Chelsea Laning was on her way to roam the seas with the U.S.
Navy. But that was before she met Gary Figueroa and ended up in
water of a different kind. After graduating from Live Oak High,
where she starred in water polo last year, Laning was all set to
join the military and leave her days in the pool behind her. But
just weeks after graduation, she happened to participate in a water
polo shooting clinic at the Morgan Hill Aquatics Center conducted
by Figueroa, the legendary two-time Olympic water polo player. It
was supposed to be a kind of last water polo hurrah for the
high-scoring lefty, who had earned All-Tri-County Athletic League
first team honors on the league champion Acorns after her senior
season. But it ended up changing her life.
Chelsea Laning was on her way to roam the seas with the U.S. Navy. But that was before she met Gary Figueroa and ended up in water of a different kind.
After graduating from Live Oak High, where she starred in water polo last year, Laning was all set to join the military and leave her days in the pool behind her. But just weeks after graduation, she happened to participate in a water polo shooting clinic at the Morgan Hill Aquatics Center conducted by Figueroa, the legendary two-time Olympic water polo player.
It was supposed to be a kind of last water polo hurrah for the high-scoring lefty, who had earned All-Tri-County Athletic League first team honors on the league champion Acorns after her senior season. But it ended up changing her life.
Figueroa, who was on the verge of being offered the head coaching position for the brand new women’s water polo program at Cal State Monterey Bay, knew Laning from his days as the Salinas High boys and girls water polo coach. So, he talked to Laning about her future plans, testing the waters, so to speak, to see if she might be interested in joining him at CSUMB.
“I was signed up to go into the Navy but I couldn’t pass up a chance to play collegiate water polo,” Laning said.
“It was a stroke of good fortune for us,” Figueroa said.
Less than a year later, Laning and her CSUMB teammates have just recently completed their first season, finishing 8-31 overall and placing 10th in the NCAA Division II Western Water Polo Association.
And, Laning, who is playing on a partial scholarship, enjoyed a spectacular freshman season, tallying an astounding 118 goals as the Otters’ two-meter to rank among the nation’s scoring leaders and earning All-WWPA honorable mention for her efforts.
But, as both Laning and Figueroa will tell you, the story of this year’s team was about so much more than mere scoring totals, no matter how impressive.
Quite simply, Laning says playing at CSUMB one of the best experiences of her life.
Never mind that she was playing with a make-shift roster dominated by beginners and featuring few other experienced players – the result of missing out on most of the recruiting season. This was a squad cobbled together from on-campus athletes in other sports who joined the team, a few junior college transfers and several high school players – most of whom hadn’t played much. Laning and teammate Alex Davis, who ended up among the nation’s leaders in assists and steals, were the team’s only real prospects. Much of the season was devoted to teaching the raw squad the sport’s basic fundamentals. Before the season, winning even eight games probably would have seemed like wishful thinking.
But for Laning, it was a treasured experience for several reasons.
First, she said the team – as diverse in background and skill level as it was – got along, pardon the expression, swimmingly. In fact, Laning said the group got along better than any other team she’d ever played on.
Second, Laning said Figueroa is one of the best coaches she’d ever encountered, offering an effective combination of patience and insight.
And finally, she said the opportunity to start from scratch, to be part of establishing an entirely new tradition with a first-year program, was invaluable.
For Figueroa, Laning’s attitude was as integral to the team’s development as her penchant for copious scoring.
“I think the spirit of the team comes out of the players, and she was certainly part of that,” Figueroa said. “She brought a lot of positive energy.”
For Laning, the recently completed season was just the beginning of what she believes will be a rewarding collegiate career.
“It was a real fun season – kind of a more laid-back season,” she said. “Experienced or not, the girls worked harder than most of the other teams. We’re losing some players but Gary’s been recruiting, so we’ll definitely have more girls and a better team next year.”
But Laning will never forget her first collegiate season. It was as memorable as they come.
Note: Two other Live Oak grads also competed in sports at CSUMB this year.
Freshman Eric Jutesen made a splash at the California Collegiate Athletic Association Championships as a member of the Otter men’s golf team, shooting an 11-under 205 for the low score at the three-round final tournament – including a school-record single-round 63. Because the CSUMB program is a provisional member of the CCAA, Jutesen was not eligible for the individual title.
In addition, freshman Nick Rauschnot recently finished his first season with the Otter men’s soccer team.
Times readers are always welcome to respond to all sports columns and other articles.
Jim Johnson is the Morgan Hill Times Sports Editor. He can be reached by calling (408) 779-4106 (ext. 203) or by email at
jj******@mo*************.com
