in a foreign country? It was a wonderful, educational and productive day for the team.

Day 07 - Eger

2010-07-08T13:29:00.000-07:00

Our schedule today follows the same pattern as yesterday. Team breakfast was scheduled for 8:00 am in the Hotel Park (the hotel connected to the Hotel Eger). The buffet had most of the same items, but it was fun to discover any new or different items. One of the best finds was the selection of fruit jams & marmalades. If you bypassed this collection, you would have missed the one pot that contained Nutella.

After breakfast, the boys watched film with the coaches for about an hour. At 9:30, the team met in the hotel lobby for the day's first adventure. Instead of a morning workout, our destination was the Spekula Observatory located in the middle of the city - a short walk away.

Once we arrived at the building, we climbed many stairs up to a tower on the roof. Most of the was up the tower was an observation deck which provided incredible views of the city.

Further up the tower was a unique feature of the observatory - a 'camera obscura' - one of only two in the world and the oldest of its kind (built in 1779). The best way to describe how this worked is by illustration.

The boys enjoyed a tour of this device as the guide rotated the mirror around giving us a nearly 360 degree view of the city. Quite an interesting device and quite remarkable considering how long ago it was designed and constructed. Here is what it looked like viewing the city on the screen:

After the tour, we headed back to the pool. As with the day before, the team's first scrimmage was against the local club's younger players (let's say 16 & unders). And as the day before, the game went Newport's way quite decisively.

After the scrimmage, we returned to the restaurant from yesterday for lunch. The boys were somewhat skeptical of what they might be eating, so back-up plans were made involving a local pizzeria. Lunch started with our first taste of goulash (a meat soup) followed by a heaping plate of spaghetti. Now you might this spaghetti would be the perfect meal, and in most cases it is. Today, however, we did not find a typical red sauce covering the noodles. Instead, the spaghetti was covered with sour cream and grated cheese. Hunger, however, ruled over the lack of familiarity and the boys polished off large portions of meal. The immediate need for pizza was adverted.

Our next stop was the Eger Sports Museum. This museum is dedicated to the Olympic athletes of Eger and boy are there a lot of them. We were greeted at the door by our tour guide, who with Linda translating Hungarian to English, would explain all we would see.

The top floor of the museum is dedicated to swimming and water polo and was filled with trophies and medals. We learned about the establishment of the modern Olympic games and the role played by Dr. Ferenc Kemény from Eger, the significance of the 1956 Melbourne games (which took place during the Hungarian uprising against the communists), and how Hungary has dominated in the sport of water polo. The museum had all the boys sign a book recording their visit to the museum, which will include a team photo.

With a couple hours rest, we regrouped in the lobby of the hotel with the team before heading out for the next scrimmage. Again, we were playing the big boys from the Eger Club Team (four of the players were 19 or 20). The scrimmage was structured the same as yesterday, with both clubs split into two groups, alternating for the first four quarters, then each line playing 2 consecutive quarters each (for a total of 8 quarters). And as the night before, the scrimmage demanded everything our boys had to offer. With the new found perspective of the deep history of water polo here in Hungary (from the Eger Sports Museum), the team knew it was facing an incredibly talented, conditioned and disciplined foe. This is why the team is training in Hungary. The level of play is higher than anything the team has faced before and they are improving physically, mentally, emotionally and drawing together as a team.

Back at the hotel for dinner, the boys found another array of meats, vegetables, salads and desserts. After a brief recap of the games with Coach, the boys were off to bed (and for some, catching up on-line with the internet kiosks in the lobby of the hotel).

Hotel Eger Park

2010-07-08T00:05:00.000-07:00

Just to give you an idea of our accommodations here in Eger, I present the Hotel Eger Park.

Is this the indoor training facility??

Day 06 - Eger

2010-07-07T14:00:00.000-07:00

Our first full day in Eger started with the sound of light rain outside. After three days in Croatia with temperatures reaching up in to the 90's, the rain provided a much welcome cooling. As usual, we met in the hotel's restaurant for 8:00 am breakfast. As before, a buffet always offers plenty of choices and most of them are familiar. Slowly but surely we all learned important things like which yogurt was sweet and which was sour. Many of the parents were disappointed by the lack of a good push-button espresso machine (in a pinch, you could order one off the menu).

After breakfast, the boys watched some game footage at the hotel before heading off to the gym. So far, while in Eger we have been hosted by Linda's father who is well connected in the water polo community. He led the boys to the gym and then escorted some of the parents to a grocery store so we could stock up on water.

Around 11:30, we went to the local basilica for an organ concert. The boys were given special seats upstairs where they could see the organist in action. The basilica was beautiful with many frescoes and other ornate decorations. The concert ended at noon and the boys headed back to the pool for the first scrimmage of the day.

It was quite a site to see the boys play in the old Eger pool. The pool is much smaller than the one in Sibenik. Their opponent was a Hungarian youth team that toured the US earlier this year. The boys came out clicking on all cylinders and routed the Hungarian boys in the scrimmage. The Hungarian goalie was probably dizzy by the end of the scrimmage given the number of ball that wizzed by his head at near supersonic speed.

After the scrimmage, we headed to lunch at a restaurant right across from the pool. This was the first time we did not have a buffet meal and likely the first meal where the boys (and parents) saw something they didn't eat at home. We started with cauliflower soup with a main course of veal cutlet on a bed of rich topped with strips of ham, onion and pickles in a semi-clear sauce. Nevertheless, when you put food in front of hungry water polo players, it gets eaten very quickly.

The group was then led to a local bank to get some Hungarian money (forints - we never were quite sure of the exchange rate).

This was followed by a walking tour of downtown Eger. The team soaked up the sights and had fun simply acting like teammates loving on each other.

After some rest back at the hotel, the boys gathered for the evening scrimmage. This time, the boys would face Egri Vizilabda Klub (Waterpolo Club of Eger). The scrimmage lasted about 2 hours as the boys played something like 8 or 10 quarters - and it was 2 hours of intense water polo. The boys were challenged at the highest level with a very physical, fast and skillful game. The Hungarians used moves rarely seen in California pools and could move the ball from every angle in every direction. The team met this challenge with flying colors, giving 110% for the entire 2 hours.

Dinner was back at the hotel and the boys relished hot food from the buffet. The evening was topped off with some congratulatory words from Coach before the boys headed off to bed.

Day 05 Summary

2010-07-06T23:05:00.000-07:00

The day was a challenge for everyone due to the length of the international bus ride. What looks like an eight hour trip on Google maps in reality was around 12 hours. Quite a long time cooped up in a bus with only 3 extra seats. Fortunately, the weather was cooler and the AC on the bus was working at its best (not a constant for earlier parts of the trip).

The boys have really done well with the travel and today was no exception. Even though the hours are long and everything is new or outside the regular comfort zone, the boys are pulling together and learning to rely on each other. Music, games and food are shared and there are plenty of laughs along the way.

We made four short stops during our journey to Eger. The boys enjoyed their adventures into the gas station mini marts as they stocked up on snacks, some familiar (Coke & Pringles) and others not (various brands of chips and cookies). A major find of the days was the Nutella to Go pack, which features a small serving of Nutella with a dozen small cookie sticks.

Our second stop of the days was the Hungarian border. The driver pulled into a special lane for buses and shut off the engine. We had to sit in the bus with no AC for a few minutes (I'm sure it will be remembered as a much longer time) while we waited for the border police to check our passports. Once checked, a second border agent collected the passports for processing and stamping. During this time, we were allowed off the bus to stretch our legs and get fresh air. The boys found various ways to entertain themselves for about 10 minutes. Soon, the passports were returned, we re-boarded the bus and we entered Hungary.

Our route took us through the middle of Budapest, giving all of us a fascinating glimpse of our destination later in the trip. We pushed on past the city and about 2 hours later entered Eger. Everyone was happy to finally arrive and exit the bus.

This being a water polo trip, we went directly to the pool for a quick practice. Now, if you pulled up outside this building, you would not realize it was an aquatics center. From the outside, it appeared small given the viewing stands rising up from both sides of the pool.

Once inside, it was clear that this was a very old facility, but one that was the center of the Eger water polo world. There was plenty of space for spectators with bleachers on one side and an elevated viewing deck on the other. The pool is fed by natural spring waters, so there is no chlorine. Also, the bottom of the pool is lined with small rocks and pebbles.

While the boys practiced, the team mom checked everyone in to the hotel. Luggage was removed from the bus and placed in a secure room while he boys were at the pool. After about 30 minutes, the boys returned to the hotel for dinner. As with our stay in Croatia, the hotel had a large buffet for the boys with meats, pastas, salads, vegetables and other tasty treats.

Arrival in Eger

2010-07-06T11:58:00.001-07:00

Just a quick note to let you know we have arrived in Eger

Day 05 - Sibenik to Eger

2010-07-05T21:56:00.000-07:00

Good Morning all - there has been a small change in plans (remember, in water polo, change is the only constant). The drive to Eger has been recalculated to be 12+ hours. Instead of spending the morning in Sibenik for practice, followed by a long drive, we are getting up early and hitting the road after breakfast.

The long journey to Eger, Hungary

Distance - 825Km, Estimated travel time - 7 hours, 57 minutes

The Google estimate must not incorporate the realities of Eastern Europe bus travel (top speed = 100 Km per hour, rest stops every three hours). I'll report back in after we reach our destination.

Day 04 - Sibenik

2010-07-05T14:59:00.000-07:00

The day began at 8:00 am with breakfast at the hotel. Other than some minor changes on the menu, there was plenty of hot, delicious and familiar foods available for the boys. There might have been a minor panic among the parents when one of the two espresso machines broke down (there is, however, universal agreement that we want one of these machines at home - press a button and get a cappuccino, a machiato, or other espresso-based drink).

Now, as you saw in the prior post, today is Dave Harper's birthday and he was committed to celebrate by bungee jumping off a local bridge. The jump was captured by multiple still and video cameras and Paul Fink was the first to upload his recording of the event. Watch it on YouTube here.

We raced from the bridge to the Sibenik pool for our second scrimmage with the local club team. After besting the Croatians last night, the club sent a couple more players to play against their out-of-town guests. The games was another good test for the team and they prevailed again.

There are some differences between games at home and games in Croatia. The local club team did not gather to shake hands after the game (leaving our boys oddly lined up on the side of the pool). Instead, the local team simply changed and left. Our boys (after realizing no handshake would occur) picked up their goggles and did a warm-down swim set. It was clear that the boys could keep it going for quite a while.

Lunch was back at the hotel with roughly the same buffet as the day before. The boys ate their fill then returned to their rooms for half an hour. Linda then led the group on a short tour of downtown Vodice. The area is a small harbor town with plenty of shops and cafes. Nearly all the boys stopped at the gelato shop recommended by Linda. It was a wonderful cool treat on a hot day and based on informal polling, Nutella flavor was the biggest hit.

The boys huddled with Coach Lynch in the Vodice harbor for some afternoon instructions.

The boys traveled as a group and returned to the hotel (a short 10-minute walk away) for some rest during the hottest part of the day. The group regathered at 6:15 pm before returning to the Sibenik pool for the third and final match with the local club team. Now, after beating the local team twice, it was clear that some national pride was on the line as four new players arrived on the deck. The new players made the match far more competative with some very aggressive, challenging (and clean) play. Nevertheless, the Newport boys prevailed, beating the Croatians at their own game. The boys huddled with their coaches in the warm Croatian evening sunshine.

Soon thereafter, the sun set on Sibenik and we returned to our hotel for dinner and a good night's sleep.

Happy Birthday Dave Harper

2010-07-05T05:45:00.000-07:00

To celebrate Dave Harper's birthday, we followed the Croatian tradition of bridge jumping.

Actually, on the road between the hotel and the pool, there was a bungie jumping opportunity. To celebrate 55 years, Dave took the jump. Rich Lee then followed with his own jump before we headed to the pool for another scrimmage. There will be video of the jumps!

Day 03 - Sibenik

2010-07-04T22:28:00.000-07:00

The morning started with the breakfast buffet in the hotel. Despite the jet lag, many of the boys were eating breakfast by 9:00 am. There was a wide variety of breakfast foods available including fruit, cereal, fried eggs, bacon, sausage, potatoes, and other goodies. After breakfast, a short excursion was taken to exchange money (where they can exchange US$ for Kuna).

At 9:30 am, we boarded the bus for the short trip to Sibenik where the team would workout for a couple of hours. A few of us ventured into the town of Sibenik to explore the waterfront area.

Lunch (as all meals so far) was a buffet back at the hotel. The buffets provide plenty of choices and all the boys are finding a lot of good things to eat (chicken, beef, pork, pasta, potatoes, salad and, of course, dessert).

After lunch, we were scheduled for a walking tour of Sibenik. Now, a long walking tour on a hot day did not sound like the most appealing thing for a group of athletes (especially, athletes who are most comfortable in the water). Linda did a great job of planning the tour with a local teacher/tour guide and it ended up being a fascinating little trip.

The weather cooled down quite a bit as a summer thundershower rolled through the area. The boys perked up as if they had never seen rain before, dancing around in the brief, light shower.

The cooler weather made walking easier as we learned about the history of Croatia, the Dalmatian coast, and the town of Sibenik. As we walked the narrow streets, our guide explained different aspects of life in Croatia including history, politics and religion. Many of the structures were 800+ years old and the boys could see how architecture changed over the millennia.

After our tour and a short rest back at the hotel, the team was back at the pool for our first scrimmage. We were facing a local team that had just won a championship, but only two of their starting players were able to make the scrimmage. Still, the team provided a good, physical challenge and our boys rallied together to put the ball in the goal. You really can’t beat this location for water polo with the ancient town of Sibenik as a backdrop.

Dinner was another buffet at the hotel which left the boys satisfied and full (hamburgers and mini pizzas certainly helped, as did the ice cream at the dessert bar). The boys then headed off to bed for some much needed rest.

Hotel Olympia

2010-07-03T21:31:00.000-07:00

Concerned about our accommodations here in Croatia? Don't be - we are staying at the Hotel Olympia in Vodice, Croatia. Does the pool have a regulation sized water polo tank? Perhaps not, but it is inviting none the less. And the beach is just steps away.....

Days 01 & 02 - The Long Way To Croatia

2010-07-03T17:57:00.000-07:00

It all started with a collection of atheletes and some parents in the parking lot at Newport Harbor. After two international flights, all was left was:

The bus ride to Sibenik

Distance - 350Km, estimated travel time - 3 hours, 19 minutes

It was 24 hours door to door to travel from Newport Harbor to Sibenik, Croatia. The drive was one of great beauty and there were frequent comparisons to various landscapes in California (Santa Ynez, high desert, etc.). Apparently the freeway we took was constructed within the last decade and includes many tunnels through the rugged Croatia landscape. A couple of the tunnels were quiet long (longer than you can hold your breath!).

There were a number of small towns along the way, set in the middle of lush green valleys.

The boys are now getting some much needed sleep. The hearty, buffet dinner was a delicious and nutritional way to end the day.

We look forward to tomorrow!

First Workout in Sibenik

2010-07-03T17:36:00.000-07:00

After the long drive from the airport, there was a change of plans (this is, after all, water polo). Our pool time in Sibenik started at 7:00 pm, and it was now 7:20pm. Instead of stopping at the hotel, we instead drove straight to the pool. Despite the tired faces on boys and parents alike, there was renewed energy when we stepped onto the pool deck. Not a bad place for a pool:

Overlooking a bay, with historic structures climbing the hill to the fort on top, the pool in Sibenik was quite a sight!

And since the boys are always at home in the water, they started the workout with glee.

Zagreb to Sibenik

2010-07-03T14:10:00.000-07:00

As some of you already know, we arrived in Zagreb without incident. The flight from Frankfurt was very smooth and we arrived on time. We were able to pick up our bags quickly and fly through customs (which consisted of a hallway about 15 feet long). Our bus was waiting and we were loaded and on the road by 3:00pm local time.

Even though we were in a foreign country, many things seemed familiar - even this billboard we saw many times down the freeway.

A local law limits the speed of buses to 100Km per Hour. While this sounds fast, a three hour drive ends up taking over 4 hours. Due to the length of the drive, we made a pit stop at a gas station. It was a rather nice affair with clean bathrooms and a mini-mart where we were able to stock up on water, chips and cookies.

Frankfurt

2010-07-03T02:42:00.000-07:00

Just a quick noted to let you all know that we arrived in Frankfurt and are waiting for our flight to Zagreb. After little sleep in the plane's rock-like "seats" and some questionable food, the boys found comfort in a McDonald's (that accepted 4 different currencies!)

Cheeseburgers and fries work on any continent. The boys all found something tasty and stocked up on waters for the next flight. There was plenty of time to eat, use the restrooms and get organized for the next flight.

All Aboard!

2010-07-02T14:08:00.000-07:00

Most of the boys started their venture with a shuttle bus to the airport. We have all arrived at LAX, checked our bags and are now waiting to board our flight. It is easy to spot this group of boys in any crowd.

Track Our Flight

2010-07-02T06:39:00.000-07:00

Follow the team's flight to Europe in real-time using the Luftansa Flight Tracker. Simply enter the Airline Code for Lufthansa (LH) and the Flight Number (457 to Frankfurt; 348 to Zagreb) and press "Go".

A Grand Farewell

2010-07-01T21:00:00.000-07:00

The Duhoux Family graciously hosted a wonderful farewell dinner for the team, with an all-American meal of hamburgers, mac & cheese, salad, brownies and cupcakes - a perfect send off for the boys.

Time Difference

2010-07-01T09:28:00.000-07:00

Wondering what time it is in Croatia or Hungary? You could count the time zones and then adjust for daylight savings.

Or you could check the local time for Croatia and Hungary.

Weather Conditions

2010-06-30T10:12:00.000-07:00

Wonder what the weather conditions are like in Croatia and Hungary? Check in daily with the weather reports for the following destinations:

Sibenik, Croatia

Eger, Hungary

Budapest, Hungary

Tour Logo

2010-06-29T15:52:00.000-07:00

This is the official logo of the Newport Harbor Boy's Water Polo Varsity Team 2010 European Tour.

Destination: Hungary

2010-06-28T19:10:00.000-07:00

After 4 days in Croatia, the team will travel to Hungary, spending time in Eger and Budapest.

Hungary is in eastern Europe, with Croatia and Serbia to the south, Romania to the east, Slovakia to the north and Austria to the west. To give you an idea of the size of Hungary, the map below shows an outline of the country overlayed on Southern California.

Destination: Croatia

2010-06-28T05:02:00.000-07:00

On Friday, July 2, the varsity team departs for Europe for training. The first stop is Croatia

Croatia lies on the eastern edge of the Adriatic Sea. To give you an idea of the size of Croatia, the map below shows an outline of the country overlayed on Southern California.

Welcome

2010-06-27T05:20:00.000-07:00

The Newport Harbor Water Polo team is the hardest working high school boys program in the United States. The team maintains a heavy schedule with tournaments, games, scrimmages and practices. Sometimes, it may be difficult to be there in person to watch the boys. This blog is here to help keep you informed and share in the action, both in and out of the pool.