Coach: Glenbrook South water polo coach surpasses 400 wins

Back in the 2001-02 school year, a young, first-year Glenbrook South teacher was just starting his career teaching chemistry and physics when he was offered the opportunity to take over the school's new water polo program.

"I played water polo while in school at Highland Park High School," explains the then-young first-year coach Dave Lieberman, "and I think I was the only one in the building who had any experience with the sport, so when they asked me if I wanted to coach the startup program, I said 'sure!'"

That was back then.

Now, 22 seasons later, Lieberman (now with a little less hair and a few more wrinkles) is, amazingly, still coaching the Titan team and just recently passed his 400th win mark. They did so back on Friday, March 18, with a 14-4 win over Riverside Brookfield.

When you consider a 20-win season is a watershed mark (no pun intended) for water polo teams, the 400 mark is quite impressive. It clearly and definitively indicates a long lineage of quality and consistency in the program, all under the leadership of the one-time raw rookie coach.

I asked the now-veteran Coach Lieberman if the kids on the team did the ceremonial throwing of the coach into the pool to celebrate the 400th win, but Lieberman quickly shut that down.

"I told them they can throw me in when we make it to state this year," he said with a bit of a smile.

Fair enough.

Interestingly, during his 22 years, the sport of water polo continues to grow both in this area and throughout the state. There are currently over 80 teams competing in Illinois, with more schools adding programs every year.

"Kids are seeing it more and hearing about it more, and then decide maybe they want to give it a try," says the veteran coach. "And they are now playing in the summertime and also on club teams, so the skill level has increased significantly."

I asked coach to give me his best sell job on the sport, especially to the fans unfamiliar with the game.

"It has bits and pieces of many sports," he explains. "A lot of the team concepts seen in sports like basketball and soccer; also the physicality that you might get in a sport like wrestling, and then of course the natural swimming ability. It really takes quite a unique athlete to excel in it."

Because of the growing popularity, he is starting to see kids from other sports trying out to play water polo.

"Swimmers are still our main source of athletes for water polo, but we are starting to see some basketball kids giving it a try - and because of all the grappling, and grabbing, and maneuvering it has become a natural appeal to some of the wrestlers as well. We had a few of them tryout this year."

Wrestlers and basketball players in the pool? So, how's that working out?

"They have some potential," says coach. "The basketball kids understand the team concepts and tend to have high sport IQ, while the wrestlers adapt quickly to the sports physicality."

But then Lieberman adds with a bit of a laugh, "but they do start to struggle and keep up when it comes to the swimming part."

As far as a coaching style developed over his 22 years, Lieberman has naturally changed and adapted over time.

"Yeah, I don't yell and get excited quite as much. Probably mellowed a bit over the years; you know things like old age and losing my voice catches up to you. And to be honest, I discovered that when they are in the water the kids couldn't hear me much anyway, so now I wait to the timeouts."

His coaching philosophy is all about fundamentals and techniques. Learn the skills, and success will follow.

"I don't believe in a lot of set plays and intricate strategies. I think if the kids know the skills and understand the game, then they will have success. And we really stress the team concept."

Sometimes that "team concept" is a little more difficult to establish with swimmers, who are used to competing as individuals.

"That is one of our challenges," says coach, "getting the kids that are used to individual competition to now play in a team atmosphere. But the kids we have had here at South have really been an open and accessible to that philosophy, and I think that has been a big part of our programs success."

Speaking of success, the best year for the Titans was back in 2008 when they rolled to a 30-2 record and finished third in the state. The state hardware is sitting in the GBS trophy case. Not bad considering the first year, back in 2001, they played only 19 matches and went 9-10

The 2022 Titan water polo contingent is young and fairly inexperienced. A lot lost from the senior group of last year. But the talent is there, and they continue to improve. As of last week's spring break, the Titans were 4-5, but just starting to come into their own.

Seniors Adam Smoran, Sam Burman, Sachin Patel, and Jordan Yonan are the most experienced of the bunch, while sophomore Aidan Hogan leads a talented group of underclassman.

"I think we have potential to see a big uptick after the break," says coach. "The guys are gaining confidence and starting to really come together."

It will take some real doing to get this team to make state this year. But that is their goal for sure. And what better inspiration than maybe getting another trophy for the GBS trophy case and, of course, a much overdue chance to throw their coach into the pool.

After 400 plus wins, he could use a good dunking.

• Jon Cohn of Glenview is a coach, retired PE teacher, sports official and prep sports fan. To contact him with comments or story ideas, email jcsportsandtees@aol.com.