Girls water polo season has tipped off at Malibu High School, and the Sharks have high hopes.
Malibu coach Hayden Goldberg believes this season’s squad could be better than the 2015-16 team that advanced to the CIF Division VII semifinals.
“I have lot of girls returning from last season to this season,” Goldberg said. “A lot of the girls had personal goals and worked hard in the off-season to get better and achieve them. Our skills are at a high level.”
Malibu’s season began a game against Oxnard on Tuesday. The season continues with a game at Palisades on Nov. 30.
The Sharks finished last season with a 20-8 record that ended when Malibu advanced to the CIF final four and lost to Hillcrest.
Goldberg said last season was a huge accomplishment for the girls competing in the water and that they “put their heart and dedication” into the sport.
“Hopefully we get able to get back there,” the fourth-year head coach said.
For the unit to prepare a shot at the Tri-Valley League title and a deep run in the CIF playoffs, Malibu will square off against some opponents that dealt them losses last year. Oxnard was one team that beat the Sharks a season ago. Others include Thousand Oaks, Newbury Park and Moorpark.
Goldberg said he wanted this year’s schedule to be difficult.
“I wanted to face who we lost to last year, so we could see where we are at and challenge our girls,” he said. “I want to see if we are better than last year. I believe we are.”
Malibu’s high hopes are expected to be propelled due to the water polo skills of a few girls including a trio — sophomore Alex Mora and juniors Gaia Hinds and Sophia Spivak — who are expected to have great seasons.
Goldberg said the three have not stopped playing water polo since last season’s semifinal loss.
“They are that much bigger, that much stronger,” Goldbert, a former Malibu boys water polo player, said of the three high school standouts. “They have been playing club water polo.”
Goldberg, the Tri-Valley Coach of the Year, said leadership responsibilities rest with the Sharks’ five seniors.
“They are becoming really big leaders,” he said. “I tell them, ‘It’s year last year, so what do you have in the tank?’”
The coach pointed out that he expects 11th-grade goalkeeper Gabi Cano to do well.
Malibu plays a decent number of non-Tri-Valley League contests before they begin playing league competition at the end of the new year’s first month. The Sharks only lost two league games last season as they finished in second place. The pair of losses were to the league champs, Foothill Tech.
Goldberg said Malibu isn’t gazing past any opponents on its schedule, but the Jan. 27 and Feb. 8 games against Foothill are something the team are looking forward to.
“Those are pretty much going to be for the league title,” he said. “The girls want a league title. Foothill Tech has had our number for three years, but I believe we have their number this year.”
Goldberg’s voice won’t be only one directing the Sharks while they are in the pool. Former Malibu player JoJo White is now one of the team’s assistant coaches. White was a member of the Malibu girls water polo teams that advanced to the CIF finals in 2008 and 2012. She went on to play college volleyball, and Goldberg said White’s playing experience is something the team can rely on.
The head coach said the Sharks are already playing at a high level.
“We can do some damage this year,” Goldberg said. “The girls are already playing at a level that normally takes half a season to develop. They want to have as many wins as they can because they are some diehard water polo players.”
