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sports:
men's water polo
Segesman's hard
work pays off in 49er pool
By Ben Dimapindan
On-line Forty-Niner
To the coaches
and players who know him, senior defenseman Chris Segesman
is a relentlessly hard worker.
This explains why
the Long Beach State men's water polo team looks to him as
the leader and why he was awarded a spot on the U.S. National
Team this past summer.
"He's a very
intense player," 49er Head Coach Ricardo Azevedo said.
"One of his biggest advantages is that he's a workaholic."
After being a First
Team All-CIF Division IV selection in 1997 at Dos Pueblos
High School, Segesman entered the LBSU water polo program,
cultivating his skills under the direction of Azevedo.
"I don't think
I was a very polished player coming out of high school,"
Segesman said. "I had a very good swimming background,
so I was big and fast, but the coaches produced my counterattack
game.
"[Azevedo],
being the tactical coach that he is, really polished my offensive
skills and my creativeness."
Since redshirting
his freshman year, Segesman's level of play has risen each
year.
In 1998, Segesman
scored 34 goals, the third-highest total on the team. He followed
up with a 50-point season in 1999, which earned him All-MPSF
(Mountain Pacific Sports Federation) Defensive First Team
honors.
Last season, Segesman
led the team in scoring with 50 goals and was named First
Team All-American and First Team All-MPSF.
"Chris is
not only one of the strongest out there, but probably also
one of the fastest guys too," teammate and senior driver
Justin
Jewell said. "To move up and down the pool with his size
is a big benefit, but his strength in hand-to-hand battle
makes him [almost unstoppable]. He's just a hard-nosed player."
Last year culminated
in Segesman's selection to the U.S. National Team, where he
had the opportunity to play with and learn from water polo's
best athletes in the World Championships in Japan.
"It was exciting
[to see him out there]," said Azevedo, who served as
interim head coach of the U.S. National Team this summer.
"The stint with the national team has made a big difference
as far as becoming more of a creative player. Before he'd
just be intense, hard-nosed, a blue-collar worker. But now
he's learning ... [to be] a little more creative."
With his experience
on the national team, Segesman is prepared to take on the
responsibilities of leading of the 49ers to a successful MPSF
season during his senior campaign.
"I think they
do look to me as a leader -- a guy who they can talk to or
find advice if they need help doing stuff in the pool,"
Segesman said. "I like the pressure on my shoulders."
Segesman chooses
not to dwell on his past achievements, working diligently
and focusing on the main task that lies ahead -- winning a
national title in his final season at LBSU.
"My biggest
accomplishment would be leading this team to a national championship,"
Segesman said. "I think our chances are very good. The
guys on this team, the experience that we have now, playing
with each other -- we should be the team to beat."
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